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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

New commissioners take office


New Kootenai County Commissioner Rich Piazza gets  hugs from his grandchildren, Demarko  and Marriah Piazza, before the swearing in ceremony Monday at county offices. The new commission's first regular meeting is today at 2 p.m. in the county Administration Building.  
 (Kathy Plonka / The Spokesman-Review)
Taryn Brodwater And Christopher Rodkey Staff writers

Rick Currie was elected chairman of the Kootenai County Commission on Monday after new commissioners Todd Tondee and Rich Piazza were sworn into office.

A crowd of more than 100 people packed a county meeting room to watch newly elected and re-elected officials be sworn in during a morning ceremony.

County Clerk Dan English, the county’s lone elected Democrat, took the oath of office along with Treasurer Tom Malzahn, Assessor Mike McDowell and Coroner Robert West. Family members snapped pictures with their cell phones as the oaths were repeated.

Afterward, each public official made a brief statement.

Piazza, a former property assessor, said he was glad to be working for the county again.

“It’s nice to be back with the family I know,” he said.

Tondee told the crowd he was serious about his new job.

“I don’t take this lightly,” said the former Post Falls City Councilman and pizza shop owner.

Immediately following the ceremony, the commissioners met for the first time and Tondee and Piazza elected Currie as chairman. The largely ceremonial position was formerly held by Gus Johnson, who was voted out of office last year, along with Katie Brodie.Tondee recently said Brodie and Johnson were ousted because they failed to listen to voters. He also criticized Currie. “If he thinks he’s doing a good job, he’s wrong,” Tondee said last month.

If there were any tension between the new commissioners and Currie, it wasn’t evident Monday afternoon when they held a meeting to review upcoming meeting agendas.

Newly carved wooden nameplates sat on the table in front of Piazza and Tondee, and the agenda was printed on a personalized letterhead.

Currie immediately got down to business, quizzing a county attorney about a request that the county pay malpractice insurance for the jail’s contract doctor.

Sheryl Craig, the board’s administrative support manager, stopped Currie and suggested he explain to the new commissioners why they were meeting – to preview upcoming meeting agendas and ask questions about agenda items.

Piazza and Tondee took advantage of the opportunity to ask questions.

Tondee asked about a snowmobile the Sheriff’s Department wanted to replace, asking if the agency would be able to get $6,000 for the old snowmobile – the same amount the county would have to match using a grant to buy the replacement.

“It’s not worth $6,000?” Tondee asked.

“No, but I would sell it to you for that,” Sheriff’s Sgt. Matt Street said, which drew chuckles from the audience of county employees.

The new commission’s first regular meeting is today at 2 p.m. in the County Administration Building.