A mix of new and returning faces occupied the chambers of the Cass County Board of Commissioners Thursday, as the board convened for its first meeting of the New Year.

A slate of veteran commissioners will lead the new board into 2017, as the leaders voted on its officers during the meeting, which took place at the county building in Cassopolis.

District 5 Commissioner and former Vice Chair Robert Ziliak was elected as new chairperson of the board, in a 4-3 secret ballot vote. Taking over as vice chair was District 3 Commissioner Dwight “Skip” Dyes, who was also voted into the seat in a 4-3 vote.

Ziliak, who had served as vice chair for the last two years, is a 14-year veteran of the board. He previously served as chair in 2010.

“I was excited to be elected,” Ziliak said. “I think, with my leadership, we will be able to move forward in the county and hopefully bring entities together where there seems to be misunderstandings or conflicts in the past several years.”

Ziliak takes over leadership of a board which has experienced tremendous in-fighting over the last several years, with leaders clashing over issues ranging from employee labor disputes to problems with the county administrator office.

“I want to try and be open with the other commissioners, to treat them fairly and listen to their concerns,” he said. “Hopefully there will be some give and take when it comes to our decision making.”

In addition to salving wounds left by internal conflicts, Ziliak said he is committed to addressing ongoing concerns with the county budget — especially in regards to employee healthcare coverage, which has gone up in price over the last several years due to the Affordable Care Act, the commissioner said.

Dyes is also a former board chairperson, serving as the head of the board in 2013, following the reduction of the board from 15 members to its present number of seven. The new vice chair has served as a county commissioner since 2010.

The meeting was the first for new commissioners Terry Ausra, representing District 1, and Michael Grice, representing District 6. Ausra replaces the seat of long-time commissioner Robert Wagel, who the former defeated during the August primary, while Grice replaces former chairperson Bernie Williamson, who opted to not seek re-election for her seat.

Joining them and the new officers on the board are returning members Dixie File, representing District 2, Roseann Marchetti, representing District 4, and Clark Cobb, representing District 7.