County adjusts board application process

Flathead County has revamped its board application process and is readvertising various board vacancies following complaints that the application process was flawed.

Fair Board applicants Karen Enger and Nugget Carmalt spoke to the county commissioners recently, pointing out that new applicants for the board were required to fill out an application form while two current Fair Board members seeking reappointment did not have that same requirement.

“If an applicant who fails to properly complete the form is to be appointed over an applicant who did properly complete the form, we believe the public as well as ourselves should be given a reason,” Carmalt said. “Uniformity throughout the process of appointment to all county boards is a good policy and it counters the ‘good old boy’ perceptions.”

County Administrator Mike Pence said he reviewed the application process and found inconsistencies. Applications for some boards required a completed standardized form for consideration while other boards did not.

“Some said that it must be completed for appointment or for reappointment, others did not,” Pence said. “This does not involve one board only, but nearly all boards with open positions. So, with all the differing forms of application and letters of interest filed, the commissioners decided that to be fair to all interested applicants that we would restart the process.”

From now on, letters of interest will be taken but application forms won’t be required to avoid confusion, Pence said. Applicants are asked to submit information they deem most important for consideration to be appointed to a board or committee.

The county published a legal notice in Saturday’s Daily Inter Lake noting the change, which applies to a wide range of boards and committees.

Letters of interest for board vacancies will be taken until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, for the following boards: Agency on Aging Advisory Council, Airport Authority Board, Animal Shelter Advisory Committee, Columbia Falls Cemetery Board, Compensation Board, Conrad Mansion Board, Emergency Medical Services Board, Fair Commission, Fairview Cemetery Board, Fire Service Area Advisory Board, Flathead County Economic Development Authority/Port Authority, Health Board, RSVP Advisory Council, Swan Hill TV District, Tax Appeal Board, Transportation Advisory Board and Weed and Parks Board. All positions are appointed by the county commissioners.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.