Recently, the County Commissioners agreed to appoint a 9-person panel to study our county government structure and assess its effectiveness. Presently, Idaho code allows for seven forms of government structure. One form is Kootenai County’s 3-person commission. This elected panel maintains sole power over the administration of our county government. For example, they alone vote on the allocation and make up of our 100-million-dollar budget. An alternative to this form of government relies on a county administrator to manage county business. An administrator is a non-elected official with the expertise to perform this function. With an administrator, commissioners are freed up to focus on oversight.In lieu of this proposed study, we have invited back Professor Markie McBrayer PhD. As a political science instructor, she is a subject matter expert. With her help, you will gain insight into the various forms of government available. Moreover, you will understand how these frameworks affect accountability, transparency, and efficiency. Ideally, with this knowledge in hand, you will be better prepared to understand the implications of this study.
Join her this Friday at the Democratic Club. The meeting takes place online at 12 pm.
We distribute a Zoom link on the Thursday prior to the meeting date. To request the link or assistance getting connected, contact Phil at pjwmia@aol.com.
Markie McBrayer is an assistant professor at the University of Idaho. Her research centers on American politics and policy. Specifically, she studies the local dynamics of political institutions, representation, and social inequality. In fact, one of her recent projects explored the effects of electing women to local positions of power and the subsequent policy effects.
