The Hayden Citizen created and sent a questionnaire to the registered email addresses for all four Hayden City Council candidates on Sept. 19, 2025. The questions cover topics related to vision and purpose, law enforcement, growth, business, and urban renewal.

Four candidates are running for the two Hayden City Council positions (seats #2 and #4) up for election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.

We received responses to the questionnaire from Ed DePriest and Luke Sommer (running for seat #2) and Sandy White (running for seat #4). We have not received a response from David Erickson (running for seat #4).

The order of responses below matches the order received from the candidates (DePriest, Sommer, White).

Vision & Purpose

Q: If you’re elected, how will you contribute to making Hayden a great place to live for current and future Hayden citizens?

Response from Ed DePriest

I will continue what I accomplished my first term. I campaigned to better manage growth and density. I put forth 4 zone text changes and a Standard of Approval, which were adopted. These resulted in ZERO high-density development since adoption. See Community Development Report. Multi-Family is high density. Zero in the last 4 years.

https://cms2.revize.com/revize/haydenid/Docs/Government/Departments/Building/Reports/BuildingTrendsAugust2025.pdf?t=202509111059040&t=202509111059040

I will continue to work on managing growth and making sure that Hayden does not go the way of our neighboring cities.

I campaigned to put any base tax increases on the ballot for the people to decide and I will do the same every time the issue presents itself.

I will continue to seek input from the citizens to make informed decisions that reflect what is the desire, and in the best interest, of ALL of the citizens of Hayden.

I will work to find solutions to the most pressing issues of funding law enforcement and the needed road, intersection, sewer, and infrastructure needs.

I will be honest with the people, even when the truth is unpopular, regarding the issues and positions facing the city.

Response from Luke Sommer

I am running for Hayden City Council because I believe in keeping government transparent, accountable, and limited to its proper role of serving the people—not controlling them. I have watched this city council, mayor, and staff misuse laws and procedures that are designed to control those who exercise the powers of government. They have wasted time, repeatedly violated other council members’ rights, and demonstrated poor temperament and judgment. Hayden deserves better leadership.

If elected, I will work to restore integrity and civility to the council’s proceedings, insist on proper procedure within Idaho’s open meeting laws and proper parliamentary procedure, and ensure that the rights of citizens and council members alike are respected.

Response from Sandy White

I’m Sandy White and I’m running for re-election to the Hayden City Council Seat #4. I’ve been married to my husband Alan for 44 years. More than half of that time we lived overseas in the Middle East doing translation and Bible teaching. We have 3 married children and 9 grandchildren. We have family here in Hayden and we moved here a little over 11 years ago. We are so glad that we decided to make Hayden our home.

I was active in Hayden City politics and started going to meetings, but didn’t decide to run for office until the City of Hayden sent out letters to rezone 1,700 properties to comply with the Future Land Use Map. My home on a residential street was designated to be rezoned as mixed-use (apartments) but thankfully, that was stopped. So, I’ve been working to make Hayden a better place even before I was elected 4 years ago, and I’ll continue to focus on transparency, accountability, and good governance.

Transparency: I pushed for meetings to be recorded and now half are, and I’m working for all of them to be. I fought misuse of the consent agenda statewide, which led to House Bill 172, giving every council member the right to pull items for separate votes. I’m also working to restore full public access to city records after they were removed from the city website.

Accountability: I stand for taxpayers and private property rights. As the comprehensive plan is revised, I’m working to ensure property owners are protected and that forced rezoning, like what was attempted five years ago, never happens again.

Good Governance: I support a clear procedures manual so all officials are working on a level playing field and treated with respect. I also stand for responsible budgets — protecting public safety and avoiding short-term cuts that lead to steep tax hikes later and put our essential services at risk. I support respectful debate with my fellow council members. I’m an independent thinker, not a rubber stamper.

Q: What’s your vision for the City of Hayden in the next four years and the decades beyond?

Response from Ed DePriest

I believe that the changes Hayden has made related to managing growth and density have set the city on a track for low density and responsible and reasonable growth. You cannot stop growth, but I believe we have put the city on a good responsible path.

I believe that the city is facing significant decisions about how the people want to fund law enforcement and infrastructure. I will advocate putting those issues on the ballot so that the people tell the city how much they want to pay for services and quality of life. I envision a city where the people determine the quality of life that they fund.

The next four years will see significant challenges related to taxes and how improvements are funded, or not.

Response from Luke Sommer

My vision is simple: Keep Small Town Hayden. Growth must be managed with prudence, not politics. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan must be completely reviewed to bring it back in line with the people’s expressed desire to Keep Small Town Hayden.

Growth is not inevitable—ask towns and cities all over the Rust Belt and East Coast that have died. Hayden must plan for both booms and busts. The push for higher density on infill lots or in new developments should be discouraged. Only the market can make housing affordable, and the City Council should not be in the business of engineering growth at the expense of current residents.

I believe in preserving Hayden’s small-town character while maintaining fiscal responsibility, ensuring public safety, and protecting property rights.

Response from Sandy White

My vision for the city is for limited government that does not infringe on private property rights nor try to rezone property against the wishes of the owners. My vision for the Future Land Use Map is to leave already developed properties as they are, and to only consider undeveloped property as pertaining to the Future Land Use Map. I’d like to see Hayden retain its small town charm, be more intentional in the growth allowed, and have the law enforcement we need to be a safe place for families to live.

Law Enforcement

Q: What do you view as the City’s role in procuring and providing law enforcement services in the City of Hayden?

Response from Ed DePriest

I believe that the city is responsible for setting the law enforcement method and implementing what the people determine they want.

The fact is that the county has told the city that the current level of service (which 10 deputy option the Sheriff provided with costs) will now cost double what the Sheriff told the city and the people voted to approve in 2023. The county has told the city that they expect “100% reimbursement for Sheriff service;” which with the current 10 deputies, would be $1.8 million per year, compared to the current contract of $954K. The county has indicated that those costs will increase over the next 3-4 years.

I believe that if the county is going to require the city to pay 100% of costs, then the city should seriously evaluate another direction. Be it our own Police Dept. or contracting with neighboring cities. If the citizens are going to pay what it will cost to operate a department to the county, we should use that funding and have control and accountability.

Whatever direction the city goes, the cost for law enforcement is going to significantly rise if the people want the current level of service. Whatever happens, the city is going to have to put the issue and amount on the ballot for the people to determine what kind of service, and how much, they want to fund.

The city will then implement what the people indicate through the ballot.

Response from Luke Sommer

The council approved nearly $1.39 million for policing, and then, right before the election, my opponent led the drive that slashed about $300,000 from that amount. He then told us we would likely have to raise our own taxes later. After 3 years of taking the full 3% tax increase allowed by law, my opponent called for a 0% tax increase for FY 2026. That isn’t leadership; that’s politics.

Hayden deserves better than election-year budget games. Cutting policing by $300,000 today, then warning citizens they’ll have to raise their own taxes tomorrow, is not planning—it’s politics. I stand for steady, responsible budgeting that protects both public safety and taxpayers.

I am committed to restoring responsible planning and forward-thinking, not reactionary or political gamesmanship. Hayden needs policing that is properly funded, properly planned, and accountable to the people, without making citizens bear the consequences of the council’s short-sighted decisions.

