Stapleton resigns as city administrator

SANDPOINT — Jennifer Stapleton resigned Friday as city administrator, saying she did not wish to be a distraction as Sandpoint moves forward to a new administration.

"My decision to resign has been made with deep sadness; however, our incoming mayor ran on a clear platform to serve without a city administrator and remove me from my position," Stapleton wrote in her resignation letter. "That would take a majority vote of the council. Rather than allow this to be a distraction to the business and success of the city, I have chosen to resign and wish him success in his term."

Stapleton, who has was hired as Sandpoint's first city administrator in 2016, said the decision was made with a lot of thought and with the city's best interest in mind.

Her resignation takes effect at the end of the day Jan. 3, 2024.

"I am taking some time and considering some exciting opportunities," she said.

Stapleton thanked city officials and staff for their support and collaboration, saying she is proud of their many accomplishments over the past eight years. She said she had no doubt the city's staff would continue to serve Sandpoint's residents, businesses and visitors well as they move forward into the future.

"We have accomplished much together, and I am so proud to have been a part of it," she wrote in the letter. "You leaned in and embraced strategic planning which established a collective vision, priorities, and actions."

The result was an organization and culture that centered around teamwork, collaboration, accountability, professionalism, and performance. During her time with the city, Sandpoint invested more deeply in its employees, increasing salaries, restructured benefits and invested in training and development. The result was an administration that was able to get things done more effectively, efficiently, and timely.

Stapleton also pointed to increased transparency and citizen engagement during her time with the city, pointing to the launch of Sandpoint's online financial transparency portal in 2017.

"The state of Idaho passed a law in 2021 requiring the level of transparency we already have in place from all local jurisdictions by 2025," she added.

Its Engage Sandpoint app, also part of an effort to increase citizen engagement, has seen the city respond to more than 1,800 requests and received more than 5,300 citizen responses to 29 surveys.

"Arguably, our most critical citizen engagement effort was launched during the COVID pandemic of 2020-2021," she said. "We implemented online citizen participation in meetings in early 2000 and have kept it functioning since that time. As former Councilor Andy Groat has proudly stated, 'We were open when everyone else was closed.'"

Except for a few weeks, Stapleton said the city was able to maintain all of its services remotely and keep City Hall open. "We were able to keep our employees working in a healthy environment providing in-person service to our community."

She said she is proud of being part of the team that tackled some tough, long-standing issues, from an unpopular business improvement district to ending a contract with a private parking company for the management of the city parking lot. Instead, the city took over popular BID programs — chief among them the winter tree lighting and summer flower baskets — and incorporated them into the city services.

During her tenure, Stapleton said the city implemented a community resource officer program, combining downtown parking enforcement and "boots on the ground" public relations. The city also finalized a facility plan for a wastewater treatment plant and will begin the final design and construction at the existing site in 2024. Also, careful budgeting and citizen support of an increased visitor tax results in a greater investment in both city streets and sidewalks.

Stapleton said during her eight years with the city, Sandpoint completed the reconstruction of War Memorial Field, revitalization of the city's downtown, and established a vision and framework for its downtown waterfront as well as a $9.5 million renovation of Travers Park.

"[T]his is the largest capital improvement project the city has undertaken," Stapleton said of the park project. "It will benefit the broader community and generations to come."

Stapleton's resignation follows a contentious campaign in which incoming mayor Jeremy Grimm made clear he planned to eliminate the position, preferring a department head-focused framework for the city.

“Frankly, I think the city's off the tracks,” he said at a candidate forum. “I think the city needs to focus on the law, focus on the residents and focus on changing our economy from a tourist-based economy.”

At the forum, Grimm made clear that he did not support the position.

“The one thing I promise you is I will work … to get rid of the city administrator position,” he said.