Jail Expansion Separates Commission Candidates Two Vying For Kootenai Seat On Opposite Sides Of Kaiser Picket

The four-person race to replace Dick Compton on the Kootenai County Commission includes a locked-out Kaiser Aluminum employee and a Kaiser replacement worker.

Post Falls Mayor Gus Johnson, who was locked out from Kaiser in January 1999 after 25 years on the job, is running against Kevin Krieg, who crossed the picket line at about the same time.

Two other Post Falls residents - Merlin Berger and Bob Hunt - also are in the running for the District 1 commission seat. Berger owns a business in downtown Coeur d’Alene. Hunt is a retired Vietnam veteran.

Both Johnson and Krieg downplayed the Kaiser connection in the May 23 primary election to replace Compton, who chose not to seek re-election, even though a judge’s ruling on term limits allowed it.

“`I think it’s a nonissue. I won’t sling mud at anybody,” Johnson said. “If everything is settled, I go back (to Kaiser). When I do win the commissioner’s job, I’ll do that.”

Krieg said working for Kaiser “is totally defensible politically. I am just concerned about personal security.”

As Post Falls mayor and a former city councilman, Johnson is the only candidate with experience as an elected official. Both Krieg and Berger are political newcomers.

“No matter what you do, from a brain surgeon to a street sweeper, it’s people,” Berger said of his business philosophy. “Businesses and consumers have to work together. That’s why we have been successful in our business.”

Hunt knows campaigning. This marks his sixth race after going 0-5 in two races for the North Idaho College board of trustees; twice for the Post Falls School Board; and once for Post Falls City Council.

“I just feel I have the integrity and common sense to do a good job,” said Hunt, who has a master’s degree in public administration in government. “If you don’t have an understanding of what you are doing, you are going to get swayed by public opinion and special interests.”

All four candidates said they disapproved of the commission’s March 6 vote to allow the Burlington Northern and Sante Fe Railway’s 500,000-gallon diesel-refueling depot near Rathdrum.

But the candidates differ on how the county should pay for an expansion of the Kootenai County Jail.

Outgoing commissioner Compton would not endorse a single candidate, but said either Johnson or Berger “would do pretty good.”

“I think (Hunt’s) candidacy is somewhat tongue-in-cheek anyway and Krieg has zero experience,” Compton said. “Not only does (Krieg) not have any business experience, he has no life experience.

“I think it would be a travesty for him to come in here,” Compton said.

An effective county commissioner doesn’t necessarily need a master’s degree in business, he said. “But you have to have some semblance of knowledge how business works and how to work with employees.”

Compton said he may not have supported Johnson three or four years ago.

“Gus has had some experience there as mayor and I think he’s learned a lot,” Compton said. “Merlin was a store manager and he owns his own business, so he has good experience.”

Merlin Berger

If elected, Berger, 61, would work to provide opportunities to attract young people to settle in Kootenai County.

“We need to face the situation and somehow start providing the opportunity for people - especially our young people - to find a good, livable income,” he said. “We need to give them a reason to stay here once they graduate from school.”

Berger - past president of the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association - said the BNSF depot should have been moved to a different location.

“A minute risk of hazard should not be there,” he said. “Even though I had nothing to do with making the decision, I know people want to know what I would have done.”

Berger supports the current commissioners on how to expand the Kootenai County Jail.

That plan would raise the sales tax by half a cent for five years. It’s projected to raise $24 million, of which $12 million would be used on the jail and staffing and the rest would be used as property tax relief.

“I think the sales tax is the way to go,” he said. “Property taxes do not go away. This has a sunset clause after five years.”

Berger, a strong business advocate, said he’s fighting the urge to say he will cut taxes.

“I’m not going to commit to say that. I say we try to get leaner, slimmer and meaner. But until you’re in that position, it’s hard to say,” he said.

Gus Johnson

Johnson has focused his campaign on the proposed $12 million jail expansion.

Johnson, 47, argues that the county will soon have enough new tax revenue coming in to fund a smaller expansion without either a sales- or property-tax increase.

The county should be getting about $494,000 in tax dollars per year at the end of 2001 when the Post Falls Urban Renewal District expires and the new Congentrix Energy plant is built.

“There are tax dollars existing and new coming in that would pay for a $6million addition and not take a cent of sales tax or property tax,” he said.

Johnson also said he was “95 percent against” the location of the BNSF depot based on “emotional reasons.”

“If I had seen the 33 conditions put on the depot, that may have been a different story,” Johnson said. “We need to get past that issue.”

Johnson said his last four years as Post Falls mayor have helped prepare him for this next step.

“Right now I think it’s important to have a county commissioner with some experience,” he said. “I hope (my chances) are really good. I’m not a controversial mayor. I don’t plan on being a controversial commissioner.”

Kevin Krieg

Krieg, 38, said his main goal as commissioner would be to keep government small.

Even though Compton doesn’t support Krieg, the Post Falls mechanic and machinist said Compton left a good legacy to follow.

“(Compton’s) experience in corporate America has allowed the county to become more efficient and more accountable,” Krieg said.

Part of that accountability includes revamping the budgeting process. Krieg said he would extend the annual budget to two years, and plan out five and 20 years.

“We have to look far enough in the future so we don’t have any major bombshells, like the jail,” he said. “We knew in 1993 we were overcrowded. But no system was in place to look that far forward and plan on how to pay for that.”

Krieg said he opposed the BNSF depot because it could drop property values, the BNSF’s safety record is suspect and because it will provide only about $763 annually in county property taxes.

“Private property rights are primary,” Krieg said of the depot decision. “But every right we have is limited at the point at which they negatively affect another individual.”

Krieg wants to set aside land around the Coeur d’Alene Airport for expansion.

“We need to to preserve that asset for our future,” he said.

Bob Hunt

Hunt is running to allow voters to have a choice of candidates.

Asked what issues he had for running, he replied: “Things like the BNSF depot come and go. There will always be hot-button issues,” Hunt said. “The key is to spend as little money as possible. But when you have to spend, do it as efficiently as possible.”

Hunt, 54, retired after 20 years in the Navy and seven years teaching elementary school and remains active in veterans organizations.

He supports the sales tax for the jail expansion.

“I’m willing to spend all the money necessary to put a criminal in jail,” he said. “Until those people are out of our hair, life is not very good.

“I don’t care about rehabilitating them. I think if they are in jail, they can’t do their crime again.”

Hunt would have fought to move the BNSF depot off the aquifer.

“I disagreed with the commissioners, but I also agree they were in the best position to make a decision,” he said. “The county probably did as well as it could in imposing rules on the railroad.”

Asked what he thought of his chances, Hunt replied: “Well, Gus Johnson is running. I think he will probably do well. But you know, you just never know.”

Thomas Clouse can be reached at (208) 765-7130 or by e-mail at tomc@spokesman.com.