Bat Masterson - 2024 Kootenai County Commissioner Seat 1 Primary Candidate
In a recent interview, Bat Masterson, a Republican candidate for Kootenai County Commissioner District 1, outlined his qualifications and vision for the position. With a professional background in business management and prior experience as a Fire Commissioner for the Timberlake Fire District, Masterson emphasizes his deep roots in the community, having lived in Kootenai County for 65 years. He holds a college degree and has run his own business for 45 years, experiences he believes have equipped him with the necessary skills to manage the county’s budget effectively.
Masterson criticizes the current handling of county finances, particularly referencing the mismanagement of ARPA funds intended for a justice building project, which he argues exemplifies a broader issue of fiscal irresponsibility. He proposes more prudent financial oversight to avoid the detrimental "robbing Peter to pay Paul" strategy currently employed.
To improve communication and transparency with constituents, Masterson plans to initiate a "coffee with the commissioner" program, alongside maintaining an open-door policy and promptly responding to all communications. He stresses his integrity, loyalty, and honesty, distancing himself from any criminal or unethical past. Masterson’s campaign focuses on his extensive local experience and budgetary expertise, promising a commitment to honest and effective governance for Kootenai County.
May 9, 2024
MORE EPISODES
Cheri Zao - 2024 State Senate District 5 Primary Candidate
Cheri Zao, a retired medical professional and Republican candidate for State Senate District 5, presents her views in a recent interview. With an educational background in Chemistry and Biology from Stephen F. Austin State University, and a Medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Zao has been a resident of Kootenai County for 35 years. She criticizes Idaho’s current public education funding as confusing and insufficient, advocating for legislative improvements to make the system more understandable and equitable.
On constituent communication, Zao plans to utilize her website (cherizao.com), which she describes as informative and interactive, in addition to regular email correspondence, town halls, and speaking engagements. She emphasizes the importance of being responsive to constituent needs and concerns.
Addressing affordable housing, Zao identifies the issue as a key motivation for her candidacy. She points to the large-scale purchase of residential homes by private equity and hedge funds as detrimental to housing affordability and advocates for legislation to protect local interests and control.
Zao supports the Idaho open primaries ballot initiative, arguing that closed primaries unfairly restrict independent voters. She believes that open primaries offer a fairer choice to all voters, regardless of their party affiliation.
In her concluding remarks, Zao positions herself as a proponent of conservative values, civility, and community strength, urging voters to support her candidacy based on these principles.
May 11, 2024
Carl Bjerke - 2024 State Senate District 5 Primary Candidate
Carl Bjerke, a Republican State Senate District 5 primary candidate, has an extensive background in public safety and legislative roles, which he believes qualifies him for re-election. With an associate degree in Respiratory Therapy and a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership, along with specialized training in incident command and management from prestigious institutions, Bjerke has built his career on a robust educational foundation. He moved to Kootenai County in 2017, drawn by family ties and retirement plans.
In terms of public education funding, Bjerke recognizes Idaho's constitutional commitment and suggests simplifying the funding formula while exploring creative funding methods to alleviate property tax burdens and enhance school choice options. Communication with constituents, particularly during legislative sessions, is challenging due to the volume of communications; however, Bjerke prioritizes accessibility via text and phone, encouraging engagement outside of session times for policy discussions.
On affordable housing, Bjerke sees a need for local solutions and possible legislative changes to support faster development processes, favoring a task force approach to address the mismatch between job availability and housing. He opposes the Idaho open primary ballot initiative, fearing it could lead to ranked-choice voting, which he views as detrimental.
Bjerke positions himself as a candidate dedicated to public service, touting his legislative achievements and ongoing commitment to improve Idaho through experienced and collaborative governance, making a strong case for his re-election based on a track record of service and a platform focused on practical, localized solutions to state issues.
May 10, 2024
Dave Raglin - 2024 State Representative District 4, Seat B Primary Candidate
In an interview, Dave Raglin, a Republican candidate for State Representative in District 4, discussed his extensive background and his plans for addressing key issues in Kootenai County. Raglin, recently retired, has a diverse professional history spanning 38 years across various sectors, including transportation, logistics, and rail industries. He also operates a local agency aiding developmentally disabled adults with his wife.
Raglin expressed concerns about the current state funding for public education in Idaho, advocating for permanent solutions to improve the educational system rather than temporary fixes. He emphasized the need for community and legislative collaboration to address educational inequities and enhance the quality of education.
On housing, Raglin highlighted the local crisis where wages haven't kept pace with rising home prices, making housing unaffordable for many, including essential workers. He proposed a comprehensive strategy involving community leaders, local builders, and non-profit organizations to address this issue effectively.
Regarding constituent communication, Raglin plans to ensure transparency and responsiveness through regular updates, town hall meetings, and a robust social media presence.
Raglin supports the Idaho Open Primary ballot initiative, arguing that it promotes inclusiveness and reduces polarization by allowing independent and third-party voters to participate in primaries.
He concluded by emphasizing the need for unity and shared community values in addressing local issues, advocating for a collaborative approach to preserve the cultural and foundational roots of Coeur d'Alene and North Idaho.
May 10, 2024
TRANSCRIPT
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:31:11
Helo Hancock
Good evening everyone. we're back again and meeting with another of the candidates running for Kootenai County Commissioner seat one. And tonight, we're going to be talking with Bat Masterson and Bat why don't you take a minute and introduce yourself and tell us why you're running for the office of county commissioner?