Response from Sandy White

In 2022, the voters in Hayden voted to finance an increase in sheriff deputies for the safety of both the officers themselves and the residents of Hayden by providing faster response times. I stand behind our Sheriff but I was not convinced that the wording of the levy proposal was ready to go on the ballot. The fact that the levy had to be reworded several times before it was published is proof of that. Now three years later we are still seeing the proof of that because of where we are now with the Sheriff being underfunded yet again. Our 2026 contract with the KC Sheriff’s office should at least maintain the level that the people voted for in 2022.

Growth

Q: Population density is a topic of frequent discussion. How do you view the City Council’s role with regard to zoning, density, and property rights?

Response from Ed DePriest

I put forth four zone code text changes and a Standard of Approval, which were adopted. As a result, there have been ZERO high-density developments in the past 4 years. Nothing more than 4 dwellings per acre have been approved and those have been by prior annexation or development agreements. I believe that the density issue is under control in Hayden.

Land owners have Property Rights to have a reasonable use of their land. The role of council is to set zoning that respects the Property Rights and the state statues; while reflecting, as best as is legal, the desires of the citizens. I believe that the city has done exactly that.

Response from Luke Sommer

The council must uphold property rights while protecting the small-town character of Hayden. Higher density on infill lots or new developments should not be forced on existing neighborhoods.

Growth must be managed with proper planning, infrastructure, and public input, not dictated by special interests or outside pressures. Hayden citizens, not outsiders, must decide how Hayden grows.

Response from Sandy White

I believe that property owners and builders have the right to develop property according to the standards of the zone they find themselves in, but the infrastructure must also be in place to meet the ongoing needs. I do not believe that the city council is under obligation to change less dense zones into more dense zones or to allow annexations that increase density.

Business

Q: What will you do to improve people’s ability to start, run, and grow their businesses in Hayden?

Response from Ed DePriest

I think that a positive environment for people who want to start, run, and grow their business in Hayden already exists. I think that zoning for commercial and light industrial is well designed. I believe that Hayden is a business-friendly town that provides opportunities for those who want to do business here.

If you look at the area around the airport and the new commercial development, businesses are finding Hayden a welcoming place to do business.

Response from Luke Sommer

The best thing the government can do for business is stay out of the way, keep taxes low, and provide fair, predictable rules. Hayden should not overburden local businesses with unnecessary regulations. We need a culture at City Hall that sees businesses as partners in our community’s prosperity, not as sources of revenue.

Response from Sandy White

I believe that taxes and regulations should be reasonable and impartial and not hinder people’s free exercise of lawful business activities. Free enterprise has worked well historically in the USA.

Urban Renewal

Q: How do you see the City collaborating with the Hayden Urban Renewal Association over the next 4 years? What projects, if any, would you like to see HURA fund?

Response from Ed DePriest

I see Hayden continuing to work with HURA until the expiration of the district in 2029. HURA has already funded millions of dollars in infrastructure projects, which the city would otherwise not have been able to fund, in the past. HURA has already committed millions of future dollars to help fund road, intersection, sewer, and park improvements.

All that the citizens of Hayden have to do is look to Post Falls to see how a well-run Urban Renewal District can benefit a city. Post Falls recently closed a couple of Urban Renewal Districts. Upon the closure, not only did the taxing districts receive significant windfall dollars, but the city had increased the business tax valuation which will help fund the future. This increased business valuation will result in a significant tax burden shift from the Residential Property owner tax to the Business Property Tax. Hayden will see the same results when the Hayden Urban Renewal Association closes.

Response from Luke Sommer

The Hayden Urban Renewal Agency (HURA) is scheduled to expire in 2029, and I oppose any effort to extend or renew it. I believe urban renewal has too often been used to benefit special interests rather than the citizens footing the bill.

I believe the state legislature needs to review the Idaho Urban Renewal Act so that it can be used only in extreme circumstances and with real accountability to the jurisdiction it is in.

Hayden’s growth and infrastructure needs must be addressed through transparent budgeting and direct citizen oversight—not by giving taxing authority to an unaccountable body.

Response from Sandy White

I attended a seminar about Urban Renewal Districts and they said that URD’s are generally a “tool” of the mayor and they are intended to help a city with the guidance of the city leaders. In contrast, Hayden’s URA appears to be an independent board.

Disclaimers

Responses from candidates are provided verbatim.

The opinions expressed in candidate responses are those of the candidates and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Hayden Citizen.

Submissions

Citizens of the City of Hayden can submit letters to the editor at haydencitizen@proton.me.

Hayden, Idaho — September 12, 2025 — Luke Sommer has announced his candidacy for the Hayden City Council in the November election. He is the recommended candidate of the Kootenai County Republican Party.

Luke Sommer first moved to Kootenai County in 2002. He is married to his beautiful and talented wife, Rowena. The father of five grown children, he spent nearly 25 years in Canada, where he witnessed firsthand the dangers of living under a semi-socialist state. Luke has been a realtor since 1987, selling real estate in California, British Columbia, and Idaho. Luke has witnessed several real estate booms and busts. He is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago (’82) and Trinity Western University in Langley, BC (’85). In 1985, Luke studied the International and Comparative Law of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. Later, in 1988, Luke ran for the United States House of Representatives as the Republican nominee in California’s 13th Congressional District (San Jose; Bay Area). Luke currently volunteers on the Kootenai Hospital Board of Directors as a Trustee and he and his wife attend Hayden Bible Church.

As a husband, father of five, and a resident of Hayden for over 12 years, Luke said he has become increasingly concerned for Hayden’s future. Luke understands that Hayden ought to develop a mix of different housing types, but he maintains that there has been too much of a rush to develop higher-density housing.

"I’m running for Hayden City Council to bring focus and efficiency to city government, and to help bring policy and practice back into line with the people’s desire for appropriate growth. Hayden’s fast growth has happened largely because the city council lacks transparency in its decision-making process. I have been a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians for 13 years, and I am alarmed that city council meetings are often poorly run, with insufficient public input, and that council meeting minutes prior to 2025 are no longer posted on the city website. Meeting minutes serve as a record of the actions taken by our local government. Hayden city government needs to be transparent and efficient, re-embrace low and slow growth, make growth pay for itself, and avoid entanglements with outside groups that have agendas aligned with higher-density, centralizing tendencies. I look forward to serving the people of Hayden and seeing our city thrive.”

Related Posts

The Hayden Citizen has previously published press releases from Ed DePriest and Sandy White. We have not yet received or seen a press release from candidate David Erickson.

The Hayden Citizen

Ed DePriest runs for re-election to Hayden City Council

Ed DePriest has filed for to run for Hayden City Council and reclaim seat #2. Read his campaign press release below…

Read more

8 months ago · The Hayden Citizen

The Hayden Citizen

Sandy White runs for re-election

Sandy White runs again…

Read more

8 months ago · 2 comments · The Hayden Citizen

Ed DePriest runs again

Ed DePriest, a retired teacher, coach, and 30-year Kootenai County resident, has announced his re-election campaign for Hayden City Council, Seat #2. A 20-year Hayden resident, DePriest is running on his record of keeping promises and standing up for local families and taxpayers.

