Deputy Not Yet On List To Fill Assessor’s Position Mcdowell Likely To Be Named When Republicans Submit List

Deputy Assessor Mike McDowell’s name is not among the three that Democrats submitted to fill Kootenai County’s assessor position.

But Republicans are expected to submit three of their own candidates - which likely will include McDowell - to replace Assessor Tom Moore, who died Nov. 12.

County commissioners will have 15 days to choose a successor from among the six. Regardless of their choice, the decision may be appealed by either party.

Commissioner Dick Compton said the board expects to consider and interview the candidates after the holidays.

A week before Moore’s death from lung cancer, the four-term assessor and lifelong Democrat publicly converted to the Republican Party to give McDowell a shot at becoming his replacement. McDowell, a Republican, has worked in the office nearly 20 years.

Embattled Democrats - who now hold only two of eight elected county offices - cried foul.

County Prosecutor Bill Douglas, a Democrat himself, concurred, saying the only legal proof of Moore’s party affiliation was his declaration of candidacy when he filed to run for office.

McDowell was not surprised his name was not among those chosen by Democrats.

“I’m not about to say I’m something I’m not to get this job,” he said.

Monday, Democrats nominated Don Heikkila, Susan Smith and Marv Vandenberg to replace Moore.

Vandenberg, a favorite among political watchdogs, was a long-time legislator, who recently lost the seat he held for eight years to business consultant Jim Clark. Vandenberg served as Boundary County assessor in the late 1950s.

Heikkila, a soil conservation commissioner and Harrison rancher, ran an unsuccessful race against Rep. Don Pischner, R-Coeur d’Alene.

Susan K. Smith is a longtime member of the Kootenai Environmental Alliance.

Republicans are expected to submit their candidates today, and McDowell is expected to be among their choices.

Regardless, McDowell said he plans to run for election to the seat when Moore’s term expires in 1998.

, DataTimes