3 challengers bid against McEvers for Coeur d’Alene mayor race

A year after he was appointed Coeur d’Alene mayor, Woody McEvers is running against three opponents who also want the seat.

Fellow longtime city Councilman Dan Gookin, dentist John Pulsipher and property management businesswoman Debbie Loffer will appear alongside McEvers on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The City Council, including Gookin, voted unanimously to appoint McEvers after Mayor Jim Hammond resigned last year.

McEvers said his first year in the office has been a learning experience and has given him a new appreciation for all the work administrators do behind the scenes.

“In council you see it, but you don’t see it on a day-to-day basis. And that is what encouraged me to run,” McEvers said.

The mayor has a different role than the council, more executive and less legislative. McEvers said he thinks he and his opponents agree on what the problems are, but it is more about how to guide the process toward a solution than forcing through a bold idea.

“Council votes, council decides,” McEvers said. “The mayor just brings the path forward and deals with questions. The process is what I’ve learned the mayor’s job is more about – bringing things to decision points.”

McEvers has three areas he wants to focus on: affordable housing, improving relationships with local legislators and supporting a change in local tourism tax legislation.

McEvers highlighted the city’s ongoing efforts to develop housing through an urban renewal district at the former Atlas Mill site on the Spokane River.

He supports efforts to change a state law that would allow a city of Coeur d’Alene’s size to propose a resort tax so tourists contribute toward public services that benefit them. The local voters could then decide whether they want such a tax.

“It always comes down to working with people and trying to address problems with creativity,” McEvers said. “I don’t know everything, but I’m willing to work at it.”

Councilman Dan Gookin said he wants to improve communication between city administration and City Council. He has grown frustrated with the lack of information he has been provided as a council member in recent years.

“Only an informed City Council can make good decisions,” Gookin said. “As mayor, I would open the floodgates.”

His next goal is to develop a city policy manual to improve clarity and efficiency. Each department has its own policy manual, but these sometimes conflict.

“City council’s role is to set policy for the city,” Gookin said, “but there is no policy manual, which means that often policy is set by staff or the mayor sets policy, which is not the mayor’s job. So I would like to get us working on a policy manual to allow for some consistency in government. It surprises people that a city like Coeur d’Alene, as big as it is, does not have an official policy manual.”

Gookin also wants to eliminate red tape for small business owners and developers.

Although Gookin is a precinct committeeman on the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, he is endorsed by the rival group the North Idaho Republicans.

The KCRCC settled a defamation lawsuit against Gookin earlier this year over his public criticisms of the party’s rating and vetting process for political candidates. The KCRCC endorsed Loffman for mayor.

All four candidates describe themselves as conservatives.

John Pulsipher is a dentist and co-owner of Riverstone Dental Care in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Hayden. He also founded the website the CdA News.

After interviewing McEvers and Gookin for the website, Pulsipher said he decided to run against them because he was unimpressed with their lack of vision.

“I do feel like I have a vision for the city,” Pulsipher said.

Pulsipher detailed his agenda on his campaign website, with ideas such as starting a volunteer chaplain program for first responders.

His first concern is to rein in the budget. Over the last two years, the city has spent nearly $4 million more than its revenues by dipping into its general fund balance.

“That’s a big problem,” Pulsipher said. “We need reserve funds for unforeseen circumstances rather than regular planned-for expenses.”

McEvers responded that the budget is balanced as required by law. Using the fund balance when needed is what those funds are for.

Gookin said he is “a fiscal hawk” and is the only council member who proposed budget cuts, but he was overruled. He cast the lone vote against the most recent budget in September that included a 3% property tax increase.

Pulsipher, like McEvers, also wants a tourism tax. He would work with lawmakers on it, though he realizes that decision is ultimately up to the Legislature. In the meantime, he would encourage hotel owners to implement a voluntary fee of about 2% on short-term stays paid to the city. This would help make up the budget shortfall by paying for amenities tourists use like emergency services, roads and parks.

McEvers is skeptical businesses would do this voluntarily.

Pulsipher said he won’t accept any donations toward his campaign and won’t accept the mayor’s $38,000 salary if elected.

He likened running the city to running a business. Expenses and employees have to be paid first.

“At the end of the month, if there isn’t any money leftover, guess what, the business owner doesn’t take home any money,” Pulsipher said.

He said he is in a fortunate position that he does not need the extra income and plans to continue seeing his dental patients a few days a week.

“I am running to make the city better, not to dismantle things,” he said.

Debbie Loffman is a relative newcomer compared to her opponents. She moved to Coeur d’Alene with her husband in 2020 to be near her children and to live in an area with conservative values.

Her leadership qualities and business acumen make her a good fit for the job, she said.

“I can see why people would say ‘Hey, you’ve only been here five years, what do you know?’ I know business,” Loffman said. “I know how a company should be run successfully, and I can bring that to the table as mayor.”

Loffman started a tenant screening company in 1987 and expanded it to a dozen employees serving several states before she sold it in 2000. Since 2004, she has owned Loffman Property Management based in Rocklin, California.

She continues to manage the business remotely part time, though she is mentoring some employees whom she expects will eventually purchase it from her.

As the leader of the city, she would be a voice for the people and a listener. She plans to meet with each department head to ask what is and is not working, whether they have the resources they need and how they can make things more efficient.

“All I can do is be a voice,” Loffman said. “The office of mayor is executive, it’s not legislative like the council. It’s building a cohesive team.”

A concern she hears from the community is about slowing down growth as more high-rises pop up downtown. She wants Coeur d’Alene to grow thoughtfully and responsibly to protect the small-town charm. At the same time, small-scale projects of starter homes are important to help young people afford to stay.

She also plans to dig into the budget to find ways to avoid depleting reserve funds. But she knows it will be a challenge since the city’s revenue sources are fairly set and people want to avoid raising taxes.

“I ran both of my companies debt free, so I know how to live within my means,” Loffman said. “I want to see the city do that too.”