IN PERSON

COEUR d’ALENE — By the end of Coeur d’Alene City Councilman Ron Edinger’s next term in office, he will be one year shy of serving a half-century as an elected official in the Lake City.

Despite a two-year break from public office in the late 1970s Edinger has served the city of Coeur d’Alene since 1968.

Prior to winning another term earlier this month, Edinger said he grappled with the decision to run or not. He has had issues with his health over the past couple of years, but said he has that under control now and is ready for the new challenge.

How long have you been in office, Ron?

A total of 45 years.

When did you first run for office?

It was in 1968.

What office did you run for and why?

It was city council, and I was active in the Jaycees at the time and there were people in the community that encouraged me to run for the city council.

How long were you on the council before you made a run for mayor?

That was six years. I was elected to the council in ‘68 and was elected to mayor for one term from ‘74 to ‘78. That was a long time ago.

Did you take a break after that?

For two years I took a break, and after that I ran for council again in 1980 and I’ve been on the council ever since.

What is one of the greatest accomplishments the city has made under your watch?

I would have to say the purchase of Tubbs Hill and Independence Point and being open to the citizens of Coeur d’Alene.

Can you name something you wish you didn’t have to deal with as a councilman?

Elections every four years.

You have been in office for a very long time and Coeur d’Alene has changed so much over that time span; what are some of the changes that you don't like, and what are some that you are proud of?

The thing that kind of rankles me the most is people basically badmouthing elected officials. All elected officials are basically trying to do their best to represent their constituents, and you have some people who go around badmouthing them. I think that is one thing that kind of upsets me a bit. I have served with nine of 10 different mayors and they all had the city at heart. I have served with an awful lot of city councilmen and I think most of them had the best interest of the citizens and the city at heart.

Have you seen politics get more brutal over the years? Yep. Yep. Yep.

What do think is responsible for that?

I think partisan politics should stay out of the city elections. They are supposed to be nonpartisan but some people are trying to make them partisan. Like I say, I have been in office for all these years and I have never made a decision one way or the other based on partisanship.

So you have never made it partisan?

No. I have never made it partisan when it comes to city business.

So, what does your wife say when you tell her you want to run again?

She says 'old geezer it's up to you.' She says 'if you want to do it, I am going to support you' like she has in the past. She said 'you can decide what to do,' and I said 'this old geezer is seriously considering it.'

You have been through a couple of controversies. You went through the nepotism issue a few years back — do you want to respond to that?

Yeah, that was all straightened out with the city and the attorneys and my family and myself.

You recently took a leave of absence from the council due to serious illness. Do you want to talk about that?

Over the last couple of years or so, I have had some serious health problems, but now I am up and kicking and ready to go full-bore.