MISSOULA – Missoula County Commissioner Nicole “Cola” Rowley is vacating her seat and moving on to another city. On June 13 her co-commissioners selected her replacement.
Juanita Vero is a fourth generation Montana who serves as Chair of the Directors for Montana Conservation Voters, Vice Chair of Swan Valley Connection, the Sunset School Board and Secretary for Big Blackfoot chapter of Trout Unlimited. And starting in July she will serve as a commissioner for Missoula.
The Missoula County Democrats Central Committee selected three candidates for consideration by the two other commissioners Dave Strohmaier and Josh Slotnick.
Interviews with each candidate were held on June 11 and on Tuesday the commissioners selected Vero.
The sitting commissioners said they wanted a woman to maintain gender diversity. The public had repeatedly asked that the candidate be someone from the rural part of the county.
She will be sworn in on July 1 and serve the rest of Rowley’s term through to the end of 2020. Vero said at this time she does plan to run for re-election at the end of that term.
