Ernst elected county board chair

PHILLIPS — The Price County Board of Supervisors elected District 13 Supervisor Brian Ernst to service as the board chair during the reorganization meeting held April 16.

Ernst replaced the 2023 chair, District 8 Supervisor Alan Barkstrom, who had not intended to run again until stepping back in for reelection without another candidate for the seat. Barkstron nominated Ernst for the chair position, and won with a vote of 7-6 over District 10 Supervisor Robert Kopisch, who is also a previous board chair.

District 4 Supervisor Jeffrey Hallstrand was elected board vice chair in a voice vote as the sole nominee.

There were five board members elected to the board Executive Committee. District 1 Supervisor Larry Palecek was the sole nominee for the north district seats, and District 9 Supervisor Barkstrom was elected to the central district seat with a 7-6 vote over fellow nominee Spacek.

District 12 Supervisor Douglas Erickson was elected to the south district seats by an 8-5 vote over fellow nominee and District 6 supervisor Paula Houdek.

The Highway and Transportation Committee is now chaired by Palecek, who was elected for the north district seats with a 9-4 vote over new District 3 Supervisor Joe Baratka. However, Baratka, the retired Price County Highway Commissioner, was elected by voice vote to one of two at-large committee seats by a 9-3 vote over Houdek, who was herself elected as the sole nominee to the second at-large seat.