Ogilvie returns to mayoral duties

SANDPOINT — After a battle with lung cancer, Marsha Ogilvie is preparing to take on full-time mayoral responsibilities once again.  

Following the removal of a cancerous tumor six weeks ago, Ogilvie has focused on maintaining chemotherapy treatments and recovering her health. During that time, she said she conducted her mayoral duties primarily through correspondence with city staff and paperwork. With her health now much improved, Ogilvie officiated her first council meeting Wednesday since June 3.  

“I’m very appreciative of all the support and well wishes (I have) received throughout this difficult period and am excited to be back in the saddle,” Ogilvie said.

Her need for surgery became apparent following a battle with pneumonia around March, she said. During the procedure, surgeons removed the lower lobe of her right lung, at which point they discovered and removed a cancerous tumor.

Standard protocol necessitated several treatments of chemotherapy to ensure the eradication of cancerous cells, two of which have been completed, Ogilvie said.   

Throughout the process of treatment and recovery, Ogilvie said she’s relied on a mixture of office visits and delegation to keep city business functioning. She has taken care of all contracts, official documents and bills herself, while council president Carrie Logan, in compliance with city code, has served as her proxy, issuing proclamations and officiating meetings. Meanwhile, Ogilvie said city staff and department heads helped ensure City Hall remained operating smoothly.

“The staff really pulled together and have taken a great sense of pride in their work,” she said.

Her prognosis is looking good, Ogilvie added. Following the surgery, she said doctors declared her cancer-free after further testing and have been pleased in recent appointments with her bone marrow and blood cell counts. The timetable for the end of her treatment is still unclear — that decision has yet to be made by a medical board — but Ogilvie anticipates she’ll be back at the job full-time within a couple months.