White resigns as Panida executive director

SANDPOINT — The Panida is again searching for an executive director after Heather White resigned from her position Friday, just over seven months into the post.

The board announced the move on Monday and thanked White for her service to the historic theater.

Despite the departure and recent concerns over the Panida Theater's electrical system, board members said the theater remains open and is fully operational.

"The Panida Theater has been a cornerstone of the Sandpoint community for nearly 100 years and that will not change," Board Chairman Sean Behm said. "Our board is focused on ensuring strong stable leadership and we have an exciting plan for the transition ahead that we look forward to sharing with the community soon."

The board is moving forward with a leadership transition plan that reflects the Panida Theater's "commitment to stability, community engagement, and the organization's long-term mission," trustees said in a press release announcing the move.

Trustees said the board is committed to transparent communication during this transition and would announce more information about the organization's leadership structure in the coming days.

While concerns were raised at a June 4 board meeting about the historic theater's electrical system, both the main theater and the Little Theater are welcoming performers, renters and community members as scheduled, Panida board members said.

Among the upcoming performances is a Studio 1 dance recital featuring more than 80 local student performers, which will proceed as planned, and the board said it looks forward to an exciting summer of programming.

The concerns raised by White and others detailed a 2023 assessment of the theater's electrical system. They noted that there have been two electrical incidents over the past several months, including a near-fire on the Panida stage.

After receiving the report on the recent incidents, White questioned what action had been taken and the status of the theater's electrical system. She said she spoke with an engineer involved in the original report, which included an estimate of $300,000 to address potential grounding issues in the theater's electrical system.

Board Vice Chair Charlotte Solly said that discussion of the issue in open session was not appropriate and moved to place the meeting in executive session to discuss the matter.

Solly adjourned the meeting, saying the theater would need to be closed until the appropriate inspections could be conducted. Inspections by a licensed electrical contractor and a state electrical inspector gave the theater a clean bill of health.

Thursday, board members said that while the potential electrical issues were concerning, the two inspections brought good news, allowing both the Panida Theater and the Little Panida Theater to reopen.

"The Panida Theater remains dedicated to its mission of bringing world class entertainment, education, and community involvement to Sandpoint and the surrounding region," trustees said in the release. "The board is grateful for the continued support of the community, its donors, volunteers, and the local artists and organizations who make the Panida Theater what it is."