“Four years ago, I promised to better manage growth and density and make sure taxpayers—not politicians—decided on major tax increases,” DePriest said. “I kept those promises, and I’ll keep fighting for Hayden families, homeowners, and small businesses.” His campaign slogan is “Promises Made – Promises Kept”.

During his first term, DePriest heard Hayden residents loud and clear: growth, density, and traffic were the top concerns. He responded by putting forth four major zone code text changes and the Standard of Approval regarding the Context of the Neighborhood, all of which were adopted, which addressed new development. The results speak for themselves — over the past four years, there have been ZERO high-density developments in Hayden and no developments of more than four dwellings per acre. Ed believes that the zone code changes have brought growth and density to the point of managing as best as is legally allowed. DePriest continues to work on finalizing amendments to the city Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map.

DePriest has also worked to protect taxpayers. When the sheriff’s contract costs rose, he put forth to put the question on the ballot, giving voters the final say. This year he proposed (which was approved) rejecting the city’s automatic 3% property tax hike and to also trim $68,000 from the budget to give families and small businesses relief and offset the 3% tax increase.

The primary issues moving into the future are going to be funding law enforcement and infrastructure needs in Hayden and continued growth and density management.

Looking ahead, DePriest said Hayden must prepare for rising law enforcement costs and more than $55 million in needed road and sewer projects. “Outside developers and agencies don’t get to dictate Hayden’s future. We do. I will keep standing up for our residents, protecting small businesses, and making sure Hayden remains a place where families can thrive,” said DePriest.

In his first term, Ed DePriest has represented the city on the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization (KMPO) board; the Panhandle Area Council, and is currently involved in representing the city on the Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board. Ed DePriest has participated on the Regional Housing and Growth Partnership. Ed attends numerous community events and activities. Ed is available to all citizens through phone and email. Ed DePriest meets regularly with citizens individually and has held community meetings.

“Hayden deserves leaders who keep their word. That’s my record, and that’s my commitment,” DePriest said.

Candidate Round-Up as of September 3, 2025

We appear to have the full picture of candidates for Hayden City Council. The updated candidate list:

City of Hayden Council Member Seat #2

• Ed DePriest

• Luke Sommer

City of Hayden Council Member Seat #4

• David Erickson

• Sandy White

We will publish additional candidate press releases (for Sommer and Erickson) if and when we receive them.

We’re interested in hearing from Hayden citizens - what issues most concern you for the present and future of Hayden, and what topics would you like to hear candidates address? Leave a comment on the post or send us an email (haydencitizen@proton.me).

Related Posts

Hayden City Councilwoman Sandy White has announced her candidacy for re-election to Hayden City Council Seat 4, in the upcoming election on November 4, 2025. She has served on Hayden City Council since January 2022.

Sandy and her husband Alan have been married for 44 years and have 3 married children and 9 grandchildren. Sandy enjoys serving her family and community.

Throughout her first term, Sandy has advocated that taxpayer dollars are used responsibly while prioritizing core services, such as law enforcement. She is also a strong advocate for Republican and Biblical values—faith, family, freedom, impartiality, integrity, and diligence.

Her 2025 campaign platform centers on Transparency, Accountability, and Good Governance.

Among her key accomplishments, after discovering that the City of Hayden had conflicting approaches to the proper use of the Consent Agenda in the meetings, she co-authored House Bill 172 on Consent Agendas, which unanimously passed the Idaho House and Senate. She has championed transparency by advocating for video recording of meetings and increased availability of public documents.

Her community involvements have included running the 2024 Republican Presidential Caucus for six precincts and being active in her church.

“I believe that government works best when it is open, honest, and accountable to the people it serves. I am proud of my work to strengthen transparency at every level, from co-authoring legislation to making sure our local meetings are accessible by video. On city council, I will prioritize responsible budgeting, support for essential services such as law enforcement, and protection of private property rights.”

Who is running for Hayden City Council in 2025?

As of Aug. 28, 2025, at 5pm, the candidates who have currently filed to run for the Nov. 4, 2025 election include:

City of Hayden Council Member Seat #2

• Luke Sommer

City of Hayden Council Member Seat #4

• David Erickson

• Sandy White

Candidates have until Aug. 29 at 5pm to file to run for election.

What will Ed DePriest decide?

Hayden City Council member Ed DePriest currently holds seat #2. DePriest recently posted on his Facebook candidate page (created during the 2021 Hayden City Council election). In the post, he said, “I am facing a very difficult decision this week. I have many people strongly encouraging me to run for re-election.”

As of Aug. 28, DePriest has not filed to run for re-election. The final day for candidate filing for the Nov. 4 election is Aug. 29. We will post an update when one becomes available.

While a parade is in and of itself a fun, family-oriented activity, with lots of candy, a parade can also serve as a launching point for political campaigns.

The November 2025 election includes two seats for Hayden City Council. The seats could change the political power balance and the decisions made for the next four years.

Mayor and City Council parade participation

The Mayor and members of City Council participated in the parade. Mayor Alan Davis rode in a city car with City Council Member Ed DePriest as they smiled at attendees and threw candy to children and their parents.

At the parade, attendees could observe City Council Member Sandy White riding in a float for the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) where she threw candy to children and parents, too. Sandy White is a precinct committeewoman for the KCRCC.

Sandy White confirmed in a website post and on social media that she has begun her re-election campaign for Hayden City Council. “I chose to ride along with the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee to kick off my campaign for re-election for Hayden City Council.”.

Other City Council candidates coming soon?

In addition to the Sandy White for Hayden City Council sign, two other notable signs were present on the KCRCC float in the Hayden Days parade.

1. Luke Sommer for Hayden

2. Béla Kovacs for Kootenai County Assessor

Luke Sommer walked near the float and handed out small American flags. Luke Sommer is a precinct committeeman for the KCRCC.

The Luke Sommer sign is a modified version of the sign he used when he ran unsuccessfully for Mayor against Alan Davis in November 2023. In May 2025, Luke Sommer was one of nine Hayden residents to run for office and he won a seat as a Trustee for the Kootenai Hospital District.

Luke Sommer has not made an announcement regarding the City Council races in November.

The Hayden Citizen has no additional information regarding the Béla Kovacs sign or campaign.

Hayden 2021 and 2023 Election Recap

As a refresher, current City Council members Sandy White and Ed DePriest won their seats in the November 2021 election. Mayor Alan Davis and City Council Member Thomas Shafer won during the Nov. 2023 election and City Council Member Matt Roetter won his seat in an uncontested race.

Contact Us

The Hayden Citizen will continue to write about the upcoming November 2025 election. Candidates can send press releases and information about their campaigns or events to The Hayden Citizen by email: haydencitizen@proton.me.

The owner of the new CBA location is Kris Kramer—a Post Falls and Hayden native who now lives in Athol.

“Opening in Hayden is especially meaningful for my family and me. This is where I grew up, and I’m honored to be providing reliable, transparent and fair automotive service to my hometown,” said Kris Kramer.

Kris described the faith-based roots of CBA and how its values resonated with him. The company commits itself to the mission “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

At the event, CBA and partners including NAPA Auto Parts gave away shirts, coffee mugs, and other prizes, and offered free food.

CBA Hayden Hours

CBA Hayden will be open Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

The next Idaho election will be on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and includes local races for positions relevant to Hayden and Kootenai County.