Bat Masterson
Okay. Well, I'm Bat Masterson, and I'm running for county commissioner because I lived here all my life, and I'm not liking the way the county is headed.
00:00:31:12 - 00:00:58:02
Bat Masterson
Looks to me like we have a lot of degradation of the county. We're not keeping up with things financially. There's no transparency within the office. Very high lack of fiscal responsibility. And we're losing our old traditional Western lifestyle.
Helo Hancock
Okay. Well, thank you for, for explaining, what your primary motivations are to the voters here.
00:00:58:02 - 00:01:22:05
Helo Hancock
And you'll have a few more opportunities throughout the questions to continue to do that and help help the voters get to know you. And the first question we have for you, tonight and again, you have two minutes to answer. This is name one thing, that the county commission could do to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Kootenai County and explain how you would work to implement that.
00:01:22:07 - 00:01:43:12
Bat Masterson
I think we got to expand our infrastructure. And when I say infrastructure, I don't only mean, police, fire, schools, things like that. I also mean the road systems and things like that. As people move in here, we can't stop them from moving here, but we've got to be able to support them. And in order to support them, we have to have a stronger infrastructure.
00:01:43:12 - 00:02:06:01
Bat Masterson
And I think that is a huge thing that, county commissioners could get more involved in. I was raised here and, you know, we used to I used to run farm tractor on Rathdrum prairie, and you could go two miles without or turning a wheel. And now it's all houses and stuff. But yet we're still driving on the same old road, you know, highway 41 is the only new road out in that area.
00:02:06:01 - 00:02:29:17
Bat Masterson
And then they went and put stoplights every half mile on that. So it really didn't improve it much. So I think that's a big thing is, is improve the infrastructure. And then just as a side note, we've got to get a better handle on the budget system.
Helo Hancock
Great. the next question we have for you, and again, you have two minutes to respond to this.
00:02:29:18 - 00:02:55:00
Helo Hancock
As you know, this is a primary election. And oftentimes in a primary election, people wonder, okay, we have more than one, candidate from the same party running what really sets them apart from one another. How are they different? And here we have a race with four, individuals running in this primary election. What sets you apart from the other, candidates that you're running against for seat one?
00:02:55:01 - 00:03:18:11
Bat Masterson
Well, from just the time of getting to know these guys, since we've been doing this campaign, there's a number of things. One thing is I have the educational background to be able to, manage as a county commissioner and to help this county. I know this county well. And, we have people that are running that don't know the county well.
00:03:18:12 - 00:03:39:07
Bat Masterson
I know the needs of the county. I know the needs of the the kids and the programs that we have to have there. And I have a strong background for budget management, and that's another weak area with the other candidates. I feel like.
Helo Hancock
Great. Last question we have for you tonight that is a little more specific.
00:03:39:10 - 00:04:04:16
Helo Hancock
And, it revolves around something that's been top of mind for a lot of folks, and certainly those who have lived here a long time. And that's growth and managing growth. if elected, how would you approach growth and how would you propose the long term management of growth here in Kootenai County?
Bat Masterson
Well, I think we've got to have a long range plan in place for our infrastructure.
00:04:04:16 - 00:04:24:02
Bat Masterson
We can't decide today that we need three courtrooms today. We have got a plan for what we need down the road. We've got to know what we need in ten years. Or at least have an idea. A jail is a good example of that. The justice building is a good example of that. They're building the Justice Building and only putting three courtrooms in it.
00:04:24:02 - 00:04:47:18
Bat Masterson
And that's what we need today. We've got to look into the future. We've got to do a lot more long range planning. The same is true going back to the infrastructure in terms of the roads, what the police need, what the fire services need, what EMS needs, what the schools need. We can't just plan for today. We've got to have enough foresight to look forward and say, what?
00:04:47:20 - 00:05:10:04
Bat Masterson
What is the future hold for us because it's going to keep growing. It's not going to stop. So we better plan for it.
Helo Hancock
And and lastly, we're we're going to give you 60s to, to tell the voters of Kootenai County kind of one final time what thoughts you have. What, why should they vote for you and what what you'd like to share with them?
00:05:10:04 - 00:05:32:17
Helo Hancock
And in kind of a closing statement.
Bat Masterson
My professional life has led me down the path of being, well prepared to be, involved with the county commissioners and be elected as a county commissioner. I have a strong background in business and personnel management. I have a strong background in budget control. I know how to manage a lot of people.
00:05:32:18 - 00:05:50:22
Bat Masterson
I also know how to reach consensus and become a team player. And I think that is something that we really lack on the board of commissioners as it is today. And I have not heard of any of the other commissioner candidates say that they have been in kind of those backgrounds, and I think it's very important that you have them.
00:05:51:00 - 00:06:13:07
Bat Masterson
You got to know what you're getting into. And I'm not saying that I know it all because I sure don't. But I'm not afraid to ask questions either. So and I'll be the first one to say I need help. And I think my military background also, contributes a lot to being a team player.
Helo Hancock
Very good. Well, we sure appreciate you taking the time this evening to sit down and answer some of these questions.
00:06:13:07 - 00:06:32:12
Bat Masterson
And, and, you know, give us, more insight into your background, your qualifications and the issues that are of concern to you and helping inform, the voters here in Kootenai County about who to vote for in this election. So thank you Bat and appreciate and thank you.
Helo Hancock
Thank you very much.