Coeur d’Alene City Councilman Mike Kennedy
At the April 17, 2012, meeting of the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, City Council, citizen Frank Orzell addressed the Council regarding Recall CDA’s effort to recall Mayor Sandi Bloem, Councilman Mike Kennedy, Councilman Deanna Goodlander, and Councilman Woody McEvers. During his presentation, Orzell stated, “Fear of intimidation and retribution is another indication of the [city’s] dysfunction. Small business owners and city staff have expressed their desire to sign our petition, but very often also talk about fear of reprisal, even loss of employment, and that is difficult for us to ignore.”
Here is the YouTube excerpt of Mayor Sandi Bloem’s response to Orzell’s concern about intimidation and retribution. Note that at the end, Bloem states, “I believe there’s not one person sitting at this dais that would do anything of the kind [resort to fear or intimidation against those involved in the recall effort]. So I would appreciate it if you’d bring the facts.”
Okay. Here are facts.
Fast forward in time to the Coeur d’Alene City Council meeting of October 16, 2012. The issue of Coeur d’Alene School District 271’s decision to sell land it owned but was allowing the City to use as half of a City park (Person Field) was being discussed. School District 271’s Board of Trustees Chairman Tom Hamilton was present, and so were District Trustee Ann Seddon and District Superintendent Hazel Bauman. Here is a YouTube excerpt of a comment directed to Chairman Tom Hamilton by City Councilman Mike Kennedy during that discussion.
Recall CdA began the recall effort in April 2012, and the effort was declared to have failed on June 19, 2012. On October 16, 2012, approximately 119 days, nearly 4 months, after the recall effort failed, Councilman Kennedy brought up the recall issue in a City matter totally unrelated to the recall.
Kennedy’s untimely and inappropriate comment to School District Chairman Hamilton could reasonably be interpreted as an ominous threat of possible retribution directed at the three School District Trustees not at the City Council meeting (Kennedy: “Tom, you’re shaking your head, but three out of five of you guys [school district trustees] were in support of the recall, and we have the documentation.”). Four months after the recall effort failed, why does the City of Coeur d’Alene need “documentation” about who may have signed recall petitions and supported the effort if not for possible retaliation? Is the City keeping an Enemies List?
Kennedy’s statements made and recorded by the City at an open City Council meeting are facts. Kennedy was sitting on the dais when Bloem made her demand on April 17, 2012. Now, Mayor Bloem, what are you going to do with the facts?
Kennedy: “and we have the documentation.”???
Comment by up river — October 20, 2012 @ 11:13 am
up river,
I was in DC when existence of the Nixon Enemies List was revealed publicly. There was genuine horror expressed by persons of all parties and persuasions at the thought that any US government official who has sworn “to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” could even conceive of such a list. It is no less egregious when done by a city councilman than when it is done by or at the direction of the President of the United States.
Comment by Bill — October 20, 2012 @ 11:35 am
It seems Council Member Kennedy is purposely trying harder to divide the community. I say he is an out-of-control-brat. He is angry the School Board when he should be angry at the City Adminsitrator and Mayor for their failures.
Huckleberries Online
School Board Votes To Sell Person Field
Posted by DFO
Oct. 16, 2012 8:15 a.m. • 45 comments
MikeK on October 16 at 12:31 a.m.
I did not know there was a 30 day “ultimatum” given either. 30 days is ridiculous. We were not offered the chance to vote on this before the board apparently took to lecturing the city tonight on a matter that the council has not weighed in on. This school board has been dealing in bad faith with the city since the new board’s reign began. They served the city with a letter of demand to increase the cost to city taxpayers 150% for recreation programs joint facility use recently and have had a take it or leave it approach ever since. I believe this group of school board members, the majority of whom actively supported and worked for the failed recall of a majority of the city council and the mayor, is acting out of political grandstanding and not what is best for taxpayers. These tactics amount to playing hard ball politics and trying to punish the citizens of Coeur d’Alene for not agreeing with their rigid ideology.
Comment by LTR — October 20, 2012 @ 12:49 pm
Very interesting info, LTR! Mike can’t get over the Recall. Good. Because we are going to “Recall” him next November at the ballot box.
Comment by mary — October 20, 2012 @ 1:10 pm
LTR,
You made an excellent point. The statutory and Constitutional authority of the six-member Coeur d’Alene City Council was usurped by the Mayor and City Administrator. All six members of the Council, not just Gookin, Adams, and Edinger, should have been outraged at Gabriel for the infringement on their authority. Yet Kennedy, Goodlander, and McEvers seemed more upset that the other Council members and some honest and committed citizens dared to challenge Gabriel’s action.
In my opinion the blatant and intentional usurpation of the elected City Council’s authority by a hireling City Administrator deprived the citizens of Coeur d’Alene of the honest services of at least three of our elected representatives on the City Council.
Comment by Bill — October 22, 2012 @ 7:10 am
I have had customers, which happen to be friends of some of these yahoo’s, come in to my business and say, “You NEED to vote for so and so.” from the sheriff, county commissioners, NIC trustee’s, etc. Everyone I was TOLD to vote for is tied to the FAB4 or the stakeholders.
What I do not understand are there really that many people that are concerned about being in the “IN CROWD” rather than have a responsible form of government? How can the people of CdA be OK with these actions? The actions of Gabriel and the FAB4 are inexcusable.
Unbelievable.
Comment by concerned citizen — October 22, 2012 @ 7:32 am
Bill:
Yes, my point is that we did not elected the City Administrator to make non-routine decisions impacting the community. According to School Board Trustee, Tom Hamilton, discussions had been going on since summer and the decision to not purse the school’s offer was apparently made by the City Administrator and Mayor. This action resulted in deceiving the public by not allowing the council to do their job especially since the topic of Person Field comes up a several times each year.
For anyone to suggest this was the School Board’s fault, as Council Kennedy is suggesting, is wrong and offensive.
Comment by LTR — October 22, 2012 @ 7:52 am
Looks to me that the Mayor should have hired her new spin meister (PR Coordinator) before she and Kennedy opended their mouths.
But more telling of the times, how will this latest issue be spun now that the City has a Pro?
Comment by old dog — October 22, 2012 @ 5:34 pm
old dog,
I don’t know how, or if, it can be spun. The Mayor and Kennedy have committed to working with the School District to come to an agreeable conclusion. I don’t think any of the present School District Trustees are inclined to blindly trust the City, so there may not really be much for the City’s new hoaxperson to do at this point.
Comment by Bill — October 22, 2012 @ 6:45 pm