Judge lets CdA officials be sworn in

A Kootenai County 1st District judge denied Tuesday a motion for a temporary restraining order that would have prevented Coeur d’Alene’s newly re-elected mayor and three council members from being sworn in Tuesday night.

Mayor Sandi Bloem and council members Mike Kennedy, Deanna Goodlander and Woody McEvers were sworn in as planned.

Judge Benjamin Simpson decided Jim Brannon had adequate remedy at law by proceeding as scheduled with his case challenging the Nov. 3 city election, in which he lost to incumbent City Councilman Mike Kennedy by five votes. Brannon filed the suit last month.

Brannon’s attorney, Starr Kelso, argued that the city should proceed with business as usual but not conduct the swearing-in until the lawsuit was resolved. However, the city’s attorney, Mike Haman, argued that would open the city up to a “plethora of lawsuits” on every decision made by the city because the city would not have an officially installed mayor or council.