Ravalli County Planning Board Chair Loses Seat

HAMILTON, Mont. (AP) — Ravalli County commissioners have declined to reappoint the chairman of the planning board, who made racist remarks during a meeting between commissioners and members of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Jan Wisniewski of Darby had applied for another two-year term on the unpaid board, but no commissioners nominated him for the post Thursday. Commissioners did not give a reason.

Tribal leaders met with county commissioners in November to discuss the tribe's plan to put some tribal acreage in trust with the federal government. The move would cost the county $800 in property taxes. Wisniewski has been criticized and commissioners apologized for comments he made at the end of the meeting.

Wisniewski told KECI-TV that he might apply for a seat on the planning board again.