Harrison Mayor’s Race Will End In Coin Toss Builder Mike Sperle Wins Mayoral Race In Hayden

A flip of a coin will determine the next mayor of Harrison.

When the counting was done Tuesday night, two-term Mayor Dean Christensen was deadlocked, 59 votes to 59 votes, with state dam inspector Dave LePard.

“Cool,” said LePard, 44, when told the news. “But I usually don’t do real well in a coin toss.”

Christensen, a 62-year-old retired farmer, said he thought he had more supporters. He was stung by recent criticism about being roommates with deputy city clerk Betsy Turner, who also judged the election. Asked if he felt lucky for the upcoming toss, he said “I’ll be damned if I know.”

A third mayoral contender, Rose Cafe owner Jerry Kirkpatrick, netted 24 votes.

Also in Harrison, incumbents Sharon Yablon, Kelly Grof and Stan Kvern were re-elected, narrowly edging out challenger Ron Jeanblanc. Incumbent George Shanks and Sue Dehority were also elected to two-year terms.

In Hayden, 35-year-old builder Mike Sperle won the mayor’s seat. Sperle pledged to ride herd on other developers, forcing them to pay the costs of the small city’s rapid growth. Sperle got 343 votes to opponent Gordon Andrea’s 258.

Incumbent Mayor Vince Rossi was appointed less than a year ago, when Dick Panabaker became county commissioner. Rossi, a popular but reluctant recruit, didn’t run for re-election.

Growth was the central issue of Hayden’s election. Both candidates said growth is inevitable in the city, which has expanded by about 750 homes in the past five years.

As a developer, Sperle said, he’s well-equipped to judge responsible growth. Andrea, while not a no-growther, said he’d like to see more controls on sprawl.

Also in Hayden, voters elected two city council members: Suann Dedmon, financial manager of Silverwood theme park, and longtime councilman Karl Janson.

Elsewhere in North Idaho, Wardner residents narrowly shot down a plan to pay $102,000 over 10 years to lower the city’s Main Street. After numerous repavings, the street is higher than surrounding yards, which flood when it rains. The vote was 30 for the bond, 40 against.

Wardner also elected Jim Reagan, Linda Wombolt and Sandy Cohen to the city council.

Athol elected Lewis T. Miller and Bundy “B.J.” Chamberlain to the city council. An 11th-hour write-in campaign for city council by current mayor Jean Hill failed. New mayor Lanny Spurlock and councilman Joel Jensen ran unopposed.

Here are the results from other Kootenai County cities:

Hayden Lake: Bob Prince, John Harrison and John Wilkey were elected to the council.

Worley: Mark Turman and Richard Wienclaw were elected to the council.

In Shoshone County:

Osburn: Wendell Badgley and Reeva Williams were elected. Incumbent Mayor Bob McPhail and councilman Bob Ridout ran unopposed.

Pinehurst: Gary Hoffman and Betty Dudley were elected to the council. Incumbent Mayor Jim Hodge ran unopposed.

Smelterville: Bill Keller and Glen Christmann won council seats. Incumbent Mayor David Olson ran unopposed.

Wardner: Jim Reagan, Linda Wombolt and Sandy Cohen were elected to the council.

, DataTimes