Peck elected county commish

Mark Peck has been chosen by Lincoln County voters to be the new county commissioner representing District 1 by an overwhelming margin. Peck secured nearly 72 percent of the vote over fellow challenger Russ Bache after incumbent commissioner Tony Berget fell in June’s primary.

“It’s very humbling,” Peck said. “I didn’t ever dream that I’d have that level of support.” He also acknowledged Bache, “he’s a good friend, a great man and would have made one hell of a commissioner.”

Peck admits that he has his work cut out for him transitioning from his current job at the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation into his new role as Lincoln County Commissioner. 

“That’s the first priority,” Peck said. “Learning the ins and outs of the job and getting up to speed.” 

Peck intends to do that over the next two months, relying on his current relationships with fellow commissioners Berget, Mike Cole and Greg Larson. Preparation begins by addressing what Peck sees as the county’s top priority — the budget. The county’s lack of revenue is a key element of the current budget crisis and Peck wants to build a long-term strategic plan to overcome the problem. Part of that plan, he explained, is working with various organizations as well as local, state and federal groups to increase economic development in the county.

Peck said there are a number of organizations and individuals working to help bring new business and jobs to Lincoln County, but those efforts often struggle from a lack of leadership and coordination. He feels it is the role of the county commissioners to provide that leadership.

He also acknowledged the county needs to improve its infrastructure to attract new business, but the first step is to develop a plan. He referenced a number of grants and outside funding opportunities available to help offset the costs of infrastructure improvement. Before anything, Peck said, the county must determine its identity. 

“What do we want to be?” Peck asked rhetorically. “There’s no easy button here, we have work to do.”

One of the hallmarks of Peck’s term, he said, will be a strong commitment to transparency and an open door to the public. He wants the public to be engaged in not only the electoral process, but also in the management of the county. His one promise to Lincoln County voters was this: “I will analyze every decision to the best of my ability, and when I make a decision everyone will know how I got there.”

Repeated calls to Russ Bache went unreturned.