All the positions with candidates from Hayden

This list below includes races where one or more candidates for a position have a Hayden address. (There are other contested positions in the county that may affect residents so research those as well. This post focuses specifically on races with candidates from Hayden.)

Kootenai Hospital District – Trustee (1 Seat)

Term: 4 years

• Elizabeth Godbehere
  Coeur d'Alene

• Luke Sommer
  Hayden

Alpine Meadows Water & Sewer District – Director Seat 1

Term: 6 years

• Mark King
  Hayden

Alpine Meadows Water & Sewer District – Director Seat 3

Term: 6 years

• Bill Zak
  Hayden

Hayden Lake Sewer District – Director (2 Seats)

Term: 6 years

• Chet Morris
  Hayden Lake

• Gilbert Rossner Jr.
  Hayden

Pine View Estates Water District – Director Seat 1

Term: 2 years

• Tom Joyner
  Hayden

Pine View Estates Water District – Director Seat 2

Term: 4 years

• Dolores Moore
  Hayden

Pine View Estates Water District – Director Seat 3

Term: 4 years

• Peter J. Gardner
  Hayden

Pine View Estates Water District – Director Seat 4

Term: 6 years

• Angie Prendergast
  Hayden

Pine View Estates Water District – Director Seat 5

Term: 6 years

• Joshua Peck
  Hayden

Luke Sommer runs again

Luke Sommer most recently ran for City of Hayden Mayor, but lost to now-Mayor Alan Davis in the election on November 7, 2023. This time, Sommer has filed to run for a four-year term as a trustee for Kootenai Hospital District.

In candidate questionnaires, Sommer says, “I’m running for this office because I believe the public deserves a voice in how our community hospital is governed.” He criticizes the “unelected, unaccountable board.” He says, “I’m stepping up because I want to help restore what was lost: trust, openness, and accountability in the hospital’s leadership.”

Sommer has resided in Kootenai County since 2008 and lives in Hayden with his wife.

Resources

• Kootenai County Election Information for May 2025

• Kootenai County Current Candidates registered for May 2025

2025 election coverage

If you’re a Hayden resident running for office and want to share why you’re running with subscribers of The Hayden Citizen, please contact: haydencitizen at proton dot me.

What do you want to see HURA do with the property, the rental property next door, and the parking lot adjacent?

HURA owns all three of these properties adjacent to City Hall and McIntire Park and they have the potential to make changes between now and the end of 2029 when the urban renewal district expires. A potential scenario is a collaboration with the City of Hayden.

A HURA workshop on Feb. 18, 2025 (attended by Mayor Alan Davis, City Council Member Ed DePriest, and several members of city staff) included discussion of a potential civic campus that could encompass City Hall, McIntire Park, and the three HURA properties.

The most recent HURA meeting on Mar. 10, 2025, included an agenda item for a second workshop regarding the Civic Campus concept.

HURA provides a wealth of information on their website including agendas, minutes, and video recordings (which they started in March 2024, but do not typically include workshops).

What is a Precinct Committeeman?

A precinct committeeman is an elected official who receives a position in the political party to represent a particular precinct. A precinct is a geographical area in a county. Kootenai County has 73 precincts.

In Idaho, the rules for precinct committeemen are established in Title 34 Chapter 6.

“...a precinct committeeman for each political party shall be elected in every voting precinct within each county. The term of office of a precinct committeeman shall be from the eighth day following the primary election until the eighth day following the next succeeding primary election.”

PC candidates must be 18 years old, live in the precinct for 6 months preceding the election, and file a declaration of candidacy with the county clerk. The deadline for the May 21, 2024 election has already passed. Absentee ballots have been sent out, early voting will occur from May 6 to May 17, and election day will be May 21 from 8am to 8pm Pacific Time.

The Republicans

The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) can have a maximum of 72 precinct committeemen. The number of PCs on the committee at any given time fluctuates based on how many precincts have candidates during an election as well as resignations and appointments between the elections which occur every two years.

Appointments to vacant PC positions happen regularly and are voted on by the body. As an example, during the KCRCC meeting on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, five PCs were installed who are also candidates for PC in the primary.

PC candidate filings

Candidates for Precinct Committeeman (PC) in Kootenai County for the Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian parties are available on the Kootenai County Elections website:

• Republican PC candidates

• Democrat PC candidates

• Libertarian PC candidates

The Republican Showdown

Out of the 10 precincts that include Hayden, eight Republican incumbents are running for PC. Here is the information about each precinct, incumbent status (if any), their donor ID (or IDs in the cases where a name has multiple variations) with a link to the relevant sunshine report, and a summary of who they have donated to since 2020 based on Idaho Campaign Finance data (Sunshine reports).

The information is presented precinct by precinct.

Many names will be recognizable due to current or prior elected political positions, previous candidacies, or involvement in the community in various capacities. For the purposes of this post, we are only providing information about political donations.

Precinct 310

Luke Sommer (incumbent)

• ID: 26157

• Donations: KCRCC, Art Macomber, Priscilla Giddings

Randee Goodwin

• No known donations

Precinct 311

Pierce Clegg

• ID: 41355, 83948

• Donations: Robert Norris, AGRA PAC, Robert Scott, Peter Riggs, Rich Christensen, North Idaho Republicans PAC, Chris Fillios, Brad Little, Sherri Ybarra, Scott Bedke

Valeriya Rourke (incumbent)

• No known donations

Precinct 312

Greg McKenzie (incumbent)

• ID: 28008, 92477

• Donations: KCRCC, Lesli Bjerke, Jerry Claridge

Casey Morrisroe

• ID: 63362

• Donations: Heather Tenbrink, James McAndrew, Debbie Critchfield, Paul Amador

Precinct 313

Tamara Bateson (incumbent)

• ID: 94148, 94149

• Donations: KCRCC

Susan Thilo

• ID: 52323, 20512, 103329

• Donations: Alan Davis, Heather Tenbrink, Christie Wood, James McAndrew, Dan English, Judy Meyer, Regina McCrea, Friends of NIC, Scott Bedke, Luke Malek, Rebecca Smith, Robert Mcfarland, Joe Dunlap

Precinct 314

Paul Mahlow (incumbent)

• IDs: 27980, 104010

• Donations: KCRCC, Rino Recall, himself

Kellie Palm

• No known donations

Precinct 315

Nicole Barnett (incumbent)

• IDs: 35648, 93224

• Donations: KCRCC, herself

Duane Rasmussen

• No known donations

Britt Towery

• No known donations

Precinct 316

Randy Hartzell

• No known donations

Dené Joubert

• No known donations

Precinct 317

Christina Beggs

• No known donations

Charlene Matheson

• No known donations

Precinct 318

Sandy White (incumbent)

• IDs: 30936, 40292

• Donations: Diana Sheridan, KCRCC, herself

Nancy Jones

• No known donations

Precinct 319

Walt Sackman (incumbent)

• ID: 106644

• Donations: KCRCC

John Young

• ID: 20517

• Donations: Roger Saterfiel, James McAndrew, North Idaho Republicans PAC, Amy Evans, Jon McEvers, Robert McFarland, Joe Dunlap

• Young Construction (IDs: 1005496, 1017714) owned by John Young has made $19,500 in donations since 2020 to North Idaho Republicans PAC, Citizens for CdA Public Schools, Keep Hayden Safe, Friends of NIC, Scott Bedke, and Citizens to Elect Qualified & Experienced Candidates.

