‘Eight years is good’: Coeur d’Alene mayor Steve Widmyer will not seek third term

Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer announced Wednesday he will not be seeking a third term, the Coeur d’Alene Press reported.

“Eight years is good,” Widmyer told the Press.

Widmyer, 60, said he will focus more on baseball and his real estate and other investments when his term ends Jan. 4, 2022.

Widmyer’s portfolio includes commercial and rental properties throughout Coeur d’Alene, according to a bio on the city’s website.

The former controller of the Coeur d’Alene Resort has lived in Coeur d’Alene for more than 50 years. Widmyer and his wife, Marie, have owned two local women’s clothing stores, Marie’s Boutique and Marmalade, since 1995.

Steve Widmyer earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Idaho, the bio said.

Of his top accomplishments while serving two terms as mayor, Widmyer pointed to filling 10 of the 13 city department head positions, the city’s creation of Atlas Waterfront Park and the makeover of Memorial Field.

Another highlight he cited to the Press was the Wall Street Journal’s recent ranking of Coeur d’Alene as the No. 1 metro area for homebuyers seeking an appreciating housing market, which ranked Austin, Texas next; followed by Springfield, Ohio; Billings, Montana, and Spokane.

“The biggest challenge for the next mayor and council is housing affordability,” Widmyer told the Press. “That will drive a lot about what the city can do.”