The Kootenai County commissioners will kick off their search this week to fill the vacant trustee position on the Coeur d'Alene School District 271 board, the officials announced on Wednesday.

The commissioners will rely heavily on the input of the current four trustees, said Commissioner Dan Green.

"I personally think they have a great deal of expertise in this area," Green explained. "They're on the school board, I am not. I did not run for the school board."

In a precedent for the county, the commissioners must fill the schools district's Zone 1 trustee seat by appointment because the vacancy has exceeded 120 days.

The task is mandated by Idaho statute.

The commissioners will start accepting letters of interest for the position this Friday, March 16, a press release stated. Resumes must be included.

Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on April 13.

The commissioners will conduct interviews with the four district trustees. Although the public can sit in on the interviews, public testimony will not be taken.

"Not at this time," Green said of whether the commissioners have determined what they will look for among applicants. "We're going to work with the trustees and listen, and welcome their input on developing questions."

The commissioners alone must make the final decision. There is no set deadline, Green said.

He admitted being uncomfortable with the process, and compared it to when the commissioners had to review three local improvement districts approved by East Side Highway District last year.

"I personally do not like that one elected board makes decisions for another elected board," Green said. "I don't think it's appropriate that one elected board oversees another."

The chair and vice chair of the district's trustee board couldn't be reached for comment on Wednesday afternoon.

The Zone 1 trustee had retired last summer. Although the four trustees voted in a replacement, a district judge nullified the appointment in February, due to two trustees lacking voting power during the appointment.

The individual appointed by the commissioners will fill the position until June 30, 2013, when the current term expires.

Residents of all District 271 zones can apply, though preference will be given to applicants from Zone 1, who will be able to run for election to keep the seat next May.

Letters and resumes can be mailed to: Board of County Commissioners/Attn: Sandy Maitland/P.O. Box 9000/Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816-9000. They can also be delivered to the commissioners' office on the third floor of the Administration Building, at 451 Government Way in Coeur d'Alene.

Green said the commissioners will meet with the trustees within the next week to nail down the details of the interview process.

"This is new for all of us," he said.