Panabaker Keeps Commission Seat Republican Incumbent Beats Back Challenge To Win A Third Term

COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Dick Panabaker straight-talked his way into another four years as Kootenai County commissioner.

Panabaker, 59, defeated Democrat challenger Mike Stine Tuesday for the second time in two years to win a third term on the three-person commission.

In early results Tuesday, Panabaker held a commanding lead over Stine.

“I feel good about it. I was nervous about people’s reaction but I’m proud of them,” Panabaker said. “They pay more attention than I think they do sometimes.”

Stine pushed for votes by questioning what he called Panabaker’s pro-growth decisions. But Stine faced an incumbent who earned name recognition years ago as the mayor of Hayden.

Fred Curtis, 48, of Coeur d’Alene said he made his mind up months ago to vote against Panabaker.

“I went for Stine because Panabaker voted for the (Burlington Northern and Sante Fe Railway) depot,” Curtis said. “It didn’t matter who was running, Panabaker was out of there if I had a say.”

But Panabaker had the Republican machine backing him and a nearly 5-to-1 fund-raising advantage over Stine.

“I probably didn’t work as hard as I should have,” Panabaker said, “but I think it worked out well.”

Bobbi Holmes, 48, of Coeur d’Alene said the local races brought her to the polls. She voted for Panabaker.

“I don’t see a bad track record there,” Holmes said.

For the other open commission seat, Post Falls Mayor Gus Johnson will replace Commissioner Dick Compton, who chose not to run. Johnson beat three other candidates in the May primary and did not face opposition Tuesday.

With the victory, Panabaker wants to continue to seek solutions for protecting the aquifer and building adequate roads while not impeding the county’s growth.

Panabaker is chairman of the Coeur d’Alene River Basin Commission, a group proposed by the state to oversee mine waste cleanup from the Silver Valley.

If approved by the 2001 Legislature, the group’s members would decide how to spend more than $600 million - the amount state officials say cleanup will cost.

Panabaker said he’ll fight any attempt by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to expand the current Superfund site to include Lake Coeur d’Alene.

“We need to follow through with that so we do the best thing for the state of Idaho,” he said.

Grass burning appears to be on its way out for the Rathdrum Prairie, he said.

“That type of farming certainly will be on its way out. Surely some of that property will be for sale for development,” Panabaker said. “I think for us to get out there and artificially stop growth would be crazy,” he said. “But there has to be some guidance.”