Flathead County Commissioner Jim Dupont will serve as chairman of the commission for the coming year. His step up to chairman on Monday was part of the routine reorganization that’s done when a new commissioner comes on board.

Pam Holmquist began work Monday as commissioner for District 2. She will assume most of former Commissioner Joe Brenneman’s county committee and board assignments, including the DUI Task Force, Flathead Basin Commission, City-County Health Board, Flathead County Chemical Dependency Clinic, Flathead County Compensation Board, Flathead County River Commission and Local Emergency Planning Committee.

She also will serve on boards for Montana West Economic Development, Flathead Valley Economic Development Authority and Flathead Regional Wastewater Management Group.

Commissioner Dale Lauman will retain most of his current committee/board assignments, including Agency on Aging, audit committee, Child Development Center, Flathead County Compensation Board, Health Board review committee, Retired Senior Volunteer Program and Western Montana Regional Mental Health.

Additionally, Lauman will assume a board position for the Resource Conservation and Development group and will serve on the 911 funding formula committee.

Dupont will take on involvement with the state Northern Tier Interoperability Commission, a group with which Brenneman was heavily involved.

That assignment will involve traveling to Helena for meetings. Dupont also will keep most of his previous committee duties, including the Solid Waste/Refuse Disposal District, Montana Coalition of Forest Counties, Resource Advisory Committee, Transportation Advisory Board, Technical Advisory Committee, Flathead County Compensation Board and Western Montana Regional Juvenile Detention Board.

He also will serve on the Port Authority and 911 boards.

In other committee-related action, the commissioners on Monday tabled a request from the Flathead County River Commission to increase its number of board members from nine to 11, with the flexibility of having up to four board-appointed members.

Holmquist said she’s not comfortable with the board choosing its own members and feels the commissioners should choose board members for the River Commission. She also said she doesn’t believe the board needs to be expanded to 11 members.

The commissioners will ask the River Commission to meet with them to explain the need to expand the board.

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