The Marion County Board elected a new chair and vice-chair at its reorganization meeting on Monday.
In a secret ballot, Steve Whritenour defeated incumbent county board chair Debbie Smith nine votes to five. Tyson McHenry was then elected vice-chair, beating Smith eight votes to six.
After the vote, Whritenour announced some changes in the board structure and pledged to try and bring the board together to which he drew applause from the audience.
“Obviously it’s not a secret that there’s been some discord on this county board,” Whritenour said. “Sometimes a new face, a new direction, a change of pace would maybe put a couple minds at ease.”
Whritenour announced the board would return to its one full meeting a month schedule.
“I just wanted to change gears, just a change of pace. I really wanted to go back to our committee meetings that we went away from three or four years ago, because it was kind of a disconnect just having the two full county board meetings. Being on a particular committee, there were times when they never met. That’s hard if you’re on a committee and truly a part of it.”
Whritenour also announced the combined finance/insurance committee would be split into three committees. Chris Krupp will continue to be finance committee chair, Brock Waggoner will serve as the new budget committee chair, and David Iossi will head the new insurance committee. Whritenour noted the budget has to be a 12 month a year activity and not just a few months a year when a new budget has to be prepared.
Whritenour named Tracy Murray as the new County Community Relations Chair. The committee will focus on handling the county’s dog issues.
Tyson McHenry will lead the law enforcement committee, Adam Smith the personnel committee chair, Deb Reed the building and historical committee, and Tim McCance will be road and bridge committee chair. Whritenour will serve as the county’s liquor commissioner.
Smith served a total of six years as board chair leading up to Monday’s meeting.
“I’ve been reminiscing back and there have been so many things accomplished,” Smith said. “We’ve been through so much. The major thing was probably COVID, and we were right in the middle of that, but I’ve seen the planting of the apple seed tree, the lighting in the courthouse, the bicentennial that we did and everything else. It’s been a pleasure to serve the board, and I will continue to help and promote.”
Three new board members were sworn into office at the beginning of the meeting. They are Tim McCance, Cody Rose and Dr. Michael Douglas. Three other board members were sworn in for another term. They are Whritenour, Waggoner and Murray. Iossi is also beginning a new term, but was ill and will be sworn in later this week.
County Clerk Steve Fox swears in new board member Cody Rose.
Fox swears in Tim McCance.
Fox swears in Dr. Michael Douglas.
