Gov. Mead Appoints State Education Dept. Director

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Gov. Matt Mead has selected an Arizona state senator to run the Wyoming Education Department.

Mead late Wednesday afternoon announced his choice of Richard Crandall, who co-owns two nutritional service companies.

The Education Department has a budget of about $1 billion a year and employs about 150 people.

Mead and the Legislature enacted a new law this past winter removing the statewide elected superintendent of public instruction as head of the Education Department. Instead, the department will be administered by a director appointed by the governor.

The change occurred in the middle of Superintendent Cindy Hill's four-year term. Hill is challenging the constitutionality of the change.

Crandall says that he'll let the superintendent situation take its own course and that he has a clean slate with everyone involved.