Commissioner Keith McNew represents District Three which consists of the west end of Fremont County. He was prompted to run for office when he realized he wanted to have a part in Fremont County's future. Keith was first elected to the Board of County Commissioners in November of 1996 and reelected in November of 2000. “[I enjoy] meeting people and helping to solve problems,” Keith says.
In 2000 and 2003 Keith served as the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners. In addition, Keith has been involved in many organizations, including the Resource Conservation and Development Board, the Resource Advisory Council, the Fremont RE-3 School Board, the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Board and the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District.
Keith has been a resident of Fremont County for 70 years and thoroughly enjoys the climate and people. Forty-nine of those years he's spent married to his wife, Carol. Together they have four children, and twelve grandchildren. In 1952, Keith graduated from Cañon City High School. The following summer, he enrolled at Colorado State University where he majored in Vocational Education. Prior to running for office, Keith worked as a farm implement dealer, a teacher and a rancher. Keith's hobbies include hunting and motorcycle riding. Looking back at his life, Keith advises that “nobody is indispensable and you can always be replaced.”