Anaconda Deer Lodge County names new chair, vice chair and board representatives for 2026

The Anaconda Deer Lodge County Commission on Jan. 6 reorganized its leadership for 2026, appointing Commissioner Kevin Hart as commission chair and Commissioner Paul Smith as vice chair.

The appointments came by recorded motions: Commissioner Steve Gates moved to appoint Hart as chair, seconded by Commissioner Paul Smith; the motion carried 5-0. Gates then moved to appoint Smith as vice chair, seconded by Hart; that motion also passed unanimously.

The panel also approved the slate of commissioner representatives to various county boards with the requested changes. Commissioner Ed Beaudette volunteered to replace Commissioner Smith on the Greenway Service District. The motion to approve the appointments was made by Commissioner Gates, seconded by Commissioner Beaudette and carried 5-0.

Commissioner Kevin Hart said he has begun reviewing whether some boards are meeting as required by the county's Organizing Ordinance and whether certain boards (including the Airport Board and Solid Waste Board) are statutorily required to include a commissioner. "A lot of these others ... are either not meeting on the regular basis that they are required to by the Organizing Ordinance, or they do not have a quorum," Hart said. He said he will review which appointments are required by law and which are discretionary and will seek to clean up the list of active boards.

Chair Mike Beausoleil noted he serves on the Airport Board but is not a voting member. The commission took no further action on board governance at the meeting.

The commission will reconvene for regularly scheduled business on the dates posted by the clerk.