Forum features Republican candidates

COEUR d’ALENE — Six registered Republicans seeking City Council seats in three cities fielded questions at a Wednesday luncheon of the North Idaho Federated Republican Women.

About 30 people attended the hourlong event at The Coeur d’Alene Resort. It included Coeur d’Alene City Council Members Christie Wood and Dan Gookin, and Seat 5 challenger Roger Garlock; Hayden City Council Member Roger Saterfiel and two challengers for the Post Falls City Council, Samantha Steigleder and Randy Westlund.

Topics ranged from warlords to loyalty oaths to cell towers to North Idaho College.

Coeur d’Alene City Council Seat 5 candidate Rob Knutson and Hayden mayor candidate Alan Davis attended, but were not included in the forum because they are not registered Republicans. They were allowed to stay after the meeting and talk with individuals.

Wood was asked if she would take a loyalty oath for an organization. She said she would not.

She said she has seen politicians who are beholden to organizations for their support rather than the community the represent.

“I’m not one to bend the knee and be obedient to any organization,” Wood said. “I’m going to be obedient to the taxpayer.”

She said she studies the issues, listens to taxpayers and votes accordingly.

“So no, I won’t ever take a loyalty oath,” she said.

Westlund was asked about the status of his relationship with Charles Hardwood, “an individual who identifies himself as a warlord.”

“Very little,” Westlund said.

He said he is member of the Society for American Civic Renewal, which he described as a group of Christian men who believe they need to be engaged in the community and hopefully lead what they call a "revitalization."

“We’re concerned with the direction the country is going,” Westlund said.

He said Hardwood is a member of the same group in a different place in the country, and they met once.

“He’s someone who likes to think about future scenarios and collapses of different countries and regimes," Westlund said. "He likes to read books, review them and think about how things like that have progressed in the past and unfold in the future. That’s the extent of any relationship with him. I met him once in person.”

Wood and Gookin said they could not legally answer a question about a proposed cell tower at Shadduck Lane, which is up for a public hearing before the Coeur d’Alene Planning Commission at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 10 in the Library Community Room.

“I’m legally allowed to answer that question," Garlock said.

He said he recently met a man who was organizing opposition to the cell tower, proposed by Verizon Wireless.

“I think he should,” Garlock said. “From where I sit, I think it should absolutely be rejected.”

He said he understands policies and procedures must be followed regarding the request. But he said, as a voter, resident and someone who wants to protect a neighborhood, the issue shouldn’t even be up for a public hearing.

He said the cell tower could affect property values and health.

“It’s not even up for discussion to me,” he said.

Saterfiel cited honesty, integrity and experience as his strengths, and said he has invested 62 years of his life in North Idaho.

“I know the people, who to go to help the city of Hayden," he said.

Saterfiel said he has served on numerous commissions and boards and is concerned about the rising cost of housing.

He said he would consider impact fees to support schools.

“Our kids need to be able to stay here. I don’t want to fly six hours to be able to see my kids,” Saterfiel said.

Steigleder, in a written response to a question about her greatest strength to serve in office, wrote: "My ability to stand up against ideas, plans and initiatives that I do not feel are in the best interest of whom they may affect."

Each candidate offered a few thoughts about the role of North Idaho College in the community.

Wood, who served on the board before resigning last year, said the board became dysfunctional and “could not work together toward what we needed to do to protect the college.”

She said the political and religious ideology some board members put first created chaos.

“I had to leave, but I had to give the state an opportunity to right the ship. That’s what I did,” Wood said.

Gookin said NIC is “an economic engine for this area. It is vital to our future.”

“It is such a tremendous asset. If we lost NIC, it would be a disaster to the area,” he said.

Garlock said he supports NIC.

“I would never want to see it not be a community college,” he said.

Westlund said NIC serves a diverse population that wants to be there.

“The community college is really special. You have people from all walks of life,” he said.

Steigleder said the area has strong public schools and a large homeschool population.

“The beauty of NIC is it actually gets to serve both,” she said.

North Idaho Federated Republican Women is an organization dedicated to promoting Republican ideals and values as outlined in the National GOP Platform through education and community engagement.