When the last board of commissioners took office in January 2020, they couldn’t have known that they were about to be confronted by a global pandemic that would dominate their first two years of the term.

No one can know what the next four years will bring for the board – Tricia Durbin, Ken Klakamp and Dan Glotz – that was sworn in this week.

But they bring priorities and objectives that will guide both 2024 and the four-year term they are embarking on.

For Ken Klakamp, who was elected chair of the board, outreach is going to be key.

Citing a strategic plan for human services, he said he would like to “reach some of the outlying areas” of the county to “let them know what services are available.”

The goal would be to take human services and staff “and whomever we can get together and go out and talk to people, at least make ourselves available.”

Durbin comes to the term with four years under her belt where broadband service became a focus of her efforts.

“(I’m) going to refocus on that once we get set here with our second term,” she said.

She also highlighted the role the county can play to spur economic growth.

“We certainly are supportive of whatever ways we can improve and grow Warren County, working with partners,” Durbin said. “(I am) happy to be involved in that.”

Glotz echoed that “getting this broadband into place” will be a “big focus.”

Serving as county planner, he oversaw the development of a comprehensive plan and recreation plan for the county.

Shifting to a new courthouse office as commissioner, Glotz said he will be “starting to tackle some of the projects that have been identified” in those plans.

He also said that he would like to develop “different incentives and so forth to help local businesses grow.”

One specific project he intends to undertake in 2024 is a housing analysis for the county.

“We need that. We need an analysis done,” he said, to identify deficiencies and locations where federal Community Development Block Grant funds can be utilized.

The study would look at “what types of housing opportunities are we lacking.” From a planning and zoning perspective, he said that trends are starting to change in the housing space with the proliferation of “mother-in-law pads” and tiny homes.

The analysis, he added, would look at whether the county’s zoning ordinance needs to change in response to those trends.

“Demographics are changing,” he said. “Are we accommodating for those changes?”

“I’m excited to be working with the other two commissioners,” Klakamp said. “I’d like for the public to know, if you have issues, concerns or questions, the doors are open. Please call us. Stop and visit.”