Commissioners find rookie year challenging

New Whitman County commissioners Dean Kinzer and Art Swannack have one year under their belts.

Now that they’ve completed their first year on the job, Kinzer and Swannack both realize they’ve still got a lot to learn.

“We knew coming in that the learning curve was going to be steep and it has been,” Kinzer said.

Swannack of Lamont and Kinzer of Ewartsville were officially sworn in Dec. 27, 2012, in Whitman County Superior Court by Judge David Frazier. The new commissioners officially began their terms Jan. 1, 2013.

Swannack replaced Greg Partch in District 1 that encompasses Tekoa, Oakesdale,...