

He vowed to improve transparency at the city and work to diversify the local economy away from “an overdependence on tourism.” “This must and will change under my leadership.” “ity Hall feels hostile and authoritarian, almost aloof to the concerts of the public,” he stated. His campaign announcement took particular aim at the culture of City Hall, which referred to “the abysmally high rate of employee turnover - including six different land use planners in the past three years.” Among his central goals as mayor would be to “strengthen the community by valuing and engaging citizen voices as well as those of our skilled employees in all aspects of local decision making.” Grimm currently helms Whiskey Rock Planning + Consulting, which works with local developers on environmental consulting, project management and strategic planning. “It is this experience that fuels his drive to address the impacts of growth while preserving the unique character of our town, something that he argues doesn’t require a paid consultant to identify,” his campaign announcement stated. Grimm highlighted his work from 2007-2015 as Planning and Community Development director for the city, during which time he had a front row seat to the rapid changes brought to Sandpoint by growth and development. “I want to do everything I can to keep us great and it starts, and ends being fair to all our citizens,” she stated. She also served on the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency from 2013-2017. McAlister wrote in her statement that she’s running because of the “huge growth” experienced by Sandpoint in recent years, and, “while that brings some benefits it also poses some serious challenges that I want to help the city meet.”Īmong the issues listed on her campaign website (), McAlister highlighted “community conversations” geared toward finding solutions to meet the needs of all residents “infrastructure improvements” targeted at water systems and roads promoting Sandpoint businesses supporting local education and workforce training affordable housing “for all” based on public-private collaboration and “common-sense solutions, not partisan or ideological convictions.”Ī resident of Sandpoint for more than 30 years, McAlister serves as president and CEO of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce and has long been involved with Angels Over Sandpoint, the Forrest Bird Charter Schools and Kaniksu Community Health, among other organizations. 23 at fellow Councilor Justin Dick’s 113 Main restaurant. Sandpoint mayoral candidates McAlister and Grimm have already issued campaign announcements, with McAlister kicking off her run at an event Aug. In the Lake Pend Oreille School District, current Board of Trustees Chair Geraldine Lewis will seek reelection and three candidates have filed to fill the seat left vacant by Trustee Purley Decker, who will not run again: longtime local resident and retired business owner Rebecca Holland, active LPOSD meeting attendee and commenter Jennifer McKnight and Scott Wood, who manages his family business Wood’s Crushing and Hauling and is a lifelong resident.

Sandpoint City Council seats are held at large, which means any resident can vote for any of the candidates, regardless of the voting precinct in which they reside.
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Ruehle is seeking another term, while current Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commissioner Amelia Boyd is running for council, as well as Elle Susnis, who has served as chair of the Sandpoint Arts Commission.Īlso running for council is conservationist and retired educator Pam Duquette, who has served as a board member for the Selkirk Conservation Alliance Kyle Schreiber, a marketing and business development professional and frequent commenter at council meetings and Grant Simmons, who serves as vice president of client analytics at Kochava. Because of her mayoral run, McAlister is vacating her council seat and Groat is not running again for his seat. 7 ballot.Īccording to the city’s website, there are six candidates vying for the council positions held by McAlister, Andy Groat and Deb Ruehle.

However, the city of Sandpoint has posted the mayoral candidates, as well as those seeking election to three seats on the City Council that will be on the Nov. 15 to finish processing the paperwork from office seekers, so the list as of Thursday, Sept. 8, and Bonner County Elections personnel have until Friday, Sept.
