A fond Hayden farewell

COEUR d’ALENE — Hayden Mayor Steve Griffitts might be resigning, but he's going out with a smile on his face and a speech on his lips.

On Thursday, Griffitts delivered his seventh and final Hayden State of the City Address.

Hosted by the Hayden Chamber of Commerce at the Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn, Griffitts spoke with emotion, humor and deep appreciation for the city.

He encouraged the crowd of about 100 to support the sheriff's office, the Planning & Zoning Commission and the citizens of Hayden. With profound gratitude, he thanked those he’s worked with through the years.

“I am grateful for Sheriff (Bob) Norris. He’s become a good friend,” Griffitts said. “His team is a strong, wonderful team. Please support them.”

Hayden City Council has always been fiscally conservative and responsible, Griffitts said, even in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“On a fiscal basis, we didn’t know the effects of COVID. We figured we’d be adversely affected,” Griffitts said. “So we cut expenses by 20% a day.”

The good news, he said, is that businesses are open, people are working and there is a low unemployment rate. The bad news is that housing prices are exorbitant and there's a lack of available units.

The mayor and council remain committed to “preparing for the future while managing the present.” Responsible growth remains a priority, Griffitts said.

He said the city's annualized growth over the last three years is about 3%.

Just over 83% of all Hayden dwellings are single-family homes.

Of multi-family units within city limits, less than 1% are two units, .7% are three to four units, 3.8% are five to nine units, .9% are 10 to 19 units, .8% are 20 or more units. Just under 10% are mobile homes.

“That’s where we are,” Griffitts said.

Affordable housing continues to be a big hurdle for the city. The average rent is now $1,443, which shows an increase of about 29% over six months, Griffitts said.

“Our demand and supply curve in Hayden and in the county is different. It’s not great news. It’s going to mean that if building slows, the prices are going to go up,” Griffitts said. “If building can keep pace at some level with the demand associated with those homes, it’s going to keep prices down a little bit. It’s a hard balance.”

Griffitts predicts that supply and demand issues will continue. There will be tough decisions ahead for the council in deciding what building projects move forward.

Commercial business growth in Hayden, is something Griffitts is proud of supporting, he said. Balancing commercial with residential growth supports a healthy economy, in part because commercial businesses pay higher taxes while using fewer services.

“We’ve had great success. I’ve been able to talk to a lot of businesses and recruit them,” Griffitts said. “I hope that continues. I hope that we still are a place, from a business standpoint, that people want to relocate to or expand.”

Hayden continues to enjoy a wealth of activities and recreation, Griffitts said. People come to Hayden for regular events like Trunk or Treat, the Hayden Bike Rodeo and Movies in the Park.

The city has several road construction projects in process or that need to be done. Construction will begin soon on a roundabout at the intersection of Honeysuckle Avenue and Fourth Street.

“Infrastructure is hugely important to the city,” Griffitts said. “We have about $6 million in projects that need to be taken care of, and about half a million to do it. So we’ll do what we can with the funds that we have.”

If projects don’t work out, the city will pull them.

“That’s part of life. Just because we’re planning something doesn’t mean we’re locked into it,” Griffitts said.

The biggest expense for the city is the sewer system. The wastewater treatment plant, managed by the Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board, was built without the help of any federal dollars, Griffitts said.

The facility will need to be upgraded in the near future for phosphorus treatment and removal, he added.

The city maintains 59 acres of park land, including six main, developed parks.

“Work is being done now on Croffoot and Stoddard and other areas to be able to enhance our parks and quality of life,” Griffitts said. “We’re still in Hayden, and this is a quality of life city.”

Honeysuckle Beach remains a “great treasure,” Griffitts said. Council members are in the process of finding a solution that provides safe, accessible parking for pedestrians, swimmers and beach-goers, and allows safe, easy access for boaters.

Griffitts was met with a standing ovation and hearty support from the crowd.

“It has been an honor to serve you. I have done so appropriately, every day,” Griffitts said. “I cannot thank you enough for the outpouring that I received yesterday. Over 100 emails, texts, calls, people dropping cards off. All of them in a positive way.

"I have served this community for a long time.”

Monday is the final day of that service.