One simple way to avoid incompetence

So you think it’s OK electing or appointing someone whose ideology reflects yours but who lacks experience or clear qualifications for the job?

Please, think again.

North Idaho College’s Board of Trustees crashed, burned and will rise from the ashes only through state intervention. Yes, we know we’ve pounded on Chair Todd Banducci and Trustee Greg McKenzie relentlessly, but the lion’s share of blame rests on their shoulders. None of the current campus chaos and plunging public confidence would have happened were these two and former Trustee Michael Barnes not running the show.

Hayden City Council has been rudderless since Mayor Steve Griffitts resigned in February. The one council person clearly capable of captaining the ship, Roger Saterfiel, has been kicked to the curb by two of the three other council members, Matt Roetter and Sandra White.

The County Assessor’s Office is in upheaval, with a large majority of department employees urging voters not to support Assessor Bela Kovacs in the May primary. Kovacs thinks this is purely a political ploy, but the preponderance of frustration and despair from his employees — who are asking simply for good leadership, not more money — is damning.

Why does all of this matter? First and foremost, these are positions of tremendous importance to taxpayers. Unlike a private business, where damage from lack of competent leadership is limited, in the public arena every single taxpayer (including employees) is hurt by incompetence.

The swath of destruction in Kootenai County is also broadening, which should alarm the entire citizenry. What happened with the appointed panel of people researching forms of county government is a testament not just to gut-wrenching division in the community, but intense pressure brought on by extremist ideologies.

The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee has fought tooth and claw against even the suggestion of changing the county’s governmental structure. It also pushed hard to get Banducci, McKenzie and Barnes elected. And it was the KCRCC that forwarded the three names from which Kovacs was selected to replace the late Rich Houser as assessor.

In Hayden’s case, Roetter went so far as creating a political action committee to get White and Ed DePriest, who is separating himself quickly from Roetter’s influence, elected. Those who think Roetter was at least as interested in dispatching two council members with whom he often disagreed would not be off the mark.

So what’s the point? The point is to elect qualified, experienced people in the first place.

Republicans, your chance is fast approaching.