Democrat Incumbents

Two Democrat PC incumbents in Hayden are running for KCDCC Precinct Committeeman positions.

Precinct 314

Sheila Graves Gary (incumbent)

• No known donations

Precinct 317

Carolyn F. Mattoon (incumbent)

• ID: 74569

• Donations: KCDCC, Dan Gookin, Heather Tenbrink, and Larry Bieber

Libertarian Incumbents

There are no candidates for Libertarian PC positions in Hayden.

Wrap-up

We hope this information about precinct committeemen candidates provides you some insight into candidates for KCRCC and KCDCC precinct committeeman positions in Hayden.

The Hayden Citizen strives to provide thoroughly researched posts and information. If you see a need for a clarification or correction, please contact haydencitizen at proton dot me.

Guest opinion by Thomas Shafer

After the completion of the City Council meeting on March 26, 2024, I received texts and emails from people expressing their disappointment.

It’s What You Know on the Inside

It's not what you know when you're on the outside looking in; it's what you know once you're on the inside, and things aren't good.

Hayden's transportation infrastructure is in dire risk.

Based on what I know at this time, the City of Hayden does not have the funding structure to fix and update its existing roads, and the problem keeps getting "kicked down the road".

Traffic flow on Government Way is one of the most precarious issues. When Hayden Canyon comes on line, we will see how bad it gets.

In the 2022 citizen survey, growth and traffic were the biggest gripes.

The Former Mayor

At the beginning of the City Council meeting, former Mayor Scott Forssell spoke during public comment. He denounced "misinformation" posted on social media with regards to HURA and then said if city council did not vote for this expansion that we are in favor of raising every Hayden citizen’s taxes by a substantial amount.

Firstly, since former Mayor Forssell insists it is HURA or taxes, then I rhetorically ask, what did he do about the dire funding structure while he was mayor?

Secondly, former Mayor Forssell is correct about the tax thing. For a long time our city officials have publicly prided themselves on “our low levy rate”. That is part of the reason why the City is in this current bind.

As for HURA, I stand by some of my original complaints about it. It’s an entity that disrupts the normal tax structure, and I believe props up some special interests in Hayden. One former member of HURA has been quoted as saying “It’s like free money!” and I find that notion detestable.

The Decisions on March 26

If you look at the proposal before council on March 26, you will see that the expansion was broken into three separate parts. We had the opportunity to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ three separate times. The first vote was for four different zones (1A, 1B, 1F and 1K) that overlap important intersections on Government Way where either stop lights and/or turn lanes are required. These are at Honeysuckle, Orchard, Lacey and Wyoming. These intersections need to be fixed and the cost will be many millions of dollars. The City does not have the money to address these improvements as far as I can tell. But HURA does.

Portions of these intersections are already in the Hayden Urban Renewal District, but all four corners are required be in the District in order to fund the improvements. So I voted yes even while expressing concerns about how much HURA will dedicate out of its coffers (because we’re not allowed to make or require an agreement), or whether or not eminent domain may be used related to these improvements (the 2009 Capital Development Plan implies that it can).

The second vote was to expand down Miles in order to include a large, undeveloped field at the northwest corner of Miles and Maple. Many people have an interest in turning this area into a park and keep an historical homestead. Apparently the current owners are offering favorable terms to the City to buy this land depending on whether or not the City can show due diligence in obtaining other funding sources.

In the council meeting, it was reported that the city has about a quarter of the negotiated price in reserve. Funds from HURA plus private donations may get us over the goal line. A lot of promises were made during deliberations on this acquisition, and I took it on faith they would be met with the interest in preserving at least a portion of this parcel as a park. My understanding is that if all parties interested in buying this land do not follow through on their respective promises, the deal falls through, and the land will be sold to developers. I voted yes despite no specific promise from HURA on how much it will contribute. I may rue the day I did this.

The last zone up for vote was a tract of land on the north side of Lancaster straddling SR95. This would have added to the Hayden Urban Renewal District the Golden Glow Espresso and the property across from the Lancaster Market between 95 and Warren Street. I voted no on this despite current mayor Alan Davis advocating in favor of it. Enough is enough.

HURA expires in 2029

HURA is due to expire at the end of 2029. We do not have the votes on Council to terminate it before its statutory expiration. It has about $5 million in the bank, and is forecasted to receive another $7 million before it expires.

As I understand, the current state statutes have been updated in such a way that it will be difficult to create an urban renewal agency that operates in the same way as the current HURA. I hope this is true. So, from my knothole, let’s use the money HURA generates to address legitimate concerns.

If after reading this, you still disagree with me, I want you to know that you have every right to express your anger, frustration, and disappointment in me. I accept that as part of the job. I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing if you’re not telling me.

Thomas Shafer
Hayden, Idaho

The Hayden Citizen - Opinions

Opinions do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at The Hayden Citizen. Any resident of the City of Hayden or Kootenai County is welcome to submit an opinion to haydencitizen at protonmail dot com.

Mayor Scott Forssell has appointed five people to Hayden's new Public Safety Commission as one of his final acts as mayor.

Public safety has been a contentious topic in Hayden the past several months as the City negotiated the terms of its contract with Sheriff Bob Norris. City Council Members Roetter and DePriest have voiced support for the creation of a City of Hayden police department as an alternative to the City's current relationship with the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office.

The appointments

The five people appointed to the Hayden Public Safety Commission are:

• Raleigh Measom

• John Spencer

• Douglas Chotkevys

• Stephen Hall

• Scot Haug

These appointments are part of the Consent Calendar for Hayden City Council's agenda on January 9, 2024.

Swearing In the New Mayor and Council Member

Mayor-elect Alan Davis, City Council Member-elect Tom Shafer, and returning City Council Member Matt Roetter will be sworn in during the City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 9, at 5pm.

Sheriff Bob Norris running for re-election

Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris has announced his re-election campaign. More information is available on his campaign website. He states his priorities as protecting the rights of citizens, fighting irresponsible growth, and fighting the crime that comes with irresponsible growth.

Dan Wilson’s Campaign for Sheriff

On December 6, 2023, Dan Wilson officially announced his candidacy for Kootenai County Sheriff.

Wilson’s priorities include supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States, curbing federal overreach, and protecting the life, liberty, and property of Kootenai County citizens. He criticizes the federal government for failing to secure the borders and allowing millions of illegal aliens to enter the country.

Wilson aims criticism at current Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris and says, “The current Sheriff lacks a strong stance on policies and fails to take proactive measures to provide a shield of protection for We the People.”

Dan Wilson’s campaign website includes his priorities and additional information.

Early voting for the Primary Election begins May 6, 2024, with Primary Election Day on May 21, 2024.

2024 Election Coverage

The Hayden Citizen will provide coverage of local elections including a variety of candidates and issues that will be on ballots for Hayden citizens.

Candidates can email haydencitizen@proton.me with information about their campaign.

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Written by Daniel Finley. He is a Hauser City Council member and a founding member of Kootenai Strong.

“Buy Land. God isn’t making more of it.”

As conservatives, we’ve become deeply aware these last few years of how little the local, state and federal government care about what we think. That’s why, honestly, it is so refreshing that the county has listened to the people and come up with a plan to preserve at least a few patches of prairie within it. 

