Rossi Just Right For Filling Vacancy

The city’s new mayor didn’t apply for the job.

“I was a recruit,” said longtime Hayden dentist Vince Rossi. “I didn’t have any ambitions along this line at all.”

Rossi, 52, was slated to be sworn in Tuesday night. He will replace Mayor Dick Panabaker, sworn into office Monday as a Kootenai County commissioner. Rossi will serve through the end of the year, when he could run for re-election.

Panabaker said he approached Rossi about the job due to Rossi’s experience

as a businessman and “people person.”

“Everyone likes him and I think he’ll work out,” Panabaker said. “If he likes it, he can run again. If he doesn’t, he can run away.”

Born and raised in Kellogg, Rossi moved to Hayden in 1971, two years after graduating from dental school. He and his wife of 31 years, Phyllis Rossi, have three grown daughters.

Rossi has never held elected office, but served as chair of the former Hayden Library District for four years in the late 1970s. He was president of the Hayden Lake Country Club in 1990 and president of the Idaho State Dental Association in 1991.

He said he intends to rely heavily on the city’s staff.

“I think the city’s in decent shape, with good employees,” Rossi said. “I don’t have an agenda. I just want to keep things running.”