SKOWHEGAN — Newell Graf, of Skowhegan, was elected Wednesday as the new chairman of the board of Somerset County commissioners. Graf, who represents commission District 4 covering Canaan and Skowhegan, takes over the gavel from District 2 Commissioner Robert Dunphy, of Embden, who was voted vice chairman by commission members.

Voting by the four-person commission occurred Wednesday during the first meeting of the new year. Rounding out the board is District 3 Commissioner Dean Cray, of Palmyra, and District 5 Commissioner Lloyd Trafton, of West Forks.

Phillip Roy, the District 1 commissioner from Fairfield, was not present for the vote. Roy is on medical leave from the board and is expected to return in April.

Trafton was appointed to represent the commission on the Somerset Economic Development Commission. Cray was named representative to the Council of Legal and Economic Opportunity.

In other commission business Wednesday, Tyler P. Lafreniere was hired for the Madison Division of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department. Michael Booker was hired at the Somerset County Regional Communications Center, and Robert “Mike” Welch was named program manager at the county jail.

District Attorney Maeghan Maloney introduced to the commissioners two new hires in her Somerset County office. Kim Denbow, who previously worked for Skowhegan attorney John Martin, was hired as receptionist and restitution clerk, and Natalie Abraham was appointed the office’s administrative secretary. Abraham previously worked for the law firm of John Alsop and Philip Mohlar in Skowhegan.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

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Twitter:@Doug_Harlow