EDITORIAL: Rough road ends smoothly with selection

The Coeur d’Alene City Council couldn’t miss.

By settling on three superb finalists for the vacant City Council seat formerly occupied by now-Mayor Woody McEvers, selecting the winner was simply an exercise in choosing the quality individual deemed the very best fit for the job.

That was longtime fire chief Kenny Gabriel, but it could have been John Austin or Jeff Connaway.

Austin, a former city finance director, is one of the smarter North Idahoans you’ll find. He’s an excellent communicator intimately familiar with the heavy lifting that goes with municipal governance. 

While Gabriel was touted as a candidate who could “hit the ground running,” the same could have been said of Austin. He’s the rare, extremely knowledgeable “bureaucrat” with a sincere human touch.

Connaway is not as well-known as Austin and Gabriel but he is every bit as committed to community building as the other finalists. A successful businessman, Connaway follows his own beliefs and instincts. 

Three years ago, for example, he criticized a Press editorial for what he perceived as unnecessary roughness toward then-mayoral candidate Joe Alfieri in his race against Jim Hammond. Connaway’s message was strongly worded but respectful — qualities that are in short supply in many places.

And yet, nobody can argue that the Council made a mistake by selecting Kenny Gabriel. He’s the kind of civic leader most people want to follow: Someone with decades of love for his community, respect for others, respect for the processes in governance and, perhaps best of all, the complete absence of ego. 

Gabriel’s selection caps an interesting but somewhat painful chapter. McEvers, who shares Garbriel’s no-ego strength, had arranged Gabriel’s appointment earlier. However, that fell short of majority approval because three councilors believed a more transparent, inclusive process was appropriate.

To McEvers’ credit, he charted that new course — which attracted seven applications from city residents — and ended with Gabriel’s unanimous selection.

Because Gabriel will finish the council term of McEvers, which expires at the end of 2026, there’s plenty of time for him to decide if he’ll run for election then — and for voters to evaluate how he does in the high profile position.

Well done, Mayor Woody and members of the City Council.

And congratulations to all Coeur d’Alene citizens. The process that led to Kenny Gabriel’s selection has delivered a most promising public servant.