If ever there was a wake-up call, the two incumbent Republicans on the Kootenai County Commission received one Tuesday.

Chairman Gus Johnson and first-term Commissioner Katie Brodie were unceremoniously dumped in a tidal wave that favored challengers Todd Tondee and Rich Piazza. Tondee, a Post Falls councilman, is still new to local politics. Piazza, meanwhile, failed in two other tries to win a commission seat. So, the answer to their success at the polls rests not with them but in general voter discontent with county commissioners.

Above all, Kootenai County voters reiterated that they’re tired of unchecked growth, increasing taxes, detached officeholders and business as usual.

Tondee and Piazza deserve a breather from politicking after their landslide wins. But they shouldn’t gloat about what happened. They upset the incumbents by questioning, among other things, the commissioners’ ill-advised decision to give themselves huge pay raises, to hire public relations help, to claim $847,700 in unused property tax authority to fund employee raises. They will be expected to be more frugal, if Tondee survives a third-party challenge in November.

There will be no honeymoon next year if both take office. Voters want a change in the way county government is run.

Tondee won office by promising change. Among other things, he favors hiring a county administrator to handle the complicated daily workings of the county and possibly changing the county government structure. Some business leaders want a county administrator form of government that would include five part-time commissioners setting policy and making such offices as coroner and treasurer appointive rather than elective. Those changes would require a public vote.

During their campaigns, both Republicans chided Johnson and Brodie for voting to raise their pay $13,486 per year to $67,000. Tondee suggested that the commissioners relinquish their pay raises and use the difference to hire a county administrator. Piazza said the pay increase was warranted, but he believes the commissioners should have increased their pay in increments. Tondee and Piazza will have a chance to reduce or rescind the raises once they take office.

If lame ducks Johnson and Brodie soldier on to the best of their abilities, they should hand over to their successors next January a comprehensive plan rewrite that’s well under way. At that point, it will be up to the new commissioners to strike a balance between the county’s need for controlled growth and the current residents’ desire to protect their quality of life. Rural residents are frustrated with monster subdivision proposals that threaten their lifestyles.

Tondee and Piazza were benefactors of voter frustration. They are fortunate not to be taking office immediately. Since only one of them faces token opposition this fall, they can take the next seven months to study the issues and prepare for a fast start next year. In Tondee’s case, he’ll have only 18 months to make his mark before voters judge him again. Tuesday’s results should remind him how fast a commissioner can fall from favor.