A big goal for Cd'A schools

Wendell Wardell is a mountain of a man, but that's not why he's leaving such huge shoes for Coeur d'Alene School District to fill.

It's what Wardell accomplished in just 26 months on the job that set the bar high for the district's next chief financial or chief operating officer.

Going through newspaper archives, we were surprised at the long list of accomplishments Wardell facilitated or had a direct leadership hand in creating. One of the most recognizable was landing a larger, more visible and accessible district administrative center at no additional cost to taxpayers. One of the least recognizable, from the outside, at least, was Wardell's financial oversight of dramatically upgrading electronic security at district schools.

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He helped build a partnership with Tesh Inc., a local nonprofit that trains people with disabilities, to provide custodial services to the high schools. That saved the district money and gave Tesh some desperately needed support.

With former Superintendent Hazel Bauman, Wardell led a successful bond sale that benefitted the district financially while securing a lower rate for taxpayers.

He oversaw renovations of Canfield, Borah, Bryan and Sorensen using bond funds at or below budget. By the time Wardell left office, reconstruction of Winton School was under way and on budget.

The list goes on and on. Wendell Wardell can walk into the next chapter of his professional life with head held high, and not just because it hovers above most of ours anyway.

While the district seeks his successor, we note one of Wardell's greatest attributes that we hope will be emulated not just at the school district, but throughout the local realm of public servants. Wardell never forgot who he worked for: Yes, the school board; yes, Superintendent Bauman and then Superintendent Matt Handelman; but most of all, you, the patrons of District 271.

Like nobody else in public service we know, Wardell was available 24/7 to explain complex issues, usually financial in nature, to newspaper staff so we could better explain it to citizens. His theory was that it helps everyone when we get it right in the first place, rather than try to correct critical mistakes after they've already been consumed and sometimes acted upon.

It's that spirit of cooperation, of working in good faith together for the benefit of the community, that we'll miss most in Wardell's departure. So will the district, even if they don't know it yet.