Familiar faces on city council

SANDPOINT — New Sandpoint council members Justin Dick and Jason Welker and returning councilman Joel Aispuro were sworn into office at Wednesday’s meeting.

Dick and Aispuro are Sandpoint restaurateurs and Welker previously served on the Sandpoint Planning and Zoning commission.

Dick said his biggest challenge is the shift from non-profit boards to city council and how the meetings are run. He’s caught up on how the city council is run over the past year, he said.

“I’m honored to be up [on the dais] here, especially in this time. There are a lot of challenges ahead of us, but I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

He said he has a back pocket of lists of things he’d like to deal with, but he wants to see what the community is after and wants to support before delving into his own plans.

Aispuro said that he appreciates being re-elected to a second term.

“I’m super thankful to be part of this community and that they trusted me and other councilmembers to be part of it,” he said. “The more we can continue to be a community together the further we are going to go.”

Welker said there are a lot of things happening in the city this year and is honored to have a voice in it. Being part of planning and zoning for two years has taught him how meetings are run, he said.

“City council is like the big leagues. You’ve got a broader range of issues than just planning issues. So, there is going to be a learning curve there, but I'm looking forward to it,” said Welker.

As former council members John Darling and Shannon Sherman stepped down, Mayor Shelby Rognstad awarded them with certificates commemorating their public service and a copy of the book “Sandpoint, a small town with a big heart.”

Sherman served two terms since 2014 and had been council president for six years. Darling served for one term as a city council member.

Aispuro said that he had the utmost respect for the former council members and helped him through his first term. Councilwoman Deb Ruehle thanked them for their public service and wished them the best in their future endeavors.

Rognstad said that although he has never seen eye to eye with Darling, he brought a perspective, knowledge and camaraderie to the council. That is special these days with the political climate, said Rognstad.

“Sherman has always pushed the city towards data-driven decision making, which I think is a huge step in the right direction to a small city aspiring to grow into itself,” he said.

Darling said it was an honor to serve and that the legacy he left behind was the War Memorial Field project which he knows will be enjoyed by generations to come.