Growth wins Election Day

HAYDEN — Growth-centric candidates scooped up both contested seats Tuesday on the Hayden City Council.

Before they announced their run at the council, Sandy White and Ed DePriest were outspoken against development.

White collected 2,227 votes — almost double that of incumbent Jeri DeLange's 1,114.

"I'm just so blessed to have so many people put their confidence in me. I can't wait to serve the people and address issues important to our neighbors," White told The Press on Wednesday. "I respect Mayor Steve Griffitts, Council members Roger Saterfiel and Matt Roetter. I think we will work together well ... I think we have good times ahead."

White said her top priorities are:

• Addressing the 2020 Hayden Comprehensive Plan

• Preserving Hayden's small-town feel

• Protecting private property rights

• Stopping taxation of current residents to pay for new growth

White and her husband, Alan, moved to Hayden seven years ago. Since then, White has become increasingly involved with the city of Hayden by attending meetings and starting two informational resources: the Hayden Happenings Facebook page and YouTube account.

She started filming city meetings independently through the Hayden Happenings YouTube page after noticing "different things were being said at different meetings."

"People needed to hear what officials were saying to get the whole picture, be a part of the process and be accountable," she told The Press on Wednesday.

Increasing accessibility and transparency for residents through the two digital mediums is a mission White plans to continue as councilwoman.

Voter support narrowly pulled DePriest ahead Tuesday night, winning his three-way race against Seat 2 incumbent Dick Panabaker and Nicole Barnett. He won with 1,234 votes, followed by Barnett with 1,097 and Panabaker with 1,000.

"I've had wonderful people supporting me emotionally and financially," he said Tuesday. "Thank you to all those people who have helped put signs in yards, talk to their neighbors and been positive."

DePriest is best-known for his creation of the Responsible North Idaho Growth Facebook page. He moved to Coeur d'Alene in 1994 from southern California and has lived in Hayden since 2004.

"I'm very appreciative of those people who voted for me and felt I best represented them," DePriest said. "I think the makeup of the new council has a commonality of what we see as major issues that need to be addressed."

DePriest said his run for office stemmed from his concern that growth is "rapidly deteriorating the quality of life that Hayden has historically known." As a council member, DePriest said, he hopes to inhibit rapid growth by amending the 2020 Hayden Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map.

"I want to make sure we create a situation that doesn't just pack people in here," he told The Press on Wednesday. "Citizens don't want such high density that we have wall-to-wall tract homes, traffic gridlock, overcrowded schools, and stressed infrastructure."

DePriest also hopes to encourage partnership between the city and the Hayden Chamber of Commerce to "recruit more businesses" and "offset the tax imbalance on residents."

"If we can bring more businesses into the city, it will not only create good-paying jobs but shift some of the tax burden from the homeowners," he said. "That goes hand-in-hand with growth because the tax burden issue is going to increase as valuation continues to rise."

Both White and DePriest were endorsed and received financial support from the Preserve the City of Hayden Political Action Committee (PAC) led by Hayden Councilman Matt Roetter. White and DePriest received $1,000 each from the PAC, Roetter said.

Established in August, the PAC aimed to "advance sensible growth" by deterring rapid population increases and promoting low-density development. Roetter said the PAC did not endorse DeLange or Panabaker because members believed "the current makeup of the council" did not support their "low and slow" ideals.

"We needed to have the majority of the city council ... to change the direction the city is going in right now with the explosive growth," Roetter said. "There is a disconnect between what I'm hearing with residents saying they don't like growth and city council not listening to them."

Roetter believes the PAC "drove people to the polls" across political preferences and "energized people" through growth-related messaging.

"I think we're going to have a respectful group of council members who are concerned about how growth is going to impact the quality of life for the people of Hayden," he said. "We as a community have the right to define what we want the city's future to be."

The work of the PAC isn't done yet, Roetter said, as members are beginning their search for a Hayden mayoral candidate in 2024. Roetter said the group hopes to partner with environmental organizations concerned about the impacts of growth.