St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will be overseen for the second consecutive year by Ken Malone.
During their annual organizational meeting Tuesday, commissioners unanimously chose the 60-year-old Sturgis resident to serve as board chairman for 2024.
Malone owns Advantage Water Service in Sturgis.
Malone, who is starting his sixth year as a member of the seven-man panel, said the county board of commissioners is only as strong as the quality of staff employed by the county.
Malone previously spent five of his 13 years on the Sturgis City Commission as mayor.
Meanwhile, Jared Hoffmaster was chosen to serve as vice-chairman of the board for 2024. He, too, will serve in that capacity for a second consecutive year.
Commissioners are paid $9,223 annually.
Also Tuesday, commissioners agreed to maintain the same meeting schedule as they followed in 2023: executive committee at 4 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month and board of commissioners meeting at 5 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month.