COEUR d'ALENE - A lot has changed since Coeur d'Alene City Councilman Woody McEvers won his first election 12 years ago.

"There is a new twist to this," he said. "I'm not good at doing these things either."

McEvers said in the past his fundraising amounted to putting a jar up in his restaurant for donations. Campaigning was a matter of attending public forums and debates, not organizing a team of door knockers to canvas city neighborhoods.

McEvers, who is the only incumbent running for one of three seats on the council, was endorsed by the Balance North Idaho political action committee, and he has been advised to organize a campaign like he never has before.

"I have never done it this way," he said. "They are pretty organized but that's not what I am used to."

Still, McEvers said, he is doing the best he can and he does plan to step out of his comfort zone and actively campaign. He is seeking advice, and he plans to solicit donations, but the hardest part for him is asking people to volunteer their time to help.

"I don't have people. Where do you find 30 people you can ask to set aside the time and help you campaign?" he said. "I don't know who these people are. Why would they do this?"

Regardless, McEvers said he is going campaign the best he can, and let the chips fall where they may.

"If I win, I win," he said. "If I don't, it's not the end of the world."

McEvers said he supports the other candidates who were endorsed by Balance North Idaho, but he isn't campaigning with them.

"I didn't want them to have to defend me," he said, acknowledging the fact that many of his opponents are likely to attack his position on McEuen Park and other issues.

"I stand behind what happened," he said. "We had a vote on McEuen and only one councilman voted against it, and that was (Councilman Ron) Edinger."

McEvers isn't totally against the public having a vote on the matter, but he wonders where the council draws the line. There is no way the council could put every controversial issue up for a vote, he said.

"We have rules to play by and I try to be fair and consistent," McEvers said. "I'm fine with the public having a vote on some of these issues, but let's create a policy with clear parameters that help us determine what is going to be voted on and what isn't."

As for the city salaries, McEvers points to a city survey that was compiled in 2000.

"The biggest issue that came up was employee turnover," he said, adding that many employees were getting their specialized training in Coeur d'Alene and moving on for better pay elsewhere.

He said there is a lot of misinformation being used by several of the candidates to stir up the issues, but none of those people have come to City Hall to get the facts.

"Everything is getting blown way out of proportion," he said. "But it's an election year, I guess."

McEvers would like to see people make an effort to get the facts before forming opinions on the issues.

"You may have to bend over backwards to get it right," he said. "But when you do, you know you've done the right thing. That may be a naive way to look at it, but that's just the way I am."

McEvers has lived in Coeur d'Alene for 35 years with his wife and two children. He relocated from Palm Springs, Calif., where he waited tables and worked in the supermarket industry.

After moving to Coeur d'Alene, McEvers started a restaurant on Sherman Avenue called Rustler's Roost. He moved the restaurant to Hayden several years ago, and still spends most of his time running that business.

McEvers sat on the city planning commission for seven years before running for council, which gives him 19 years of experience in city government.

"I'm a restaurant guy first and foremost," he said. "It takes up the first 12 hours of my day."

McEvers said he hopes he will get the chance to continue as a councilman, too. He believes his track record is solid on the issues and he will continue to work hard for the citizens of Coeur d'Alene.

At least one of his opponents claims that a vote for McEvers is voting for more of the same, but he doesn't see anything wrong with that.

"If more of the same means keeping an open mind and a positive attitude, then yes that is what I offer," he said.