(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson county board of supervisors opened their first meeting of the new year Monday with the oath of office being administered to newly elected county officials and supervisors. The oath was administered to County Attorney Jason Carlstrom; Recorder Jan Bortscheller; Treasurer Kris Rowley; Bill Leopold, District 1 Supervisor; Mardi Allen, District 2 Supervisor; and Paul Johnson, District 4 Supervisor.
The first meeting of the new year also brought appointments to various boards and commissions. Such appointments are usually routine. That was not the case Monday for an appointment to the county’s Board of Adjustment.
The term of Don Oleson expired at the end of the year. Oleson, who expressed a desire to be reappointed, was one of three people to apply. The other two candidates were women.
Supervisor Paul Johnson suggested the two female candidates be strongly considered. Reading from a prepared statement, Johnson sited a bill passed in the last session of the Legislature that requires counties to have gender equity on various boards and commission. The law goes into effect one year from now, and Johnson said the county currently has several boards and commissions that are not in compliance, including the Board of Adjustment.
After further discussion and interviewing one of the two female candidates present at Monday’s meeting, Johnson made a motion to appoint Alice Kabel to the seat. The motion failed on a two-to-three vote with Johnson and Mardi Allen voting in favor and Bill Leopold, Pam Jordan and Board Chairman David Gottsche voting no. The supervisors then voted four-to-one in favor of a motion to reappoint Oleson. Johnson cast the lone no vote.
Prior to the supervisors taking up the various appointments to boards and commissions, they voted unanimously to reappoint Gottsche as Board Chairman for another year and Leopold as Vice Chair. Leopold was unopposed in last November’s election for the seat previously held by Wayne Northey, who has stepped down from the board after 22 years.
