End of an era
<p>Kathleen Saylor, chair of the library board of trustees, left, shares a moment of reflection with outgoing Coeur d’Alene City Council member Deanna Goodlander Thursday during a party to honor her and Mike Kennedy's service.</p>
<p>Mike Kennedy and Deanna Goodlander listen to stories and thank you speeches from community members.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - There was no shortage of Canadian jokes at a farewell party the city of Coeur d'Alene held Thursday for outgoing council members Deanna Goodlander and Mike Kennedy.
Deputy City Administrator Jon Ingalls explained that participating in a roast forces one to choose between taking the high road, and taking the low road.
He chose the latter, and brought both Goodlander and Kennedy survival kits.
"Deanna, when people think of you they think about the library and they think about art," he said.
"So, if someone complains about the library, which I doubt they will, what do you do? You give them a book - this book," he said, handing her a present. "It is possible that you might get a complaint on art, so you might loan this book to anybody who complains about it."
The book was "Art for Dummies."
Kennedy, who won his last election by a very slim margin of votes - including a few absentee ballots from Canada - was next on Ingalls' radar. He put a hat on Kennedy's head that had a Canadian maple leaf flag on it and the words "Oh Kennedy."
"In survival many of us lean on our friends, or lean on our clubs," he said. "Many of us belong to a Kiwanis Club, or a Rotary Club. In your survival kit I have a club you can lean on."
He handed Kennedy a fifth of Canadian Club whiskey.
That prompted Recreation Director Steve Anthony to ask: "So Mike, are you going to run for mayor of Toronto?"
"Yes," Kennedy responded. "Yes, he set a good path for me."
Kennedy then had a few things to say.
"This has been an incredible eight years for me, and I certainly learned a tremendous amount," he said. "Deanna has twice the service that I do, and over those years Deanna has done more quietly for this city and people than anybody realizes and knows, so I think you deserve the kudos today.
"I am going to let you wrap this whole thing up in a moment," he told Goodlander. "But first I have some scores to settle."
He ribbed City Councilman Ron Edinger.
"Ron Edinger is here, and I am trying to see what other council members are here," Kennedy said. "Ron is here, I know, and I think I pissed off all of the others, so uh...
"Ron, thank you for helping to mentor me. You have seen a lot of us though from start to finish, and I am very confident that 25 years from now, when I decide to run again you'll still be on the council."
Goodlander also had some things to say.
"It has been an amazing 16 years," she said. "I started reminiscing this morning about some of the things that happened over those 16 years, and some of the people who made it happen."
Looking around the room, which was packed with close to 100 community leaders and city staff, Goodlander said "You are the people that made these things happen."
"We just had the opportunity to be the guys in the front row," she said. "Of course being the guys in the front, we were also the ones who got the flak."
She said the city of Coeur d'Alene is blessed because of the people who live here.
"Everywhere I look in this room, there are people that made things happen," she said. "And how blessed are we, how fortunate are we to have that in our community?"
She said serving with Kennedy was certainly an experience.
"I didn't say it was exactly a fun time," she said. "But I could always count on Mike to say something at one point or another.
"And a lot of times I am going, 'Yeah Mike, go for it. Good job,' and he did do a good job. We are going to miss him."
She said she hoped both of them could find a way to continue to serve.
"I figure we'll see Mike in D.C. someday after he has made his fortune and his wife will let him leave town," she said.
"Yeah, and move to Vermont, where I could win," Kennedy chimed in.
A teary-eyed Goodlander wrapped it up, saying there is nothing but a bright future for the community.
"And our new people coming on board, Mayor-elect Steve (Widmyer), Kiki (Miller) and Amy (Evans), you guys are going to be great," she said. "You are going to carry the legacy forward. You are going to make it continue to prosper, and now I am going to shut up before I really cry."