Cd’A mayor will lay 2020 to rest with State of the City speech

Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer told the Coeur d’Alene Press his upcoming State of the City speech will address the trials and tribulations COVID-19 inflicted on the city in 2020, as well as the triumphs that helped propel the city forward during the pandemic.

“I’m going to talk about the year we’ve gone through, the pandemic year, and what we did as a city to get through that situation,” he said. “I’m going to talk about all the different departments’ accomplishments during, really, an unprecedented year.”

Widmyer said one key bullet point in his April 1 speech will reflect on the extraordinary efforts the city’s different departments had to take in order to keep an ordinarily-thriving community functioning during the pandemic.

“When you look back at all the work the people had to do to just keep their departments running and healthy, it’s extraordinary,” he said. “The work they had to do was monumental, just like all the work the local businesses had to put forth to stay open. It’s really remarkable.”

The mayor’s speech will also highlight the successes the different departments accomplished despite the hardships the city faced. Widmyer noted Atlas Waterfront Park as one example of how the community pushed forward to deliver new resources to its residents.

“I don’t know if you’ve been down there yet,” he said. “But it’s an incredible park. It’s going to be very popular. That’s the people’s park, and we’re all very proud of it.”

Widmyer will deliver his April 1 speech during a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at the Best Western Plus Coeur d'Alene Inn at 506 W. Appleway in Coeur d'Alene. The event is being put on by the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber and is sponsored in part by Numerica Credit Union, Advanced Benefits and Idaho Central Credit Union. Tickets are available through the chamber’s website — cdachamber.com — or by calling 208-664-3194. Tickets run for $30 for members or $40 for non-members.