Spirit Lake squabble continues

SPIRIT LAKE - Two of Spirit Lake's four City Council members have resigned, citing conflicts with Mayor Todd Clary over the city's direction.

Shelley Tschida's resignation was effective on Monday. Ken Johnson's is effective today.

Johnson also cited economical reasons, saying he was forced to close his motorcycle shop and move to Priest River because many didn't shop at his business for political reasons.

Some residents were in the middle of a recall effort to oust Tschida, saying she allegedly only supported special interests, but Tschida said that had nothing to do with her decision to resign.

"My beliefs in the way the city should be managed are very different than the ways Todd believes they should be done," she said. "Rather than continue in a state of frustration for both of us, I thought it would be better to resign so he could move forward with his agenda.

"We'll see if that serves the city of Spirit Lake well or not."

A message left for Clary at City Hall on Tuesday seeking comment was not returned. He has an unlisted phone number and a number he once had is no longer in service.

Clary defeated Tschida 300-149 in a runoff election for mayor in December after neither received a majority of the total votes during the regular election.

Tschida, who owns Quality Services Inc., a forest management company, was in her third term as a council member and had about a year and a half remaining on her term.

Johnson was elected to the council in November.

City attorney Nancy Stricklin said that since the council does not have a quorum with only two council members left, Gov. Butch Otter, per state law, will appoint one council member based on recommendations from Clary. Stricklin said she hopes the appointment will be made before the next council meeting on April 13.

"Without a quorum, you can't do business," she said.

After someone is appointed, the council will then vote on a person who Clary nominates to determine the fourth council member.

Both appointed council members will only be on the council until the next city election. They will not serve the rest of Tschida and Johnson's terms.

Tschida and Johnson supported ideas for change such as hiring a city administrator and a line-item budget, but said it became apparent during the first three months of the year that those proposals and others weren't going to surface.

"In a small town like this, it becomes counter-productive to have the house divided and that results in a lot of negative talk around town," Tschida said. "I'd much rather volunteer my energy into something that has positive results."

Johnson said his situation became personal.

"We were told that, because of the politics in town, that we'd be ran out of town and that our business would shut down," he said. "Nobody shopped there because of who I was (as a city council member). I thought it would be best for everybody if I just left."

Jimmie Brown Jr., the lone remaining council member who was elected, said it's unfortunate that a special election can't be held to determine the two new representatives.

"Let the people decide," he said. "That makes the most sense. It's really about the people, not anybody else or their personal agenda."

Brown said he'll continue to pursue "positive change" for the city, but said if he becomes a lame duck with the two new council members he'll consider resigning as well.

"The town is divided and we've gone backward," he said. "There's important issues that need to be discussed, and the council and mayor haven't worked together in three months."

"If I get into a situation where I can't help, it makes no sense for me to put in time over the next four years."

Brown has lived in Spirit Lake for 52 years and his father is a former mayor. He said, like some others, he likes the way Spirit Lake used to be. But times change, and you eventually have to move on, he said.

"You can't stop time," he said.