15 apply for Post Falls council seat

A record 15 people, ranging from a former councilwoman and schools superintendent to a teenage McDonald’s worker, have applied to fill the vacant Post Falls City Council seat.

“Hopefully we’ve just made it look interesting,” said Councilman Todd Tondee, who is vacating his seat because he was elected in November to the Kootenai County Commission.

The application deadline was Friday. Mayor Clay Larkin now must figure out an interview schedule for each candidate before he makes the appointment, which the council must confirm.

The city hopes to have the new council member in place by January, Clerk Chris Pappas said.

“I don’t remember having this many before,” Pappas said. “There are a lot of good people.”

The new council member will serve through Dec. 31, 2007. If the appointee wants to keep the seat, he or she must run for election in November 2007.

That’s another reason Tondee said the opening might have generated so much interest. He said many people see it as a trial run before they actually have to stand for election.

Post Falls residents are also interested in overseeing how the town will grow, he said.

These are the applicants:

•Larry Carstensen, regional sales manager for Coleman Oil.

•Dick Harris, former Post Falls School District superintendent.

•Richard Houser, Kootenai County chief deputy assessor.

•Michael Hunt, current Post Falls Planning and Zoning Commission member and retired civil engineer.

•Kristy Reed Johnson, Verizon employee who has run twice for the Idaho Legislature.

•Jackie McAvoy, former city councilwoman.

•Tim Moses, Spokane police officer.

•Lawrence Nelson, retired.

•Mel Palmer, current member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Urban Renewal Agency who also works for Kootenai County as a planner.

•Ted Ponticelli, self-employed freelance writer.

•Julian Redman, an 18-year-old McDonald’s employee.

•Milton Schauble, retired JC Penney manager.

•Tina-Marie Schultz, self-employed business consultant.

•Kerri Thoreson, works for the local publishing and marketing firm Kagey Company and is a former mayoral candidate.

•Linda Wilhelm, current city Planning and Zoning Commission member who works for Schneidmiller Realty.

For more information, call the Post Falls City Hall at (208) 773-3511.