COEUR d'ALENE - Tim Herzog is running for a seat on the Kootenai County commission again this year, and hopes that voters see his persistence as determination to serve.

He is running for the District 1 seat, currently occupied by Todd Tondee. Herzog, a Republican from Post Falls, ran for it in 2008 and 2012.

If elected, Herzog, 66, promised to work hard on behalf of county employees, saying the county is fortunate to have quality department heads and staff.

"They're the ones who keep the county running," he said.

That said, he's not running a campaign promising raises, either.

In 2012, he received the endorsement of the Kootenai County Deputy Sheriff's Association.

He said there needs to be more transparency in county government. He pointed to the $30,000 the county gave former community development department director and long-range planner Scott Clark after he resigned. The money didn't come with enough explanation to the public, Herzog complained.

"I just don't feel it's open enough," he said. "There needs to be more transparency."

He also is critical of how long it has taken getting land-use code work done, he said.

"This thing should have been done," he said. "The commissioners are ultimately responsible. They're the top officials in the county, and they have to bear some responsibility for this."

He said his experience owning multiple small businesses - auto repair, tires, machine shop - provides him the experience necessary, along with the people and negotiating skills he developed as a real estate agent, to serve the county best.

Finally, he said, Tondee has served long enough.

Herzog said he doesn't support term limits, but being a county commissioner is "not meant to be a career."

For more information on Tim Herzog: www.herzog4taxpayers.com.