Fire district races got hot, too

When you’re seeking a seat on a fire district commission, you can’t have better friends than firefighters.

Powered by the local firefighters union’s endorsement, Andrew Boyle beat longtime Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Commissioner Richard A. Nordstrom Tuesday, 922-597, while challenger Jeff Populus finished third with 440 votes.

Boyle, a 27-year first responder and former captain with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, defeated an incumbent who had served on the Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Commission since January 1986. Back then, before consolidation, it was known as Post Falls Fire District.

Here are the unofficial vote counts in Tuesday’s contested races for Kootenai County fire district commissioners.

KOOTENAI CO FIRE DIST COMM SUB-DIST 3

Andrew Boyle: 922

Richard A. Nordstrom: 597

Jeff Populus: 440

TIMBERLAKE FIRE DIST COMM SUB-DIST 4

Sherry Graaskamp: 175

David “Rudy” Rudebaugh: 258

TIMBERLAKE FIRE DIST COMM SUB-DIST 5

Sam Conner: 263

Deborah Rose: 156

SPIRIT LAKE FIRE DIST COMM SUB-DIST 2

Jonathan Hall: 200

Mark Miller: 182

Here are the unofficial vote counts in the uncontested races for Kootenai County fire district commissioners.

TIMBERLAKE FIRE DIST COMM SUB-DIST 2

Robert Schaff: 344

KOOTENAI CO FIRE DIST COMM SUB-DIST 4

Paul R. Wagner: 1,784

KOOTENAI CO FIRE DIST COMM SUB-DIST 5

Michael Hunt: 1,779