It’s certainly a lot more effort than the City of Post Falls put in. For almost a decade, I’ve worried and fretted that sprawling developments would swallow the Rathdrum Prairie completely. And when I brought it up in 2019 at a Post Falls City Council meeting, Mayor Jacobson dismissed me with, “It’s too late to save the Prairie,” and said developers had already marked out every inch of it.

He was dismissive. But he wasn’t wrong.

“Show me an incentive, and I’ll show you an outcome”

Why is the prairie destined to disappear? It’s simple: our current system provides financial incentives to swallow it and gives the county NO tools to protect it.

I was shocked to find this out, but when county land is annexed into cities, the county has NO say in the transaction — only the developer and the city do.  And the “Coeur 4” cities will always annex more land because they need to broaden their tax base to pay for infrastructure and lower taxes.

The necessary result of that system is that our Prairie will disappear. The Open Spaces bond is the only tool the county can use to beat developers and cities to the punch and preserve pockets of our prairie in perpetuity. 

Open Spaces: Preserving Beauty, Protecting Our Water, and Slowing Traffic

So what does the Open Spaces Bond actually do? It’s pretty simple:

• Bond money can ONLY go to open spaces for parks in the county and for recreational amenities. 

• Land purchased for open spaces CANNOT be developed in the future. 

• Open Space on the Rathdrum Prairie is the focus.

It’s not just about the natural beauty of the area. Purchasing land above our aquifer protects it from contamination and prevents high-density developments from clogging up roads in certain areas.

Overall, the idea is to protect certain parts of the Prairie from disappearing under a sea of California and Washington transplants. It ensures that some part of the prairie will be left to our children forever and gives the county a tool to keep Kootenai County a wonderful place to live.

A Good Steward

In considering the bond, it’s important to appreciate just how well-run our county parks department already is from a financial point of view. 

To appreciate that, you need to meet Nick Snyder, the head of the Kootenai County Parks and Waterways department, who wrote the Open Spaces bond. I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting him as a Hauser City Council member and can say that he’s one of the few people to truly embrace being a public servant.

He runs his department off of a shoe-string budget, servicing dozens of boat launches and parks from Farragut to Chatcolet on just a $400k budget. That’s for personnel and equipment to cover 52,000 sq feet of docks at 25 locations and the Hayden spillway.

His department is prolific at writing grants because it’s a way to avoid spending taxpayer dollars (and because his department is so good at writing grants, the $50 million bond is likely to become a whole lot more).

One of his next ideas for the park in Hauser is to get Washingtonians to pay their fair share of the maintenance costs while keeping access free for locals. That’s exactly what our public servants should be doing — taking the burden off locals and finding creative ways to raise funds besides taxes. 

Show me your pocketbook and I’ll show you your priorities 

Nick relies on grants and creative fundraising because, in truth, there is virtually NO public money for parks or open spaces. We say we value the beauty in this area – but our pocketbook would say otherwise.

Only 0.58% of all property taxes are used on our parks, just half of one percent. A drop in the bucket is all we give to allow residents to enjoy the land. Keep in mind that Kootenai County itself already has an extremely low tax rate of just 0.2279% per $100,000 as of 2020, which is 17% lower than the state average of all 44 counties. 

Using those numbers, passing the bond is estimated to take the rate only to 0.236%, still well below the state average. And county taxes are likely to keep decreasing (to see which taxes you pay and where you money goes, use this nifty tool from the county).

The upshot is: if your property is worth $480,475 (the median home value in the county), you’d pay only $28.44 more a year. Half a tank of gas in Biden’s America. A nice night out in Trump’s. That’s all it takes to help preserve the memory of our prairie for generations to come.

If You’re In the Burning Building — Jump

Some are worried that, beyond all those facts, details are sparse. But it’s impossible to really know what will go into a piece of land until you see the property. Each one should be treated differently, and it would be irresponsible to plan without the property. 

This system, of course, doesn’t guarantee success, but no system does. But what is guaranteed is that an Open Spaces bond is a system that can succeed where our current system is destined to fail. I’ll take the non-zero percent chance of success over the 0% chance any day. If you’re in a burning building and there’s a team below to catch you, jump! Not because success is guaranteed but because failure is guaranteed if you don’t. 

The fact is this is our last, best chance to preserve some part of the Prairie. It’s the only way to get ahead of developers. Could a private system be better? Maybe, but not if there’s no land to buy. Besides, passing an Open Spaces bond now doesn’t preclude a private system in the future.

Keep Kootenai Great - Vote YES on Open Spaces

Land is valuable not only because of its financial value. It’s valuable because it shapes us and is part of who we are. Great Americans like Teddy Roosevelt understood that land and beauty have intrinsic value to society that ought to be preserved. 

“Buy land because God isn’t making more of it.” That applies to the county, too.

If we want to be good stewards of the land we’ve been given, if we protect and preserve it for generations to come, then vote YES on the Open Spaces bond.

Daniel Finley
Hauser, Idaho

The Hayden Citizen - Opinions

Op-Eds do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at The Hayden Citizen. Any resident of the City of Hayden or Kootenai County is welcome to submit an opinion to haydencitizen at protonmail dot com.

Election information for Nov. 7, 2023

View information about the Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 election on the Kootenai County elections website. The site offers sample ballots so you can look up your ballot before you vote.

Below is an image of the open spaces bond from a sample ballot.

Author: Thomas Shafer

Go to a Kootenai County Board of Commissioners meeting and you can see how there can be a lively Q&A between citizens and their elected representatives. At the most recent gathering, because of open meeting laws, the commissioners were sorting out some difficult financial issues related to the new Justice Building. But the difficult exchange didn’t end there. The public weighed in with challenging inquiries of their own. Commissioners Brooks, Duncan and Mattare accepted them in stride and answered respectfully. The public comment was insightful and helpful. This is the way our government open meetings should occur. But not so in Hayden City Hall.

The Hayden City Council meetings occur the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 5pm sharp. Did you know that the public is NOT allowed to comment on anything posted on the meeting agenda? In legal parlance, this is called “content-based restrictions”. It’s all for the better you know. Can’t have the public weighing in, so that government can run more efficiently. Content based restrictions are presumptively unconstitutional. Essentially, government is compelled to have the least restrictive rules in order to accomplish the governmental interest [Cornell Law School, Amdt 1.7.3.1].

It doesn’t end there. There are two more ways in which the process of Hayden council meetings stifle public participation.

The first is that the meeting agenda is published late on the preceding Friday. The city staff gets weeks to prepare content. The city council, on the other hand, gets to study like they are cramming for finals over the weekend, and citizens with the wherewithal to download the meeting agenda get even less time. I remember one council meeting where a staffer apologized for a 190-page memo in the study packet provided to the council. How can the public possibly be “informed” with that kind of system?

The other way the voice of the people is cut off is by the “Consent Agenda”. This is where a list of different topics are lumped together and the whole lump either gets approved or denied by the council. Most of the time the subjects are innocuous things like approving meeting minutes, or bills payable to service vendors. However, every once in a while there’s something consequential over which our elected representatives cannot do a down-vote without killing everything. To make it even worse, typically the city council and the public are NOT allowed to comment on these items.

