Cascade County Commissioners made their appointments to the airport, planning and zoning boards on Tuesday.

No members of the public attended the meeting.

Three members of the Zoning Board of Adjustment had terms expiring this month and all three requested reappointment for another two-year terms.

Those members are:

• William Austin is the current ZBOA chair and has served three terms on the board;
• Leonard Reed, filled a vacancy in Aug. 2016
•  Rob Skawinksi, filled a vacancy in March 2017

Commissioners voted unanimously to reappoint all three of those board members.

County board appointments on Tuesday’s agenda, including zoning board

The county received nine applications in total for those three vacancies. The other applicants were: Richard Liebert; Tony Lucas; Bruce Moore; Renae Munson; Robbie Regennitterr and Ryan Villines.

Lawsuit over Cascade County board appointments is dismissed

Commissioner Joe Briggs said the ZBOA is a decision-making body, though their decisions can be appealed to the commission or the District Court.

“Their decision shave financial implications,” he said, and it’s critical to have members with an understanding of zoning and association regulations.

Levine appointed to Cascade County Zoning Board of Adjustment

“The experience matters,” Briggs said of re-appointing those members.

Commissioner Jim Larson agreed and said it’s not unusual for a ZBOA member to also serve on the planning board, as is the case with Skawinski.

The ZBOA has “exclusive power and authority to independently hear and decide zoning appeals and applications for zoning variances and special exceptions,” according to state law. It’s the board that would consider the special use permits for the Madison Food Park project, should that application be resumed.

Madison Food Park application on hold for next six months

Commissioners also reappointed three current planning board members for additional terms. Those members are Richard Liebert, Rob Skawinski and Ken Thornton.

For the airport board, commissioners reappointed Debra Evans for another three-year term. They also appointed Casey LaLonde, a pilot with the Montana Air National Guard who has an aviation background.

Funds approved for utility work at Great Falls International Airport

Commissioners said some of the other applicants for the board positions didn’t include much information on their applications and that made it more difficult to choose some of those applicants over those with experience and thorough applications.