New year, same faces for Beltrami County board
January 6, 2021

Beltrami County Commissioner Tim Sumner is sworn in by Judge John Melbye ahead of the County Board meeting on Tuesday. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)
BEMIDJI -- The three successful incumbents in Beltrami County's 2020 elections were sworn in for new terms on Tuesday, with one of them also taking on a new role.
District 2 Commissioner Reed Olson, who earned a second term in the role, also became Board Chair for 2021. On an annual basis, the position rotates in numerical order of the county's districts. However, the last time the District 2 commissioner was chair was in 2016, meaning Olson wasn't handed the reigns until this year.
In November, Olson defeated Joe Vene, 2,247-1,884, in a rematch of the 2016 race. Previously, Vene had been commissioner for 12 years.
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