Reuter named to Sandpoint council
SANDPOINT - Even with a full agenda on the table, the highlight of Wednesday's City Council meeting was undoubtedly the official resignation of former Councilman Steve Lockwood and the confirmation of John Reuter as his replacement.
Reuter's unanimous confirmation skews an already young City Council even younger. According to Councilwoman Helen Newton, Reuter, 24, is now the youngest council member in Sandpoint's history. He's also the third council member who is 30 years old or younger, joining Doug Hawkins Jr, 29, and Stephen Sneeden, 30.
While concerns about Reuter's age were not raised by council members, he did face a battery of questions about where he stands on various former, current and upcoming city issues.
In addressing many of the questions, Reuter filtered his answers through a fiscal rubric that asked, rhetorically, weather a decision would financially help or hurt the community.
On issues of annexation, water extension and the city's budget, Reuter said, if confirmed, his vote would be determined by how much or how little money the city or individual residents would save.
On the city's upcoming budget, Reuter said,”The goal always has to be hold steady or reduce.”
Reuter saved his harshest criticism for multi-city cooperative Urban Area Transportation Plan, which he said focuses too much traffic through Sandpoint.
“I think it's a little bit rude,” he said. “We really got the wrong end of the broom stick on that one.”
Although Reuter earned unanimous approval from the council, several members criticized the way Mayor Gretchen Hellar handled the appointment and said they would have liked to have seen more cooperation with the council.
“It's not that I have issues with Mr. Reuter,” Newton said. “My concern is the lack of council involvement.”
Councilman Michael Boge echoed Newton's comments, saying the immediate appointment brought a lot of undue stress to the council.
Their issues with Hellar's handling of the situation aside, most council members were vocal in their praise of Reuter.
“Mr. Reuter is probably the most qualified person I can think of to join the council,” Hawkins said.
Prior to Reuter's confirmation, the council continued its ongoing discussion of sidewalks. After deciding - in April - to reimburse the 40 homeowners who put in sidewalks in advance of the now aborted 2008 LID, the council has spent months trying to draw up the most accurate, equitable way to reimburse eligible property owners.
City attorney Will Herrington again recommended the council not go forward with the plan, as did Snedden, who said the idea has been legally dubious all along.
In researching possible reimbursement plans, Newton discovered that Idaho Code automatically rejects claims filed 180 days after the claim arose, which, in her eyes, meant that none of the 40 homeowners would be eligible.
“If everyone has missed the deadline, then why are we putting them through this exercise in futility?” Newton said.
Even with their concern, the council voted to make available a claim form for the property owners who put in sidewalks.
The council also passed an urban forest ordinance, a plan for future alley maintenance and a taxi cab ordinance that outlines the way the police chief can suspend a taxi driver's permit. The council decided to abstain from voting to approve or deny a contract with Ruen and Yeager Associates for geographic information systems installation until every member could read the contract..