Wendy Hague Gabriel and Kenny Gabriel are a City of Coeur d’Alene duo. Kenny is our Fire Chief and Wendy is the City Administrator. The two have been married since December 2005. My info says that Wendy was Kenny’s direct supervisor and that posed a problem if they got married. So a new position was created and Jon Ingalls was promoted from Street Department Supervisor to Deputy City Administrator for $100,784./year. Kenny makes $100,247 as Fire Chief and Wendy makes $106,784 as City Administrator.
Here’s Wendy’s job description as taken from the city’s web site:
The functions of the City’s Administrator are to:
- Facilitate the goals and policies as set by the Mayor and City Council
- Implement partnerships with community organizations, citizens, and civil groups seeking to improve the quality of life in the City of Coeur d’Alene
- Work with outside groups or organizations seeking to do business within the greater CdA area
- Oversee and coordinate efforts of City departments, committees, agencies and commission
- (the points above are from the city’s web site and constitute the entire job description listed)
- I’ve been told that Wendy is the political arm of the Mayor because of her connections in Boise.
- Wendy’s Dad is Bruce Newcomb, former Speaker of the House in Boise who retired in 2006.
- Wendy’s Step Mom, Celia Gould, is also former legislator and now heads up the state’s Dept of Agriculture.
- Kenny also sits on the board of the Kroc Community Center
Mary,
Your bullet point, “I’ve been told that Wendy is the political arm of the Mayor because of her connections in Boise,” and the two that follow it are illuminating.
Read my Whitecaps post dated February 26, 2007, titled Trust and Confidence Violated.
Based on Rollins conduct as it was reported on a Spokesman-Review weblog, one would reasonably wonder if the Idaho State Police could be trusted in any criminal investigations of public corruption in Idaho. While the Idaho State Police may tolerate this type of conduct, professional law enforcement agencies and the public will not. (Those in this area who are retirees from LAPD may remember Jay Paul and PDID). When a citizen passes information to the police, s/he reasonably assumes the information will be used only for authorized law enforcement and security purposes, not for political purposes.
Comment by Bill — April 22, 2008 @ 7:34 am
What does the street dept administrator make? 200 hundred grand for the Gabriel family enterprise! My, oh my, almost better than professional baseball!
Comment by yabetcha — April 22, 2008 @ 10:11 am
I’m wondering why they just didn’t have the fire chief report directly to the mayor and council, thereby saving $100,000 for an additional go-between?
Comment by hhuseland — April 23, 2008 @ 3:39 pm
Good point,HH, I don’t know. Maybe this way Wendy has more time to do the political planning…
Comment by mary — April 23, 2008 @ 3:49 pm