GILLETTE -- After three secret ballot votes to obtain a majority vote, the Campbell County Cemetery Board chose Duffy Jenniges to replace former board member Christina Maycock, who resigned last month due to health issues after being charged with a felony and misdemeanor.

With a 3-2 vote Monday, Jenniges was elected to the position that will begin immediately.

Both Friday and Monday the board conducted interviews of the six applicants for the position that will be up for re-election in 2010.

Jenniges was unavailable for comment after the board selected him, but during his interview on Monday Jenniges said, "I just help people out where they need help and I thought I might be of assistance to the cemetery board."

During his interview Jenniges didn't withhold his opinion of the cemetery board and how it has operated the past few months.

"Things aren't really getting taken care of in a timely manner," said Jenniges, a retired railroad worker. "We need to get together and get back on track."

As current treasurer of the Campbell County Democratic Committee, Jenniges said he has experience working with budgets. Offering a fresh perspective, Jenniges said he hopes to provide the board with some insight into its operations, from getting water wells running smoothly to prioritizing the needs of the cemetery.

"I think I could bring an outside approach," Jenniges said. "We need to get back to what we're here for."

Among Jenniges' concerns for the board are getting beyond the issues of the past few months and moving forward in a positive fashion as a team.

"We need to find some kind of cohesion," Jenniges said. "I'd like to think we could start putting things back together."

The cemetery board has been under public scrutiny the past few months.

An investigation by Campbell County District Attorney Jeanne Stone led to charges of state open meetings act violations by current board members Dorothy Slattery, Eda Reno and Shirley Schafer, as well as former board members Maycock and George Hunter. They are scheduled to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 12. Maycock also is charged with one felony count of obtaining property by false pretenses and misdemeanor charges of wrongful appropriation of public property, misuse of office and two counts of open meetings act violations. Maycock is scheduled to appear in court at 3 p.m. on Dec. 7.

Schafer, who voted for Jenniges, said she was impressed with his experience with wells. Seeing water as one of the biggest issues affecting the cemetery's operations, Schafer said she hopes Jenniges will be able to provide a new perspective on the cemetery's water needs.

While Nikki Johnson voted for Jim Hastings, she did say that Jenniges would be an asset to the board and provide a new perspective.

Chairwoman Slattery echoed Johnson's enthusiasm for the new board member and said she is eager to have him in place for Wednesday's regular meeting at 11 a.m.

"It will be nice to have a gentleman's outlook," Slattery said. "It will be a different point of view when we need one -- a point of view we don't step back and look at a lot of times."