Five Running For Two Spots On Post Falls Council Improved Streets, City Annexation Among Candidates’ Top Concerns

Five candidates are vying for two open slots on the Post Falls City Council.

Incumbents Karen Streeter and Joe Doellefeld hope to keep their seats in Tuesday’s election. Mayor Gus Johnson will keep his - he’s running unopposed.

Whichever two council candidates get the most votes will win.

Here’s a look at the City Council candidates:

Joe Bodman, a Kootenai County sheriff’s deputy and canine handler, says he thinks the current City Council lacks an outspoken critic - a vacancy he says he would fill.

“I’m just sick of the crap that goes on over there,” he said.

The city annexes land without properly maintaining the roads already within city limits and fails to consider the impact annexations have on schools, he says.

Doellefeld, owner of Stateline Speedway, says the future generation needs to come first.

“What’s the most important thing in Post Falls? Our kids.”

In addition to children’s issues, Doellefeld says he plans to focus on updating and improving infrastructure, maintaining orderly growth and continuing to operate on a fiscally sound budget.

Betty J. Dougall, member of the chamber of commerce and a volunteer for the Post Falls Senior Center, says she has time to devote to the council because she’s retired. Her top three issues are planning for growth, enhancing the quality of life in town with parks and a walkway by the Spokane River and improving the streets.

“I’m definitely in support of phased, planned and intelligent growth,” she said. “Do it right the first time around.”

Diane Duncan, a real estate agent, notes she is the only candidate with experience on the Planning and Zoning Commission. She has served on the commission since 1986 and now is its chairwoman.

“I don’t have one burning issue,” she said. “I want to do what’s best for Post Falls.”

She says she would like to put in street curbs, repave streets that need it and beautify the city.

Streeter, registrar for North Idaho College, is no stranger to the City Council, where she has served for 12 years.

She says she would like to focus on commercial rather than residential growth and would discourage annexing any more residential areas to the city.

She says she plans to “put as much money toward (street) repair as possible every year but recognize that they will probably never get done.”

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