In Kootenai County, this election includes two races for seats on the Board of County Commissioners. The only competitive race is for the District 3 seat. Current Republican Commissioner Leslie Duncan faces independent candidate Roger Rowland.
Duncan has served on the Board of County Commissioners since she was elected in 2018. On her campaign website, she emphasizes that during her time as a commissioner she has voted in favor of property rights and against unnecessary spending.
Duncan previously worked as a criminal investigator and reserve police officer in California, and after moving to Kootenai County with her husband more than 20 years ago, she worked in sports television for 14 years while homeschooling their children. She was elected to the Kootenai County Aquifer Protection District in 2014 and then ran for her current seat.
"As an advocate for fiscal responsibility, I have managed our taxpayer dollars with meticulous care, ensuring that we enhance our county services without placing more burden on the citizens' finances," Duncan says on her campaign website. "Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I stood against the widespread shutdowns, mask mandates, and vaccine mandates, making it publicly known that I did not agree with these measures."
Rowland is running to responsibly manage growth and protect the aquifer and remaining prairie, according to his campaign website. He also has law enforcement experience, but at the federal level, is a veteran, and has worked in a variety of fields, including "space and defense, manufacturing, business development, and information technology," according to his bio.
He moved to Kootenai County with his wife and kids in 1992, and says that in addition to managing growth responsibly with an eye on protecting the area's natural resources and beauty, he hopes to foster collaboration with other municipalities, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and county residents.
"I believe we need leaders who can differentiate between partisan politics and issues of national importance and the responsibilities of a county commissioner. A master's degree in public administration, decades of leadership experience and 10 years as a management consultant have equipped me with the skills and perspective needed for this role," Rowland says on his campaign website. "My ultimate objective for running is to do whatever I can to keep Kootenai County special."
The other race, for District 1, is for the seat being vacated by Commissioner Bill Brooks, who has decided to retire. The only candidate who has filed to replace him is Republican Marc Eberlein, who beat out three other Republican candidates in the May primary election.
Eberlein served as the District 1 commissioner for four years before losing to Brooks in 2016. He worked for nearly two decades in the forest industry and fighting wildfires, and he owns Eberlein Fine Cabinetry. ♦
