Republican and Democratic party leaders in the county are vying for Seat A, which Commissioner Camille Cain is leaving after eight years.

Republican Jan Zogmaister is the vice chairwoman for the Weber County Republicans, and Bill Hansen holds the same position for Weber County Democrats.

Incumbent Ken Bischoff, a Republican, is trying for a third term in Seat B and is being challenged by Shelly Jenkins, a Riverdale city councilwoman and a Democrat.

The races for the two seats lack hot-button issues, leaving the candidates to talk about their experiences and style.

Zogmaister, the frontrunner in the heavily Republican county, says her business is mature and her children reared, allowing her to make the commission seat a full-time job.

She would bring 20 years of business experience - she owns National Battery Sales of Ogden - to the county.

"I'm very practical and common-sense. I'm a communicator," Zogmaister says.

Her experience years ago living in Roy, when it was growing fast, taught her the value of managed growth, which she would strive for on the commission.

Rather than point to problems at the county, Zogmaister says she would audit the various county functions before suggesting any changes.

One possibility, she says, is partnerships, which she saw during the 17 years she served on the state's Department of Workforce Services board.

"There's a lot that can be done when you have public and private working together."

Her challenger, Bill HanÂsen, says he would have to resign his job with the county, if elected, but that would be fine with him.

He would even take an ax to the salary, he says. Commissioners in Weber County make $87,000 a year, which he considers far too much money.

Hansen considers crime and growth the biggest issues needing the commission's attention.

"[Growth is] coming, and we need to have that master plan and get the public's input and make sure our developers are building buildings that are strong."

Hansen said he would strive to be more accountable to residents, something he believes the current commission has failed, at times, to do. As an example, he says, the commission should have ordered the Health Department to name the restaurant where E. coli bacteria was found over the summer.

"The Republican policy is to protect businesses over the citizens. The pendulum has swung way too right." Hansen managed restaurants along the Wasatch Front before becoming a correctional officer six years ago.

In the contest for Seat B, incumbent Ken Bischoff said he would like to stay on the commission to complete projects already under way, such as writing the ordinances to carry out the county's general plan and the recreational aspect of that plan for the Ogden Valley. The latter won a state quality growth award, he notes.

The county is in the middle of figuring out how to deal with sewer, water and storm-water systems in the Ogden Valley and is working with the Wasatch Front Regional Council on identifying the corridor for the Legacy Highway - now under construction in south Davis County - to extend into Weber County's west side.

"We've accomplished much and still have much to accomplish," Bischoff says.

One of the things he's most proud of is that the commission has tried to involve residents and businesses in decisions, rather than taking a top-down approach.

His challenger, Shelly Jenkins, says her time serving Riverdale City - including six years on the Planning Commission - gives her a good understanding of how to manage the growth the county is experiencing.

A self-described "information junkie," she'd try to make county government proactive rather than reactive.

"We need people willing to serve and with fire in the belly to understand our problems. I believe in setting the bar a little higher."

She says she would try to make county government more citizen-friendly by conducting meetings in the evenings rather than mornings.

"Who besides the developers and the professional people on the clock show up at 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning?" Jenkins says.

kmoulton@sltrib.com

Seat A

JAN ZOGMAISTER, Republican

* Age: 54

* Residence: West Haven

* Family: Husband, Darrow; daughters, Jaime, Michelle, Jacquelyn, Veronica and Vennesa, ages 20-34

* Occupation: business owner

* Education: Ben Lomond High School

* Political experience: member of the West Haven City Planning Commission; vice chairwoman of the Weber Republican Party and president of Weber County Republican Women; served on various state boards, including Department of Workforce Services for 17 years

* Fun fact: Gardening is her passion, and she just completed requirements for the Master Gardener certificate through Weber County Extension Service.

BILL HANSEN, Democrat

* Age: 40

* Residence: North Ogden

* Family: Wife, Tracy; son, Bryce 12; daughter, Emma, 8

* Occupation: Correctional officer for Weber County and former business manager.

* Education: Ogden High School

* Political experience: Vice chairman of Weber County Democrats; ran for Legislature in 2004

* Fun fact: He loves to camp, fish and hunt with his family.

Seat B

KEN BISCHOFF, Republican, incumbent

* Age: 67

* Residence: Ogden

* Family: Wife, Maris; five children, Susan, Katie, Casey, Jami and Shawn, ages 27-40

* Occupation: retired insurance executive

* Education: graduated from Brigham Young University with degree in agronomy

* Political experience: Two terms on Weber County Commission

* Fun fact: He was a saddle bronc rider while growing up on a ranch at Lovell, Wyo. He played one year of basketball at a community college in Wyoming.

SHELLY JENKINS, Democrat

* Age: 49

* Residence: Riverdale

* Family: Husband, Rick

* Occupation: Home-based business owner

* Education: Bonneville High School

* Political experience: Former member of Riverdale Planning Commission; now in first term on City Council

* Fun fact: She is an aspiring artist and takes oil-painting lessons.