Blaine County voters will step briefly into the past on Nov. 4., when they'll be presented with a replay of the 2006 race for District 1 commissioner.

Incumbent County Commissioner Larry Schoen, a Democrat, and Dale Ewersen, his Republican challenger, are once again the two choices for the post, one of three seats on the commission.

The commissioner job pays about $54,000. Blaine County's commissioners, assisted by a county administrator, oversee more than 140 employees and control a nearly $30 million budget.

Ewersen, 58, is an insurance agent who has also co-owned the Splash and Dash convenience store in Bellevue for more than 10 years. It's been 20 years since he was last in public office - serving as a Bellevue city councilman and later mayor in the 1980s. But he's stayed involved in politics, he said, and was re-elected at this year's state Republican convention as the Region 5 chairman.

Schoen, 53, was chair of the county's Planning and Zoning Commission when voters selected him to replace departing Commissioner Dennis Wright. He's a farmer with two kids who moved to the county about 20 years ago.

His district covers south Hailey, Bellevue and Carey, "all of the agricultural parts of the county," Schoen said. And while farmers didn't really support the commissioner last time he ran, he said he thinks that will change after two years of listening to their needs while still responding to the goals of the broader population.

This year's race is different, Ewersen said, because the issues are more defined.

"It's much easier to distinguish between us," he said.

His focus includes improving communication between the county and other local government entities, as well as finalizing plans for the county's new airport. He also said he opposes both ballot initiatives before voters this year: one backed by the city of Hailey that would add a permanent $835,000 tax levy for a consolidated dispatch center, and a two-year levy that would provide $1.7 million for purchasing and preserving wildlife habitat, watersheds and other areas.

Schoen rattled off a long list of issues he's been involved in: housing, drug abuse, water quality, energy, sustainability, public transportation and emergency communications, among others. He said he's remaining neutral on the initiatives, though he can see the benefits of the land preservation one.

He highlighted his efforts to bring cities, the county and others together to discuss affordable housing - long a problem for governments whose employees can't afford to live in the county. The solution, he said, will require the Blaine County Housing Authority - itself short on cash - to both support city efforts and pursue its own programs.

Ewersen said he feels the workforce housing issue is best answered by the private sector. Builders and small businesses can work with the Idaho Housing and Finance Association and other nonprofits, removing the need for taxpayers to fund such work.

Both said it's important to stay fiscally responsible in the current economy. And they differ on replacing Friedman Memorial Airport, with Schoen arguing for a site on State Highway 75 and for the public part of the current site to be used for housing or education - just not an airport, he said.

Ewersen said he would like to see the current airport remain open for private users, though not on the county's dime. And he wants to bring all eight south-central Idaho counties back together to restart discussion of a truly regional airport, even outside of Blaine County.

Nate Poppino may be reached at 208-735-3237 or npoppino@magicvalley.com.