Kootenai County commission candidate Bruce Noble says he would like to see the county's structure of government change.

He would like to see the three commissioner style, in which they handle day-to-day management, replaced.

He would like to see a five-member board setting policy for government management, with a full-time professional manager handling day-to-day operations.

"It would be my main focus" if elected, the 60-year-old Democrat said. "The lack of management is obvious."

Noble is running for the nomination to be the Democratic Party candidate for the District No. 1 seat currently occupied by Todd Tondee.

The commissioner-manager style of government would have to be approved by voters, he said.

"The manager brings continuity," Noble said.

Noble also would like to see the commissioners elected from specific areas of the county, not countywide. With fewer constituents, he said, the commissioners would be in closer contact with their constituents.

"The closer you can get to your constituents the better you can serve them," Noble said.

Additionally, he said, having five commissioners creates more stability on the board.

Currently, like this year, there is the potential for two of the three commissioners to be replaced.

"These are professional managers who would be hired," Noble said. "They are trained specifically to manage this type of institution."

What separates Noble from others seeking a seat on the county commission, he said, is he is offering concrete examples of how county residents could be better served.

"I'm the only one who has set up a specific program to improve government in Kootenai County, and management in Kootenai County," Noble said. "All the other candidates just pledge to apply their conservative values. They just run on conservative credentials."

As for examples of current poor management at the county, he cited employee separation payouts, and delays in implementing certain programs.

He gave the example of a county program to make sure employees with equal work status were paid equally.

"That took several years to bring to fruition," Noble said. "I'm not sure it's been implemented yet."

While no counties in Idaho have a commissioner-manager style of government, he said the trend nationwide is counties moving in that direction.

He said in 1989, 25 percent of counties in the U.S. had the commissioner-manager style of government. In 2009, he said, the percentage had increased to 51 percent.

Noble is the founder and owner of HydroGen Energy, a renewable energy company specializing in small and "micro" hydroelectric projects. He also is a contract field engineer and a former city engineer for the city of Post Falls.

Noble, a resident of Kootenai County since 1992, was born and raised in Idaho and earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Idaho.

Noble's opponent for the Democratic nomination is Tamra Dale, of Post Falls.

Editor's Note:

• Democratic candidate for commissioner Tamra Dale did not respond to multiple requests for an interview.