COEUR d'ALENE - Dick Epstein would like to serve the people of Dalton Gardens for a third term on the City Council.

Epstein, a 21-year resident of the city, said before he was first elected to the council eight years ago, he attended many council meetings and served as a volunteer for 10 years on the city's planning and zoning committee.

"I'm enamored with the city," Epstein said. "My No. 1 concern, after my family and my job, is that we have a safe, clean community, and we don't tax people out of their houses."

Epstein, 62, is a software quality assurance engineer with a company in Liberty Lake. He previously worked at Kaiser Aluminum for 30 years.

There are five people vying for two seats up for election on Dalton Gardens' four-member council. The top two vote-getters will win the seats.

Epstein and fellow incumbent Steve Roberge are being challenged by Gary Hagman, Jeff Dickinson and Scott Jordan.

"I want to keep Dalton what it is, which is the small, rural-type open space area," Epstein said.

Regarding the city's low property tax rate, Epstein said many of their expenses are paid for with other types of revenue including state revenue sharing and city fees for services like building and sign permits.

"I like to think that we're pretty self-sufficient. We've worked hard over the last eight years to make sure that we don't have to raise taxes, and we don't have to go out and find extra money," Epstein said.

It has become more difficult to find alternate sources of revenue, and many grant opportunities have dried up, he said.

"And a grant is a one-shot deal. If we got a grant for a police officer, that means next year we are going to have to pay for it out of our revenues. How would we do that?" Epstein said.

The city has a good working relationship with the Lakes Highway District, he said. They re-negotiated their agreement with the highway district about two years ago.

"I treat the city like I do my house. I want the best bang for the buck, so I'm looking for the best quality. Going to the dollar store doesn't mean you're saving money," he said. "By partnering up with Lakes Highway, for lack of a better term, we do two things. We reduce overall costs for both of us, and yet we get the same kind of quality work that Lakes is known for."

During winters with heavy snowfall amounts, Dalton Gardens residents are able to get around because they are plowed out quickly and it's done well, Epstein said.

As a software quality assurance engineer, Epstein said he has focused on improving the technology at Dalton Gardens City Hall, so citizens can get information and services they need without leaving town.

"I want us to be a one-stop shop there for our citizens. They can come in, figure out what they need, go home and be happy," Epstein said.

He is also working on a capital improvement plan for the city's roads.

"Because we are so tight on the budgets, over the last eight years, every time that I have anything left over at the end of the budget year I have dedicated to roads because one of these times, we are going to have a road that needs major, major repairs. We can't afford $100,000 to $200,000 in one year to resurface, rebuild a road, so we put that money away. We've got some money there to take care of that," Epstein said.

He supports the city's plan to add sewer service to the commercial zone because it will allow property owners the freedom to do more with their property.

Epstein has been married for 38 years, with three children and two grandchildren.