Flathead County commissioners choose Holmquist as chair, Abel as vice chair and keep current board assignments

Pam Holmquist was elected chair and Brad Abel was elected vice chair of the Flathead County Board of Commissioners during the board’s annual reorganization on Thursday, Jan. 2. The commissioners also voted to continue the existing assignments of commissioners to outside boards.

The reorganization is the board’s annual internal process to select leadership for the calendar year. County Administrator Pete Mellon opened the agenda item, describing it as the board’s yearly internal vote to select the chair and vice chair. There was no public comment before the votes.

Commissioners moved and seconded nominations for chair and vice chair. The board approved Holmquist as chair by voice vote; Holmquist said, “Appreciate the opportunity.” The board then approved Abel as vice chair by voice vote. Later in the meeting, the commissioners voted to continue with the current appointments to various boards without changes and recessed until 9:15 a.m.

The votes were recorded by voice; no roll-call tallies were read into the record. The motions were procedural and confined to the board’s internal organization for the coming year.

The reorganization and the decision to keep existing board appointments set leadership and external-representation responsibilities for the year. The board returned at 9:15 a.m. to continue other agenda items.