Board of County Commissioners

• Valley County Commissioners' Office

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

   Agendas and Minutes Prior to 2025

View Discussion and Decision Meeting Video Recordings - SEE LINK ON THE LEFT

Members

• Paul Tweten, Commissioner - Chairman
• John Fahlgren, Commissioner
• Jeff Alsberg, Commissioner
• Verna Cotton, Administrative Assistant

Overview

Powers & Responsibilities of The Valley County Commission

Powers are limited by state law, but commissioners exercise broad authority in these and other areas:

• Build and maintain roads, bridges, and airports
• Control and care for county property
• Appoint numerous advisory and decision-making boards such as the tax appeal board, planning board, fair board, weed board, airport board, health board, etc.
• Prepare, review, and decide on the annual county budget
• Hire and fire county employees under their supervision
• Adopt and administer personnel policies and negotiate union contracts
• Provide for law enforcement and correctional facilities in the county
• Plan and provide for public transit, museum, county fair, and senior programs
• Provide for solid waste collection and disposal
• Provide for the general health and welfare of county residents
• Promote economic and industrial development
• Undertake comprehensive planning, zoning, and development controls, and review subdivisions

Because several other county officials are elected directly by the people of the county, the commissioners cannot (do not) directly control all county policies (offices). Even though they have to budget for these offices, county commissioners have little or no say in how they are run. Many citizens do not understand that their commissioners' power is limited in this way. The other elected offices of Valley County government are: county attorney, clerk of court, justice of the peace, clerk and recorder/election administrator/superintendent of schools, sheriff/coroner, and treasurer.