If you’ve ever attended a Hayden City Council meeting and you’ve observed these shortcomings, you want to tear your hair out because it’s so frustrating. The mayor observantly listens to every public comment, and if someone steps over the line to talk about the evening’s agenda items, they’re quickly cut off.

See my comments above. It has to stop. All these procedural steps claim to make government run more efficiently, but they absolutely kill the voice of the people through the process.

When I am elected as Hayden’s next city councilor, I will champion the end of Content Based Restrictions. In addition, I will ask for a minimum of two weeks’ time between release of a meeting’s agenda and study notes to the council and the public before the actual meeting may occur. I will also ask for the end of using a Consent Agenda.

Together, let's bring back the voice of the people in our city government.

- Thomas Shafer

The Hayden Citizen - Opinions

This article is available as part of The Hayden Citizen’s new Opinion feature. Op-Eds do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at The Hayden Citizen.

Any citizen of the City of Hayden or Kootenai County is welcome to submit an opinion. Reach out to haydencitizen at protonmail dot com. We welcome your email and look forward to sharing opinions from a variety of citizens.

Related Op-Ed and Articles

See Thomas Shafer’s opinion on the pitfalls of a City police force in Hayden. We have previous election coverage of his candidacy for Hayden City Council as well as Roger Saterfiel — the incumbent who Shafer is running against.

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The meeting began with a roundtable discussion led by Commissioner Mary Howard who provided comments on what amendments to the Comp. Plan could look like. After 30 minutes of discussion on Howard’s ideas, Chairman Alan Davis delivered a prepared presentation.

Davis’s presentation indicated a desire to overhaul the Comp. Plan’s vision, goals, and policies.

Davis began his presentation by proposing an amendment to the Vision Statement of Hayden’s Comp. Plan. His proposed vision statement:

“Hayden is a well-managed Idaho town that prioritizes responsible growth and mature infrastructure planning practices to provide a variety of housing options, to encourage small business development, and to protect her natural resources.”

The existing Comp. Plan vision statement for comparison:

“Hayden is a regionally connected city with a small-town feel, defined by responsible growth and planning. The city maintains strong systems that align with the values of its citizens, including top-tier K-12 schools, an efficient roadway system that manages traffic well, and plentiful open space. The city maintains a small-town feel by concentrating high-impact development at nodes and along corridors and preserving natural open space. The city also encourages a small-business culture to enhance and encourage a healthy, connected, family-friendly community.”

Proposed Comprehensive Plan goal changes

Davis’s proposed revisions would pare down the Comp. Plan’s goals from 19 down to 10. (See pages 8 and 9 in the current PDF.)

Simple changes

• Goals #1 and #2 would swap places. Davis stated his belief that it makes sense to lead the Comp. Plan’s Goals section by underscoring the necessity for the city to have a Comp. Plan based on state statute.

• Remove Goal #12 (“Establish a balance between jobs and housing…”).

• Goals #14 and #16 would stay unchanged (related to protecting the environment and private property rights).

Complex changes

Goals #3, #5, #7, #11, #17 would be conflated into a single goal.

“While protecting and strengthening existing neighborhoods, maintain an attractive and balanced mix of land use zones and housing options that promote responsible growth decisions. All development will consider and implement adequate parks and open leisure space for each neighborhood. Parks and leisure space will provide a variety of recreational opportunities and compliment their associated neighborhood."

Goals #4, #8, #10, #15 would be combined into a single goal.

"Developed land will be serviced by adequate, planned, environmentally-sound public facilities and utilities to maintain infrastructure integrity and provide reliable service. Ensure infrastructure development costs are shared equitability. Hayden will prioritize developing land inside her borders ahead of seeking adjacent land annexation."

Goals #6 and #7 would be conflated into a single goal:

"Solidify a Central Business District (CBD) that encourages and supports locally-owned businesses and provides Hayden citizens employment opportunities. Augment the CBD by maintaining commercial uses along Hayden's primary transportation corridors."

Goals #13, #18, #19 would be combined.

“Promote neighborhood pedestrian and non-motorized interconnectivity between neighborhoods and throughout the Central Business District (CBD). Establish neighborhood nodes that reduce traffic and increase community."

Next steps for Comp. Plan Updates

After Chairman Alan Davis’s presentation, the commission discussed next steps. The Commission members seemed to be unanimous that they should proceed with Davis’s proposals and they attempted to schedule the next P&Z meeting to solidify the language before submitting to the Hayden City Council for consideration.

City Councilman Ed DeDriest (in the audience) suggested scheduling the next P&Z meeting in early-November.

At the time of publishing, the next P&Z meeting is scheduled for Nov. 6, 2023, at 5pm.

Resources related to the Oct. 23, 2023 P&Z meeting

• Hayden P&Z Agenda

• Hayden P&Z video recording

  • Jump to Alan Davis’s presentation during the meeting

• Hayden 2040 Comprehensive Plan (PDF)

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Residents of the City of Hayden and Kootenai County can reach out to contact at haydencitizen dot com to share their opinions. We welcome your email and look forward to sharing views from a variety of citizens in future posts.

The Pitfalls of a City Police Force

Author: Tom Shafer

Prior to 2020, many of us throughout the United States probably gave little thought about “just powers” exercised by law enforcement. But then in 2020, under the guise of “protecting us” from Covid, elected officials at federal, state and municipal levels wielded unconstitutional mandates against our Fourth Amendment Rights such as preventing people from using public spaces or traveling, the imposition of wearing masks, and the use of papers to prove vaccination status. All too often, the spearhead of these mandates were appointed local law enforcement, answerable to their government bosses. It was county sheriffs who pushed back, acknowledging that as justly elected officials they were sworn to protect the civil rights of the citizens whom they represent. And it has been county sheriffs who have refused to enforce unconstitutional laws infringing on the right of people to own and carry firearms for self-protection.

So we should all take pause and challenge the soundness of any municipality wanting to establish its own police force. The latest example is the city council of Hayden which on October 10th voted 3 to 1 in favor of a study to do just that—including my opponent Roger Saterfiel. Notably, Councilwoman Sandy White voted against it. One of the Council members pointed out that “Federal Grants were available for small communities who wish to establish their own police departments”. Besides the principled argument above, who thinks that federal grants do not come with strings attached? In this case, it appears that the grants are tied to community policing, which has already shown itself as a failed ideology in Democrat-controlled coastal cities where crime is rampant.

Then there is the prohibitive cost of Hayden establishing their own police force. It appears that Roger Saterfiel forgot that in 2010 as a member of the city council, he voted to authorize a study by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) of which I have a copy. One has only to update the numbers in this study to reflect the increased population (12,760 to 17,000 residents) and an inflation of roughly 41% in that same time frame. I did this, and am happy to share my work. The numbers are staggering. The first-year startup cost would be $4,707,650. Thereafter, annual salaries would be $2,296,157, and operating costs would be $169,623.

I say no to Hayden establishing its own police force. Instead, it should strengthen its commitment to the Kootenai County Sheriff to provide law enforcement. He will respect our Constitutional freedoms at a fraction of the cost of what it would take for Hayden to run its own force.

Shafer is a veteran of the United States Air Force holding the rank of Captain. In 2022, he became a trustee for the Kootenai-Shoshone Soil & Water Conservation District. Shafer has been a designer and systems engineer for 35 years. His experience in this business involves understanding complex technical products and bringing them to market.

