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CASSOPOLIS — Jeremiah Jones, of Pokagon Township, was selected to be chair of the Cass County Board of Commissioners during the board’s organizational meeting Thursday.

Clerk/Register Monica McMichael called for a blind vote, during which commissioners wrote down their selection for chair. Jones, who represents District 4, received five votes, while District 1 Commissioner Ryan Laylin received three.

Jones then led commissioners in a roll call vote to elect the vice chair. In the first vote, four commissioners selected Laylin, while four others selected District 3 Commissioner James Lawrence. In a second roll call vote, Laylin received five votes to Lawrence’s three, and was thus elected vice chair.

Jones and Laylin were both elected in 2020 and are now serving their second terms as commissioners.

“I’m a man of my word and I pride myself on doing what I say and saying what I do,” Jones said during the meeting. “I told everybody I wouldn’t do anything unethical, anything immoral and [have] complete transparency to the best of my ability.”

Jones and Laylin will each serve in their respective positions for one year.