COEUR d'ALENE - Following up on campaign promises, Kootenai County commissioners asked the county prosecutor on Wednesday to write a draft ballot initiative for restructuring the county government.

This is the first step in putting a measure before voters next November, said Commissioner Dan Green.

Depending on what the commissioners agree on, the initiative could add more officials at the top of county government and affect the commissioners' authoritative reach.

"I want to get it out there as soon as possible," Green said at a meeting with the prosecutor in the county Administration Building. "People in the county have been talking about this for a long time, and we should give the voters a chance."

He asked Prosecutor Barry McHugh to produce a draft with Green's suggestions on tweaking power structure, then allow the other commissioners to weigh in on what they would add or toss out.

"We can see if Commissioner Nelson or Tondee or at least one of them are supportive," Green said.

Commissioner Jai Nelson asked McHugh to look into the detail necessary on the initiative. She agreed with Green that the issue should go to the voters soon.

"I want to see this on the ballot," she said.

McHugh said he would have to study the statutes allowing for different forms of county government.

"The first thing is to figure out where does the process begin, so the board has plenty of time to digest and make the proper decision," McHugh said.

Newly elected commissioners Green and Nelson had both campaigned on rearranging county government to maximize efficiency.

Commissioner Todd Tondee, not present for the meeting, said earlier on Wednesday that it was a campaign issue of his long before.

"Hopefully we can get there," Tondee said.

There are several possibilities of what the ballot initiative would include.

Much discussed has been the idea of creating a county administrator position, to carry out administrative duties the commissioners handle on top of their governing responsibilities.

"(Adding an administrator) takes the commissioners out of the day-to-day operations, and gives us more time for policy and big picture decisions," Tondee said.

Green said an administrator could also help reduce the commissioners' hours.

"My goal is to increase the applicant pool," Green said prior to the meeting. "Many people cannot be county commissioners because it's a full-time job."

Tondee said he would also like to see the county's other elected officials no longer be elected, but appointed by the commissioners.

Those include the county treasurer, coroner, clerk, assessor, prosecuting attorney and sheriff.

"There would be huge efficiencies on budgeting," Tondee said, adding that the commissioners would be able to control the other officials' expenditures. "The oversight people think we have (over other electeds), we would have."

Green said he would only want to appoint the treasurer, coroner, clerk and assessor.

"Because they're primarily administrators," he explained.

He is also a proponent of expanding the number of commissioners from three to five, he said.

"I think the time constraints on the three of us in the places that we are supposed to represent the county are difficult," he said.

Five individuals would also bring more ideas and perspectives to influence decisions, Green added.

Tondee is not so sure.

Two more commissioners would mean two more salaries to pay, he pointed out.

"I think all it does is add to the cost of government," Tondee said.

Other county elected officials contacted Wednesday said it's too early to comment on the initiative.

"Until I read the bill or initiative, it's kind of tough to say," said Clerk Cliff Hayes, who has previously stated he only intends to serve one term. "There's a million ways you can do this, the reorganization of government."