The gloves are off for the highway commissioner races.

Campaigns for this year's highway district elections on Tuesday have been surprisingly heated, with seven candidates vying for two seats at East Side Highway District and six candidates competing for the two seats at Lakes.

One of the open commissioner seats at Post Falls is being challenged as well.

It's a little unusual, said Marv Lekstrum, Lakes Highway District commissioner.

"Historically, in these elections, incumbents, maybe one person challenged them," said Lekstrum, running to keep his sub-district 3 seat. "A lot of times, they're not even challenged. We had a position open last year, Rod Twete's, and nobody ran against him."

There might be several reasons the elections are rousing so much interest this year, officials say.

Part of it could be the nationwide trend calling for sweeping change throughout all elected boards, particularly from conservative activist groups.

The public has also voiced concerns about some highway districts' changes in operations and their methods of paying for projects.

"I've talked to a couple of the people who are running, and they don't really have an ax to grind, they just want to get involved," said Lakes Commissioner Rod Twete. "But there are a couple who do have axes to grind."

And some pay and benefits always helps. Most commissioners make $600 a month and medical benefits are offered.

Some folks have challenged recent cost-cutting decisions the Lakes commissioners have made, Twete said.

For instance, the commissioners' decision to hire an in-house engineer to save on consulting costs.

"Some are thinking we're going the wrong direction by having our own engineering, although we've got data to prove we're saving money," Twete said. "There's a lot of speculation. A lot of things being said."

The Lakes commissioners have made operations changes like conducting engineering in-house, consolidating maintenance shops and scaling down staff.

The officials say they have saved about $250,000 with the changes.

"There are rumors we haven't done as well with our engineers as with consultants. I feel that's absolutely wrong," Twete said. "We're doing our best to make the dollars stretch."

There's little doubt why so many candidates are running in the East Side races, said East Side Commissioner Jimmie Dorsey.

It's because of the controversy over the local improvement districts the commissioners have approved, he said.

"They (some candidates) are just running and stating they're against the LIDs," said Dorsey, running to keep his sub-district 3 seat.

East Side commissioners have approved three local improvements districts totaling more than $500,000. The LIDs would provide a match for one-time federal funds for three overlay projects in Coeur d'Alene and Harrison.

The federal dollars would pay about 80 percent of each of the three projects, the commissioners have said.

The measures include a $162,000 LID for an overlay on 2.2 miles of Sunnyside Road in Coeur d'Alene; a $159,000 LID for an overlay on roughly 2.4 miles on Burma Road in Harrison; and a $248,000 LID for an overlay on 6 miles of O'Gara Road in Harrison.

Property owners affected by the overlays would pay hundreds of dollars into the LIDs. Some who own multiple parcels would pay up to thousands of dollars.

There have been enough written protests from property owners that the LIDs have gone before the Kootenai County commissioners for review.

Dorsey said there have been rumors and misinformation spread about the LIDs, such as that they are illegal.

"It's getting people riled up, and many times what they're getting riled up about is false information," Dorsey said.

A public vote is not necessary to impose LIDs.

In Post Falls, Bryan Crabtree is challenging incumbent Lynn Humphreys for sub-district 3. Terry Werner will automatically be re-elected to the board since no one challenged him.

Interest at Post Falls has been mixed in recent years. This will be Werner's fifth term and it's the first time he has not been opposed. However, in the last election, Robert Miller was opposed by three others.

"I would agree that the conservative movement has added to the races for all elected positions," Werner said of this year's overall interest in highway races. "I think some of it has to do with more awareness of these positions and interest from certain party groups.

"We generally have contested races, but with the change this year to election consolidation, they are more out front."

A sub-district 3 commissioner seat is up for election at Worley Highway District. The incumbent, George Miller, is running unopposed.

The highway districts vary slightly on commissioners' pay and responsibilities:

Lakes:

• Commissioners earn $75 a meeting. Meetings include: Two district board meetings a month; an Idaho Association of Highway Districts meeting once a quarter; occasional workshop meetings; and a meeting with the Kootenai County commissioners every two to three months.

• The commissioners are included in the district health insurance, which includes medical, dental and visual. Employees pay a $1,000 deductible.

• Commissioners' responsibilities include making decisions on acquiring rights of way, vacating roads, setting the budget for road projects and awarding jobs to contractors. According to state statute, highway commissioners have the power to construct, maintain, repair, acquire, purchase and improve all highways with their system. Commissioners also have hiring power at the highway district and can set employees' duties and compensation. The officials can purchase or acquire property for construction and improvement of highways.

East Side:

• Commissioners earn $600 a month, the chairman of the board $700 a month.

• Currently, all three commissioners are retired and use Medicare, according to Dorsey, and do not rely on district insurance. The district office is closed on Fridays, so staff was unavailable to describe what health benefits commissioners can receive.

• Commissioners' responsibilities include reviewing all incoming and outgoing district correspondences, attending board meetings and other transportation-related meetings, and the other state-mandated responsibilities listed above.

Post Falls:

• Commissioners make $600 a month and the chairman makes $650. Medical benefits are offered, although some may not accept them due to getting benefits with their full-time jobs.

• Commissioners have two workshops and two regular meetings a month, plus meetings of various committees they serve on.

Worley:

• Commissioners either could not be reached or declined to reveal their compensation. The Worley district office is closed on Fridays.

Highway districts vary slightly on commissioners' pay, responsibilities

Lakes:

• Commissioners earn $75 a meeting. Meetings include: Two district board meetings a month; an Idaho Association of Highway Districts meeting once a quarter; occasional workshop meetings; and a meeting with the Kootenai County commissioners every two to three months.

• The commissioners are included in the district health insurance, which includes medical, dental and visual. Employees pay a $1,000 deductible.

• Commissioners' responsibilities include making decisions on acquiring rights of way, vacating roads, setting the budget for road projects and awarding jobs to contractors. According to state statute, highway commissioners have the power to construct, maintain, repair, acquire, purchase and improve all highways with their system. Commissioners also have hiring power at the highway district and can set employees' duties and compensation. The officials can purchase or acquire property for construction and improvement of highways.

East Side:

• Commissioners earn $600 a month, the chairman of the board $700 a month.

• Currently, all three commissioners are retired and use Medicare, according to Dorsey, and do not rely on district insurance. The district office is closed on Fridays, so staff was unavailable to describe what health benefits commissioners can receive.

• Commissioners' responsibilities include reviewing all incoming and outgoing district correspondences, attending board meetings and other transportation-related meetings, and the other state-mandated responsibilities listed above.

Post Falls:

• Commissioners make $600 a month and the chairman makes $650. Medical benefits are offered, although some may not accept them due to getting benefits with their full-time jobs.

• Commissioners have two workshops and two regular meetings a month, plus meetings of various committees they serve on.

Worley:

• Commissioners either could not be reached or declined to reveal their compensation. The Worley district office is closed on Fridays.