Just thought you might like some gritty stories from the Recall Front. We’ve been out in force all over town. It is fun to stand on the sidewalk, smile, wave and hold signs saying “Recall CdA, Sign Here” , “Only 6 days left, Sign Today!” We get lots of thumbs up, lots of honks and smiles and many “I’ve already signed!” The positive energy coming back from people is palpable and it’s about 80% of the feedback. All the volunteers I’ve asked know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s almost addictive because you feel so connected with the true pulse of the community.
So, that part is fun. The not-so-fun part is the weird negative vibe from the few Anti-recall folks. They are angry. Some just give a thumbs down, which isn’t too bad, but others take it to an outrageous level. They flip their middle finger. Really? Just because you don’t agree with our point of view, you think we should be violated?
Here’s the worst story of all: Two of our volunteers were flipped off by a whole family: Both parents and 3 small children…all at once as they drove by. Great parenting from the Anti-recall group.
So, after days and days of good honks and waves from all the nice, supportive people, an angry man drove up to our signing table today. He was livid and wanted to tell us how his property values are going down because of our “meanness”. I almost asked him to specify any meanness coming from our Recall group, but I decided he was so bent on being angry that my question might put him over the top. He then proceeded to tell me that all the money for McEuen was coming from the downtown businesses and NONE of it would be from taxpayer money. I told him that urban renewal money was paying for most of Phase One, and that is money from property taxes as tax increment financing. He told me I was completely wrong and that I should tell the organizers of the Recall that my info is mistaken. One of the other volunteers recognized him as a minister from a downtown church. Yikes…he was not very nice.
One more: A young man came up to the signing table today to tell me how he wants a new skate park at McEuen so he’s totally against the Recall. He said it would “put us backwards”. I explained the Recall and how it had nothing to do with any certain features of McEuen; how it’s about the elected officials who wouldn’t give the public a vote on the McEuen plan. His whole attitude changed. He said getting a vote is a good idea. I gave him a voter registration card and he said he’d fill it in so he could vote.
On that note, the Recall CdA has registered almost 400 new voters. Many are young adults but some are older folks who have never voted in their lives, yet they feel so strongly about this issue that they are becoming voters just so they can sign and have a voice on this Recall. They believe, at least for this, their actions will make a difference. That’s impressive.
Let’s look for the positive in everything around us. We are moving forward. This will happen, but not without 6 more days of hard work. Talk it up, please. Think of everyone you know and ask them if they’ve signed yet. Ask if their parents, spouses and adult kids have signed. Every single signature helps. Thank YOU.
Have a happy Monday!
I’ll echo what Mary said about the positive feedback. We,too, saw a very small amount of anger at our spot on Kathleen between Government Way and US 95, but our response to everyone was “smile and wave”.
We’ve had many people thank us for initiating the recall process. My response is, of course, to thank them for their kind words but to remind them that Recall CdA is just “the pen and paper.” Not to understate the work done by the dozens of volunteers at Recall CdA, but the real “heavy lifting” is being done by each and every legally registered voter in Coeur d’Alene who has come to the Recall CdA office in the Sunset Village Mall (Bosanko at US 95) or who has stopped at one of the signing locations or who has called the office and asked us to come to their homes to sign them up. And then they signed!
While you’re passing out thanks, please don’t forget the businesses who have generously and courageously stood for the principles behind the recall and have donated time, space, people, money and material. Their principled leadership by example is, or ought to be, what attracts other businesses to Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding communities.
Speaking of surrounding communities, the Recall CdA office and signing stations have all had the pleasure of meeting and greeting dozens of people from Athol, Post Falls, Dalton, Hayden, Rathdrum and other areas who stopped to tell us they wish they could sign the recall petition. Please think about that for a minute. People from other communities are concerned enough about Coeur d’Alene’s residents that they will stop and offer their moral support to the recall. So to all our neighbors from outside Coeur d’Alene, here’s another “smile and wave and a BIG thank-you!”
As Mary said, we’ve encouraged many, many people to register to vote, and that encouragement was regardless of their position on the recall. The best way to avoid future recalls is for the citizens to pay attention to their city government. Blindly trusting elected officials is unwise, largely because without broad-spectrum, thoughtful constituent feedback, elected officials tend to be responsive to the biggest checkbooks and loudest voices. Honest, diligent elected officials want to hear from us on issues important to us. Sometimes the most important information we can provide to officials won’t be used to write new laws; it will be used to help them avoid passing bad ones.
We have six more days to collect even more valid signatures on the recall petitions. If you’re legally registered to vote in a Coeur d’Alene City election and haven’t signed yet but want to, Recall CdA will make it as convenient as possible. You can go to the office in the Sunset Village Mall (Bosanko at US 95), you can stop at one of our signing stations, or you can call the Recall CdA office to arrange for someone to bring the petitions to your home for you to read and then, hopefully, sign.
Comment by Bill — June 4, 2012 @ 7:08 am
Outstanding work and commentary!! THANK YOU all for your hard work and everyone who has signed the Recall petition; I would in a heart beat but live outside the City limits.
Comment by Appalled — June 4, 2012 @ 9:41 am
Am I the only one who was taken aback by Wendy Gabriel’s lengthy discussion of rumours (her term) at last night’s council meeting? Since when is it appropriate for a staff member to comment on campaign literature?
Comment by Susie Snedaker — June 6, 2012 @ 8:09 am
Susie,
I have heard from a number of folks regards last night and the conduct at the meeting. The sycacophy (that is the noise of many sycophants all chattering at once) was sad and the comments by Wendy were frankly out of line. She seems to know her days of city service are numbered.
