The next board of Warren County Commissioners was sworn in on Tuesday morning.

They got their feet wet in county business in the afternoon.

First order of business was selecting a chair.

And the board approved the top vote-getter in last November’s general election — Ken Klakamp — for that role.

Commissioner Tricia Durbin had been chair for about the last 18 months.

She said that former Commissioner Ben Kafferlin “historically thought the chairmanship should rotate” even though county precedent had been to award it to the highest vote-getter.

Commissioner Dan Glotz, who made the motion to appoint Klakamp, proposed a 16-month rotating schedule that would afford all three members of the board to lead during the term.

“That’s a great possibility,” Durbin said. “I think that’s fair.”

Durbin was elected vice-chair, as well.

The commissioners reappointed Chief Clerk Pam Matve and Solicitor Nathaniel Schmidt to their respective roles.

“I’m very pleased with Pam Matve’s role here,” Durbin said.

Glotz joked that “she’s already keeping us in line.”

Durbin added that she believes Schmidt has done a “great job” as solicitor in the midst of significant challenges, like the COVID-19 pandemic and last summer’s jail break.

They also reappointed Bernard Hessley, Joe Whipp and Dale Forbes to the county’s tax appeals board.

“It makes sense for us with the experience they have,” Durbin said, with reassessment underway.

County commissioners serve on a host of boards and entities throughout the county and the new board intends to match their respective abilities to the various organizations.

“I think with the three of us, it plays to our strengths,” Klakamp said.

“We kind of live in different lanes in different ways,” Durbin said, noting that the board assignments “line up with those.”

The board also discussed how the commissioners office would engage with the various county departments.

Durbin said the last board assigned each department to a specific commissioner, who would act as a liaison.

Glotz suggested it should be a priority to visit all departments.

“It’s important for the employees to know each of us care,” he said.

In addition to monthly department reports, Durbin suggested that department heads should come to a commissioners meeting once a year to highlight the work that they’re doing.

“It gives the public a little better awareness of what goes on,” she said, “and any improvements that would relate to the constituencies.”