Commissioners swap committee assignments

The Flathead County commissioners voted Monday to retain Commissioner Pam Holmquist as the commission chairwoman for another year, but swapped several committee assignments.

Commissioner Gary Krueger’s term on the Fair Board ended Dec. 31 and he chose not to continue on that board. Holmquist agreed to serve on the Fair Board so the commission continues to have a presence on the board.

“I think it’s been very helpful to have a commissioner on the Fair Board,” Holmquist said.

Krueger was appointed to the Fair Board when there was a vacancy, and he said the board’s bylaws don’t address the issue of having a commissioner serve on the board. He said he believes the bylaws for the Fair Board need to be changed to clearly define what a commissioner’s role should be as a Fair Board member.

The commissioner position on the five-person Fair Board has been a voting position.

“I do believe as of late we’ve had some issues come up with the fair and I think it is important that we follow the rules to the letter of the law,” Krueger said.

The commissioners will appoint new Fair Board members later this month. Krueger suggested the commissioners appoint members of the public who have applied “and not necessarily [a member] from the commission.”

In other reassignments, Holmquist will step down from the E-911 administrative board and Commissioner Phil Mitchell will take her place. Mitchell wants to have a hand in exploring funding options for capital improvements to the county’s consolidated 911 center.

Property owners last week successfully protested a proposed E-911 special district that would have taxed residents and businesses to raise money for dispatch center improvements. Mitchell said he wants to study how other urban counties in Montana fund their dispatch centers and raise money for equipment upgrades.

Mitchell is stepping down from the Flathead County Agency on Aging Board and Holmquist will take his place. Holmquist noted the county’s recent grant to make improvements to area senior centers, and said she wants to be part of that process.

All other committee assignments will stay the same.

Mitchell will continue serving on the Child Development Center Board, DUI Task Force/Safe Kids Safe Community Coalition, Flathead Valley Chemical Dependency Clinic Board, Technical Advisory Committee, Western Montana Regional Mental Health Board, Flathead Basin Commission and Flathead County Economic Development Authority.

Krueger will serve on the Local Emergency Planning Committee, Resource Advisory Committee, Retired Senior Volunteer Program Board, Solid Waste District, Transportation Advisory Board and Western Montana Regional Juvenile Detention Board.

Holmquist will serve on the audit committee, Flathead City-County Health Board, Flathead River Commission, Montana Coalition of Forest Counties and Montana West Economic Development Board.

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