Starting Tuesday, Mower County will have a ‘rookie’ county board.

Austin’s two news county commissioners will take office starting with the board meeting at 1 p.m. in the county board room. Jerry Reinartz will take over in District 3 and Tony Bennett will take over in District 4.

“We’ve got basically rookie commissioners,” County Coordinator Craig Oscarson said

Aside from 2010 Chairman Ray Tucker, the county board will be made of commissioners in their first terms — including three commissioners who have served less than a full year. However, Oscarson noted Tim Gabrielson and Mike Ankeny have learned to ropes quickly.

On Tuesday, the board will assign each commissioner to serve on county committees.

Education, especially in the case of Reinartz and Bennett, will be a key early in 2011 for the new-look board.

“The challenge will be to try to get them up to speed as quickly as possible,” Oscarson said.

Early in the new year, the board will hold a retreat where each of the county’s department heads will present on the functions and challenges of the department.

Once the new commissioners are up to speed on the county duties, the board will map out its vision and goals for the coming year.

Also on Tuesday, the board will discuss a draft of the Cedar River Watershed District’s operating rules. The CRWD is looking for input from government agencies within the district. Ankeny and former Commissioner David Hillier served on an CRWD rules committee advisory board.

The board will also set many fees for 2011, including marriage and liquor license fees. The board will select a legal publisher.