Just my opinion, of course, but I smell fear. Raw fear. Just
Comment by justinian — June 6, 2012 @ 8:14 am
And isn’t it funny that the mayor has said she does not allow applause for speakers but did allow a lengthy round for the speaker and her 100 or so supporters, and also said this was a big surprise. Sure it was.
Comment by reddy — June 6, 2012 @ 9:49 am
I missed most of the meeting on TV. What were the rumors from Wendy?
Comment by mary — June 6, 2012 @ 10:02 am
I must say, though, that the CdA Press article about the Recall investigation being dismissed could not have been more slanted. Even though it was on the front page, it muted the info about the dismissal and went to great lengths to prop up the Anti-recall people, with extensive commentary and quotes in their favor. But the colored, highlighted box touting the Mayor’s chummy support group was over the top!
How can Katie Brodie, the Governor’s representative for North Idaho, who stood up with the others last night, come out publicly supporting the Mayor…again…(she did so at the Chamber too), and then think the Gov. should listen to her suggestion when it comes to his possible appointment of a city council replacement? I think she just disqualified herself from any fair or objective opinion.
Comment by mary — June 6, 2012 @ 10:11 am
Oh Mary – such hypocrisy with your comment regarding Katie Brodie. Speaking about disqualifying someone from any fair and objective opinion, how about our State Rep. Kathy Sims and her involvement with your recall drive? I know the support that was shown last night stings a little bit, but that is no reason to throw Ms. Brodie under the bus. Showing her support in no way should disqualify her opinion, if anything it shows that she is the most qualified because she stands behind the actual leadership of our city, not those trying to dismantle it. But I doubt we even have to worry about an appointment. Your recall attempt will not be successful 🙂
Comment by meesterbox — June 6, 2012 @ 12:12 pm
Just to connect the dots – Katie Brodie was Sandy Bloem’s roomate and soritry sister in college. They were THE party girls, same upbringing, same “education” even same hair-do to this day. And then of course Katie’s kids both work for Buetler and Associates, all part of the good-ole gang.
Comment by old dog — June 6, 2012 @ 12:41 pm
The hypocrisy and nastiness on this page stink like the dog-piles on McEuen Field. Mary’s double-standard where conflict (Sims v Brodie) is concerned in completely understandable in the context of the just plain mean and nasty Recall effort as a whole.
Comment by beeb — June 6, 2012 @ 1:03 pm
Katie, Nancy Sue and the whole Hayden Lake Country Club gang showed up to support the “Pretty People” agenda. How nice. Not many CDA voters though.
Just sayin’ Just
Comment by justinian — June 6, 2012 @ 1:23 pm
Hey,Beeb, you are totally wrong. I never said Kathy Sims should help decide who would be a replacement to the city council. Kathy has been a strong and vocal supporter of the Recall CdA movement. But Katie Brodie should not have a say in it either.
With Old Dog’s additional info about long-time close personal ties between Katie and Sandi, I’m sure Katie would recuse herself from such input anyway…right Katie?
Comment by mary — June 6, 2012 @ 1:37 pm
meesterminion, you’re back…yay. When is your gig at the comedy club??
Comment by rochereau — June 6, 2012 @ 2:03 pm
I am glad to be back! I just flew in from Chicago and boy are my arms tired…ba-dum ching!
Comment by meesterbox — June 6, 2012 @ 2:36 pm
I think the Recall folks have done a great job!!!! Stay determined on the issues, I think it’s a no brainier that the recall will be a success.
Most of the people making the fuss are all directly connected to some form of profit in the end. The misguided anti recallers operate
this form of government like everything else in this city, on the very EDGE of being legal. I spend a great deal of time doing public records requests in this county and find governmental laws that are violated in all aspects of this county daily, if the public new half of the activities that take place with public monies being erroneously spent I think people might wake up and want a change of power, these people been breaking rules and codes and laws so long it has become just daily business as usual no one thinks twice about it.
And with Cd’A having the highest unemployment rate in the state right now 8.2%, I hardly think another grandiose park is really on the agenda for the common working folk to really make a priority or choice about. How about just plain and simple survival right now…
Comment by nativetocda — June 6, 2012 @ 7:27 pm
After seeing the election results from Wisconsin today I can just see the the national news headlines regarding the Cd’A recall election.
“Three term Mayor and three city council members of a town of less than 40,000 residents were recalled for approving a master planned $40,000,000 improvement to an existing park after denying a public vote on the decision.”
Talk about egg on their faces.
Comment by Ancientemplar — June 6, 2012 @ 7:48 pm
meesterbox when you attempt to connect the dots you do so with the poorest assumptions I’ve ever seen. I think it’s a good thing though to have your contribution, you were right on when, I mean you carefully thought out, but then your insight challenged, and there was that one time you made a tiny bit of sense about, – oh never mind I can’t come up with anything at all.
Comment by Appalled — June 6, 2012 @ 8:13 pm
In my opinion, the shift of funding designated for the long neglected stretch of Fifteenth Street from the freeway to Best Avenue plus the neglected appearance of Person Field plus the lack of interest in addressing the east Sherman gateway simply indicate the Mayor’s total indifference to these areas. The overlay funding will now be applied to downtown Front Street.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — June 7, 2012 @ 7:59 am
That’s right Susie.The citizens can’t wait for the next regularly scheduled election, it’ll be too late.
Comment by Ancientemplar — June 7, 2012 @ 11:28 am