Recall: It didn't have to come to this

Madam Mayor & Members of the City Council -- Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you and to the folks with us at home this evening. I would like to share some of my thoughts regarding RECALL CdA.

First, on behalf of the staff and volunteers of RECALL CdA, I want to acknowledge the work and results of this Council. We acknowledge your hard work and long hours, and we wish to express our gratitude and appreciation for all you have done. Recall CdA is not a personal attack on anyone.

However, it is clear that we are a seriously divided community, a very dysfunctional situation, unpleasant for all sides. A community working together for the good of all can accomplish so much more than a community divided against itself. Fear of intimidation and retribution is a clear indication of the dysfunction… small business owners and city staff have expressed their desire to sign our petition, but fear of reprisal, even loss of employment is difficult to ignore.

The idea of a RECALL began as a mere whisper sometime last year and has grown in intensity and frequency until now, it reverberates throughout the city, as common a topic of discussion as the weather. RECALL CdA is a response to a clarion call by many of our fellow citizens, some of whom are well known to you and some, I am sure are not. I was asked to provide leadership to this growing group of concerned citizens. Many regret having allowed this situation to form and fester, quietly sitting back passively. They regret their lack of involvement and now want to stand up for what is right for the community. They thank us for providing the opportunity.

We had hoped to avoid the pain and discomfort of a RECALL. We did not have to arrive at this impasse. Why we have, can only be explained by the four of you being subjected to this RECALL campaign.

We tried to make our voices heard, but to no avail. For whatever reason, you chose not to heed us. Your denial of a public vote was the turning point. Your refusal to hear the public voice in the election of last November pushed us to action.

Recall is not just about McEuen…nor about personal opinions of any of the other decisions you have made. As a matter of fact most of us like some elements of what is proposed for McEuen, most of us are proud of the Library, although may disagree with its location. The Library is a great source where we can read about our heritage, our American democracy and traditions. Anyone who thinks we are being un-American would be well advised to avail themselves of the wonderful resources found there. They will see that RECALL is indeed very American, firmly supported by the Idaho Constitution (Article 1, Section 2 and Article 6, Section 6). RECALL is very American., very Idahoan.

We go to great lengths to explain to signers that we are not actually recalling; that will be determined by the voters. We are gathering the signatures required to put the issue to a public vote, the vote you have repeatedly denied us. If you were right in your insistence that the public supported YOUR McEuen, such a public vote would have vindicated you and we would not be here today. Why are you afraid? People we meet going door to door or coming in to sign our petition repeatedly ask that question. They need no campaign speech, no sales or marketing pitch. They only express their desire to sign in favor of RECALL.

Recall is not a partisan issue; it is a community issue. It is not old timers versus newbies. It is not “haves” versus “have-nots”…it is a community issue. We want to be proud of our community and want to have a leadership we can be proud of, can trust and can work together with for the good of all the citizens of our great city. Coeur d’Alene is more than just downtown business interests. Excessive spending is often mentioned and LCDC is unavoidably right at the core of that issue.

In closing, we are committed to a fair and honest RECALL , free of personal vindictive, with honesty, respect and dignity. Our objective is to provide the community the effective leadership and voice consistent with the Idaho Constitution and Statutes. Additional information is provided at our web-site, Recallcda.com.

Thank you.