Shafer says, “I can help redirect Hayden’s growth policies away from high-density housing, back to single-family homes and the bedroom community for which it is known. I want to be a voice for Hayden’s citizens, and bring back transparency and accountability to city government.”

“My platform is focused on three core issues: responsible growth, government transparency, and the unfair tax policies created by Hayden’s Urban Renewal Agency.”

He continued, “we can encourage private home ownership that strengthens Hayden’s small-town character.”

He emphasizes the need for transparency and wanting to ensure the City government and its staff listen to the Hayden citizens and take their input regarding the City’s policies and direction.

Hayden Urban Renewal Agency

In the news release, Shafer specifically called out concerns with the Hayden Urban Renewal Agency (HURA).

“According to the Kootenai County Treasurer’s office, businesses pay between 55-75% of their taxes to HURA and the remainder gets divided up to pay for city and county services. This shifts the burden to every taxpayer outside of HURA in the form of higher taxes.”

He emphasized the need to prioritize small businesses and local businesses as an important element of preserving Hayden’s small-town character.

The Match Up

Shafer vs. Saterfiel has the potential to change the direction of the Hayden City Council. Saterfiel has lived in Hayden for decades and been on the Council for 16 years. Saterfiel has been responsible for many decisions the Council has made over the years.

As an example, Saterfiel was a member of Council at the time when the Stone Creek North subdivision was approved. He was on Council during the period of time where, in the view of some concerned Hayden residents, Council did not address concerns related to wetlands in the area. (See coverage of the City’s special meeting to respond to Stone Creek North concerns.)

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Endorsements & Political Action Committees

Of the three races in Hayden, the Kootenai County GOP (Kootenai County Republican Central Committee) has made two endorsements. They endorse Thomas Shafer for City Council Seat #3 and Luke Sommer for Mayor. The KCRCC did not endorse Matt Roetter (who is running unopposed for City Council Seat #1).

The North Idaho Republicans PAC (affiliated with North Idaho Republicans) has not updated their website’s endorsements since the May 2023 election and does not currently list endorsements for the races in Hayden. (We will continue to look for updates, and you can email contact at haydencitizen dot com to let us know.)

A local PAC called “Preserve the City of Hayden” was heavily active in the 2021 City Council races where it came out in support of the winning candidates Ed DePriest and Sandra White who are both current members of City Council. The PAC’s Facebook page has not posted since February of 2022.

Matt Roetter was a leader of the Preserve the City of Hayden PAC. HURA board member Joy Richards supported this PAC and the candidates it backed. Richards was nominated to the HURA board by Mayor Scott Forssell in 2023 and approved by City Council.) She is a founding member of the previously mentioned North Idaho Republicans.

Wrap Up

We will continue to provide coverage of the candidates for Hayden City Council and Mayor of Hayden during the 2023 election.

Roetter and Saterfiel have filed for Seats 1 and 3 on City Council respectively, and Luke Sommer has filed for Mayor of Hayden.

Tom Shafer has been campaigning for a seat on City Council and has held joint events with Luke Sommer, but Shafer has not yet filed.

Candidates have until Friday, September 8, to apply.

Matt Roetter for City Council

Hayden City Council President Matt Roetter and his wife Karen have lived in Hayden for 42 years and raised 3 children here. They have six grandchildren. Roetter is a member of the Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board and a member of the Hayden Urban Renewal Agency.

One of Roetter’s stated goals has been slow growth and responsible development. In a news release, Roetter shared an example of how he sees progress towards this goal. Over the past four years, building permits in Hayden for both single-family and multi-family residential have declined. Single-family permits declined from 139 in 2020 to 59 last year. Multi-family permits declined from 148 in 2020 to zero last year.

Roetter states that he will “strive to maintain a low levy property tax rate.” He also aims to “reduce traffic congestion by upgrading and improving three major Hayden intersections, Hayden Ave./Ramsey Road,  Honeysuckle Ave./Ramsey Road and Honeysuckle Ave./ Government Way.”

In the recent results from a City Survey sent to Hayden residents, traffic came up as one of the top issues. The Hayden Citizen has previously written about traffic problems and how HURA could help.

Roetter is the first candidate for this election to file for Hayden City Council Seat 1.

Roger Saterfiel for City Council

Roger Saterfiel has filed for Seat 3 on Hayden City Council. He has lived in Hayden for 34 years, and served for 16 years on Hayden City Council.

Notable accomplishments mentioned in his re-election article in the CDA Press by Josa Snow:

• “We passed the levy for more law enforcement to keep our citizens safe.”

• “We worked on the comprehensive plan, which actually reduced density.”

The CDA Press article closes out with a quote showing Saterfiel’s view of certain local boards where Republican-backed candidates took a majority of seats in recent elections:

“I would appreciate your vote as we don’t want Hayden to become a chaotic mess like NIC [North Idaho College] and the library.”

Luke Sommer for Mayor

Luke Sommer previously announced his candidacy for Mayor. No other candidates have yet filed to run for this position.

Mayor Scott Forssell heading out

In early August, Mayor Scott Forssell announced he would not run for election. He has served as Mayor of Hayden since his appointment in April 2021.

Wrap-up

We will keep an eye on election filings and provide an update when we know the final matchups for the Hayden City Council and Mayor elections.

Luke Sommer has officially announced his candidacy for Mayor of Hayden, Idaho. Election day will be on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

His announcement calls out slow growth and government accountability as core issues.

He is the first candidate we have heard announce for Mayor. We have not yet heard statements from current Mayor of Hayden Scott Forssell on whether he intends to run for the position, or from other potential candidates.

Sommer and Shafer

Luke Sommer and Thomas Shafer (candidate for Hayden City Council) campaigned together at Kaffee Meister Coffee Company during Hayden Days on both Friday and Saturday this week (7/28 and 7/29).

Two Hayden City Council members attended the event on Friday (Sandy White and Ed DePriest). Ed DePriest sought to ask a long list of questions of the candidates regarding City of Hayden issues.

Announcement Images

Luke Sommer posted the following images on his Facebook page “Luke Sommer for Mayor of Hayden”.

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Hayden City Council 7/10

Hayden City Council has a workshop for the FY24 budget and 2024-2029 capital improvement projects on Tuesday, 7/11 at 3:30pm. They will hold their regular City Council meeting at 5pm the same day.

The full HCC agendas (and other city boards) are available at their BoardBook site. You can also find approved minutes for previous meetings there.

HURA 7/10

The Hayden Urban Renewal Agency meets on Monday, 7/10 at 3pm. The agenda is available on their website.

The HURA agenda includes follow-up deliberations regarding a proposed Ownership Participation Agreement (OPA) for a Hayden Pickleball project at the NW corner of Government Way and Miles.

There will be follow-up on funding agreements related to Croffoot Park, Ramsey Sewer, a public hearing for HURA’s FY24 budget, and budget approval.

City Administrator Brett Boyer will present results of the Citizen Survey with HURA, and Anderson Brothers will present their audit results for FY22.

Election news

We’ve heard multiple reports that Luke Sommer announced his candidacy for Mayor of Hayden at the 4th of July parade.

We will share other election news and insights as they become available. If you have a tip, leave a comment here or send an email to contact@haydencitizen.com.