Fountain: I can balance Lakes Highway District

By ALECIA WARREN

Staff writer

Diane Fountain will have Lakes Highway District running more efficiently and on a leaner budget, she said.

After all, said the candidate for zone 3 commissioner, that’s just the kind of work she has been doing for the past few decades.

“I feel that I can complement and balance the district with my 30 years of financial experience,” Fountain said.

The 51-year-old has confidence in her money handling abilities, she said, after working for companies like Diamond International, Crown Pacific and Forest Steel.

In all her positions, the Coeur d’Alene native said, she has handled financial operations like accounts payable, accounts receivable, annual audits, budgets, payroll, assets and cash management.

That knowledge could come in handy as highway district commissioner, Fountain said, especially with the budget constraints highway districts are facing.

“Cash management and financial statements are pretty important when trying to be successful in running an organization like this,” she said.

Fountain, an executive assistant for the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency, already has experience managing Lakes Highway District Funds.

She sais she was secretary/treasurer there for three years, during which she helped the district obtain a $199,000 grant.

“That’s another way I know the district can get more revenue, is through grants,” Fountain said.

If she eventually holds a commissioner seat, she said she will scrutinize for opportunities to cut costs and streamline procedures.

She was adept at doing so for other companies she worked for, she said.

“I just believe in all aspects, there’s ways to trim the budget,” Fountain said. “There are always ways that you can cut back and be more efficient.”

Fountain said she aims to make district spending more transparent.

“I feel that people deserve to know how their money is being spent,” she said.

Her experience at both the highway district and the Post Falls URA has acquainted her with working in the public sector, she said.

It has also familiarized her with Idaho code, which Fountain said is crucial knowledge for managing highway district operations and projects.

She would continue improvements on Lancaster Road, she added, and would ensure that roads districtwide are kept up safely.

Fountain and her husband, Jeff, have two children and one grandchild.

She is a Coeur d’Alene High School graduate, and has taken additional computer courses.

Fountain said she aspires to keep a high standard at the district.

“Lakes will continue to have safe, well-maintained roads, which we can accomplish with fiscal responsibility,” she said.