SALEM – Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario) will be sworn in at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 28, as the new representative for District 60.

Oregon Supreme Court Justice Thomas A. Balmer will officiate in the ceremony, which will be in the House Chamber of the State Capitol. A reception will follow.

The event is open to the public.

 Bentz fills the term left vacant by the resignation of Tom Butler, also an Ontario Republican, who is pursuing church mission work.

District 60 includes Baker, Malheur, Harney and part of Grant County. County Court officials from the four jurisdictions met Tuesday to fill the post.

Bentz is a lawyer and has experience on his local school board and with the Oregon Water Resources Commission.

He and two other candidates for the appointment – Dean Strommer, a Baker City businessman, and Tim Smith, a geologist and rancher from Burns – had already filed to run in the May primary election.