Julie Hensley is seeking Kootenai County commissioner District 1. 

The 37-year-old is making her first run at office and said she feels good about how things are going.

“I’m trying to do as much as I can and meet as many people as I can,” she said. 

Hensley has a Bachelor of Science in nursing and has worked in the emergency and operating room, which she said prepared her to analyze situations and make decisions under pressure. 

She and her husband, Joshua, who worked in law enforcement, also have built and managed several small businesses, and she oversaw the financial side. They also own and manage properties. 

“I know how government regulations can impede businesses and help them out,” Hensley said. "Government can look at red tape to see if can help businesses employ people because they are the backbone of our community.” 

They moved to North Idaho in 2018 from Southern California and today live in Post Falls, which she called a fantastic place to raise their two children. 

“We wanted to live in an area that was community focused where neighbors would wave at you,” she said. 

About five years ago, Hensley said she began keeping tabs on the Post Falls City Council and commenting at council meetings.  

“We have a lot of building going on, a lot of growth, I want to see what kind of planning we have for our future,” she said. “I know the importance of long-term planning."

Hensley said if elected, she will work hard to see that the county’s infrastructure keeps up with growth. 

“If you’re playing the catch-up games, you’re going to be too far behind and that will end up costing our taxpayers a lot of money,” she said. 

Hensley said one of her priorities will be property taxes. She would like to see them stop increasing. 

“We can take a look at our spending and see where we can make cuts. We need to be protecting citizens and looking at the costs of things.” 

Maintaining strong public safety and having a solid comprehensive plan are also key for Hensley.

"I’m really here for the citizens and the future. I moved here because I love this community," she said. "I want to make sure future generations have an amazing community, just like we have here."