Jackie McAvoy: Heavily involved in community organizations. She serves on more boards and committees than I have fingers and toes. She punctuated several questions by saying: I serve on a committee for that. She emphasized that she's the only one of the three contestants who knows the congressional delegation, governor, and other legislators on a first-name basis -- and that would pay dividends should she be elected because connections are important. She's right. She claimed the current council relies too much on a coupla councilmen (Grant and Jacobson?) to make and second motions. When asked why she lost to Todd Tondee two years ago, she said that she was extremely busy with other duties and was out-of-town during the campaign attending to volunteer duties.

Joe Bodman: Joe was much more relaxed and knowledgeable about Post Falls issues than when I interviewed him for his first run 2 terms ago. Then, he should be. He remembered that we endorsed Joe Doellefeld, whom he beat in his first race, and even quoted from the editorial I wrote, which he said he had framed. (Who sez the candidates don't pay attention to endorsements.) Both opponents in the three-way race have accused Joe of being MIA in the community and not saying much at council meetings. But he had a reasonable explanation: Why talk for the sake of talking? He said he comes prepared for the meetings and doesn't ask many questions because he reads his council packet thoroughly. He had the best grasp of the issues among the three candidates. With kids 8 to 17, he has a crucial understanding of the importance of parks and recreation in the community, especially the need to replace closed Quad Park. They aren't frills.

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