Huckleberries Online

HucksOnline Talks w/Mayor Bloem

Posted by DFO

Nov. 9, 2011 12:17 p.m. • 10 comments

HucksOnline: Ron Edinger now has the 2nd to his motion for a public vote on proposed McEuen Field changes and probably 3 votes for it. Will that influence you re: going ahead with Team McEuen changes?

Sandi Bloem: If there's a motion and a second for a public vote, it would entirely depend on what that motion looks like. It would depend on the debate on the council floor. I do not believe you can do good planning through a public vote. It's not a good precedent to set. Certainly there are considerations as far as moving forward.

HucksOnline: How do you view last night's election results?
Sandi Bloem: It was definitely a very partisan race when it is suppose to be nonpartisan. Credit goes to Reagan Republicans and Tea Party. They are passionate and they get out and vote. They endorsed 7 candidates and all 7 of those candidates won.
HucksOnline: Will Coeur d'Alene be able to continue to make progress in next two years?
Sandi Bloem: I would certainly hope so. It's very important to every citizen to have jobs. They are important in every other city in this nation. I don't believe we can do a good job recruiting businesses, corporations, and start-ups with a mediocre city. Our competition is too great. I'm proud that we are known as “A City of Excellence.” There will be issues that bring disagreement. But I hope we can find some consensus and not thwart city of excellence in the progress.
HucksOnline: Will there be an attempt at a 4th term, given the partisan politicizing of city politics?
Sandi Bloem: It's two years away. I enjoy what I've done. I've been honored to do it. I haven't ruled out an attempt at a fourth term.

10 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

yabetcha on November 09 at 12:35 p.m.
Bless her heart. She never would have survived a recall if it had been on the ballot.
EdeninCDA on November 09 at 12:43 p.m.
Thanks for posting this. I am a fan of Sandi Bloem — some things that have been done have proven wonderful to our community. Look at the Kroc Center — how many people are members there? The swim teams, involving lots of our kids, are very busy there…and lives are being changed. All the naysayers were so against it — but as a leader, you must have vision that goes beyond just today - and she does.
KeithErickson on November 09 at 12:52 p.m.
Recall? Where did that come from? Has Mayor Bloem’s integrity, leadership, or straightforwardness been called into question? Explain your comment.

Mayor Sandi is a class act. The city will move forward under her leadership, despite last night’s results.
Kage_Mann on November 09 at 1:13 p.m.
“All the naysayers were so against it”. Edenincda

They weren’t necessarily, against the Kroc Center; they wanted to know why it took 3mil. to fill in the hole at the Kroc Center site. The residents knew CDA needed a community center.
IdahoDad on November 09 at 1:24 p.m.
Kage, the “naysayers” did everything in their power to convince the Salvation Army that Coeur d’Alene did not want, or need, a Kroc Center here.

We almost pulled a Duluth.
Eman on November 09 at 1:31 p.m.
I like the Mayor and voted for her in the past and will if she runs again.
The ” I do not believe you can do good planning through a public vote” ,line I hate to say it but was’t there a proposal for a public vote with the Big H’s garden proposal? I agreed with her then to put it to a vote as I think McEuen fits that same bill.
Am I to understand that the Mayor only favors a public vote when she wants it her way otherwise it’s not good planning?

Am I seeing it right?
DudleyDoRight on November 09 at 1:37 p.m.
Congratulations to Sandi on her excellent leadership of our City so far. Through the apathy of our community and low voter turnout a motivated and shrill minority has now shifted the balance of power and intend to impede her forward momentum. I certainly applaud her diplomatic approach to the new council members and hope she is able to continue her visionary leadership despite their inevitable obstructionist behavior.
mrd on November 09 at 7:29 p.m.
I am not a fan of Mayor Bloem and think she has lost sight of what is important to the majority of voters in CDA. The park decision is a mess and I feel the voters sent a message by keeping Edinger and ousting the others but yet the mayor still sees only her vision for the town.
JohnA on November 09 at 9:45 p.m.
Here’s the deal. In two years when the next city council and mayor elections are pending, the Ed Corridor will be humming with buildings full of new students and McEuen will be transformed into a Field of Dreams. Like the Kroc Center and library, thousands of people will be newly utilizing these great assets, and praising those who made it happen.

I hope Sandy runs again then. The city, quite simply, is a better place because of her leadership.
Stickman on November 10 at 9:46 p.m.
I am with Dudleydoright and John. I have to agree on all counts. Continue on Sandi, you have my vote for all time, though that might not be much longer. I am getting older and not making as many sticks these days, but I will continue doing what I do each day and always have your back. Thanks.

« Back to Huckleberries Online

You must be logged in to post comments.
Please create a profile or log in here.

About this blog

D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.