Fairbank to be new Blaine County commissioner

This Friday a new Blaine County commissioner will be sworn in as former chair Charles Kulbeck resigns from his position.

Kulbeck, whose term was supposed to end in December of this year, put in his resignation about a month ago to end his term as commissioner Friday, Commissioner Frank DePriest said.

Kulbeck has been working on recovering from a December 2016 motor vehicle crash and is now taking time to focus on himself and working on physical therapy, Commission Chair Dolores Plumage said.

“We wish him well,” she added.

Kulbeck could not be reached for comment by printing deadline this morning.

Former county Road Supervisor Thomas L. Fairbank will be finishing out Kulbeck’s term.

The commissioners sat in on interviews for the position, Plumage said, adding that she feels Fairbank will do well in the position because he knows the policies and procedures and is very familiar with the county.

The other applicants were Miles Hutton of Turner, the Republican candidate for Kulbeck’s position, Harlem Mayor Kenneth “Kim” Hansen, the Democratic candidate for the position, and former Harlem Mayor William “Bill” Taylor.

Fairbank’s familiarity comes from being the road supervisor for many years and managing the budget for the road and bridge projects, DePriest said.

As of now Fairbank is not on the ballot for the November election; the two candidates on the ballot are Hutton and Hansen, who was elected mayor of Harlem by acclamation in 2017.

Hansen said in January that if he is elected to the county commission he would resign from his position as mayor.