CLEVELAND, February 2 — Brother Charles Weick was elected by acclamation to serve as Chairman of the North Dakota State Legislative Board during its quadrennial meeting in Fargo, N.D., on January 24.
Brother Weick is a CP Rail locomotive engineer and is Legislative Representative of BLET Division 160 (Harvey, N.D.). He has been a BLET member since April 1, 1998. Immediately prior to his election as Chairman, Brother Weick served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Board. He was elected to fill the vacancy created by long-time Chairman Mike Muscha (Division 671, Enderlin, N.D.), who is retiring.
In addition to Brother Weick, also elected were: Secretary-Treasurer D.L. Hamre, Division 671 (Enderlin, N.D.); 1st Vice Chairman T. L. Pauli, Division 69 (Grand Forks, N.D.); and 2nd Vice Chairman R.S. Tentis, Division 746 (Mandan, N.D.).
Representing the BLET National Division were: National President Dennis Pierce; Vice President & National Legislative Representative John Tolman; National Vice President Cole Davis; National Vice President Mike Priester; and Coordinator of Education and Training Ken Kroeger.
“I congratulate Brother Weick and thank him and all the members of the North Dakota State Legislative Board for their dedicated service to the Brotherhood,” President Pierce said. “The Board has 100 percent participation in the BLET PAC fund, which shows the commitment they have to bettering our organization.”
Additional guests in attendance were: Canadian Pacific General Chairman Pete Semenek; Montana State Legislative Board Chairman Craig Gilchrist; Minnesota State Legislative Board Chairman Dave Brown; Montana State Legislative Board Secretary-Treasurer D. B Kenner; Division 160 Local Chairman Rick Olson; and North Dakota Gubernatorial candidate Ryan Taylor. Brother Olson conducted a Mobilization Workshop for the attendees.
A reception was held in conjunction with the meeting, and in addition to the delegates, members laying over in Fargo were invited. Also attending the reception were several state political officials, including: Senator Tim Mathern; House Minority Leader Jerry Kelsh; and State Democratic-Nonpartisan League Party Chairman Greg Hodur.
The assembled group acknowledged the hard work of retiring Chairman Mike Muscha and thanked him for his years of service to the Brotherhood.
“I would like to thank both Mike and his family for their many years of hard work and sacrifice for this Brotherhood,” President Pierce said. “Mike spent countless hours working on legislation in the state and at the federal level. The time spent by Mike working on the railroad and for the BLET was time that was taken away from his family and I would like to acknowledge Mike and his entire family for their commitment.”
Brother Muscha hired out in September 1970 and was elected Division Legislative Representative in 1981. He was elected Chairman of the North Dakota State Legislative Board in 1990, held the position until 1993, and was reelected in 1996. He also served as a regional chairman for the National Association of State Legislative Board Chairman for 13 years.
“Mike is not only a brother but he is a dear friend, and has been an absolute joy to work with over many years,” Vice President & National Legislative Representative Tolman said. “Mike, along with the rest of the North Dakota State Legislative Board members, worked tirelessly for the BLET members of North Dakota, but he also worked hard for all of the members around the country as the BLET’s representative at the National Conference of State Legislatures.”