Symposium to serve as guiding light for Cd'A candidates

For those wondering if they have what it takes to run for Coeur d’Alene City Council, tonight provides an early opportunity to learn the ropes.

Representatives from city administration and City Council alike will join together to help would-be first-time candidates maneuver through the process of complying with Idaho Code and diving into the rigors a council member must endure. The event is the first of its kind in Coeur d’Alene, a symposium devoted to election education.

“We’ve always provided packets of information to potential candidates,” City Clerk Renata McLeod said. “But we’ve never sat down with a council member and someone from administration, provided any kind of first-hand insight or offered a Q&A. This is a big opportunity for people thinking about running for City Council.”

The election education symposium begins at 6 p.m. in Conference Room #6 on the second floor of City Hall.

This November, three council seats are opening: Ron Edinger is retiring from his post, while the seats currently filled by Dan English and Dan Gookin are up for grabs.

Tonight’s symposium will begin with an introduction of the participating staff, followed by a self-introduction of each would-be candidate. McLeod will then cover rules and regulations, as well as resources for new council members.

“My hope is they’ll gain an education on Sunshine laws. That’s where some people get hung up when they decide to run,” she said. “There are certain rules and regulations a candidate has to be aware of.”

Councilman Woody McEvers will then provide insights on the roles and responsibilities of the City Council.

“In the old days,” McEvers recalled, “we had something called ‘Coffee with Dixie.’ Candidates would sit down with [former City Councilwoman] Dixie Reid, and she’d go over things. We don’t have that anymore. So this is an opportunity to hear some experiences that they might not be used to, because it really is a challenging job.”

McEvers will speak to particular themes such as agenda packets, time commitments, lessons, ethics, the city’s master plan, growth and the budget process.

“There are a lot of moving parts when putting together a budget,” he said. “You serve as a liaison between departments. You try to understand the issues before you, but remember: Council members are not the boss. That’s not our job. Our job is to understand all the complexities this job brings. Sure, the first year is great; you’re doing ridealongs with the police and ridealongs with the fire department.

“But that second year, you’re in a hole with the guys from the water department, trying to figure out how many gallons you’re working with, and why things cost as much as they do... Council is a big-picture job, but you need to be as informed as you can. Be aware of what you’re getting into, and make sure you’re getting into it for the right reasons.”

At the end of the evening, City Administrator Troy Tymesen will give a budget update before the trio engages in a question-and-answer session.

McEvers said the best advice he could give to an incoming City Council member is to keep your mind open.

“When people come before Council with their concern,” he said, “they’ve gone through the entire process already. They’ve talked to department heads, and they’ve tried to understand the whole issue. You have to keep an open mind, and you don’t have to be right all the time. You need to keep perspective, and you need to keep consistent... Consistency is the key.”

Ultimately, McEvers stressed, a new council member should remain informed, not by being handed a problem, but by proactively looking for solutions to more than just one passion project.

“It’s not just about parking,” he said. “You come in and you have your passions, something you’re passionate about fixing or implementing. But the job is a lot more than a single issue... And it’s not homework. Homework’s not the right word. With homework, someone’s giving you the test. You have to go out and seek the questions before you can find any answers. That’s not always easy. It’s not an easy job.”