Council eliminates administrator seat, adds department head positions

SANDPOINT — The city’s administrative structure has officially been revised. 

The Sandpoint City Council voted 5-1 on Wednesday to eliminate the vacant city administrator post and add three new department head positions.

The added positions — public works director, central services director, and community planning and development director — join the existing roles of city attorney, city clerk, city treasurer, and fire chief to form a seven-headed administrative structure. 

The three added roles are “appointed” positions, in which the mayor nominates a candidate who must then be confirmed by the council. 

Under Idaho Code, an employee in an appointed position can’t be fired by the mayor without the consent of the majority of the council. 

“Making these positions appointed gives the ability for these positions to speak truth to power,” said Mayor Jeremy Grimm, who championed the ordinance. “As mayor, appointments like this do take power away from this position. I'm taking my hands off the wheel and trusting and hiring people who are qualified and accountable.” 

For a period of eight years preceding the November 2023 election, Sandpoint operated under a structure in which a city administrator worked closely with the mayor and played a major role in managing operations at City Hall. 

Jennifer Stapleton was hired to the position in 2016 and occupied it until early this year. Stapleton resigned in January 2024 after Grimm won the mayoral seat in the 2023 election and vowed to abolish the city administrator role and install a department head structure. 

In Wednesday’s meeting, councilors voiced both support and concern for the ordinance. 

“I would support not budgeting for the (city administrator) position in this fiscal year, but I feel you as the mayor need to prove that the system is going to work first,” Council President Deb Ruehle said to Grimm. 

“I want us to have a backup plan because it's most important to me that we take care of the taxpayers of the city,” Ruehle added. 

The council president said she supported the component of the ordinance that added the three new positions. “I would have preferred if this was separated into a different action so we could vote more individually upon it,” Ruehle said. 

Councilor Justin Dick expressed trepidation about eliminating of the administrator position and moving to a department head structure. 

“I think siloing of the departments is a real thing,” Dick said. “I worry that we may get a department head that doesn't gel with the rest of the group or may bulldoze or railroad their way through into getting what they want.” 

Simultaneously, Dick commended Grimm for his recent effort. “I don't know how many other mayors would step in and work those 10- to 12-hour days as a part-time mayor, which you did for the first seven months,” he said. 

While Grimm has purportedly worked long hours since he was sworn in this January, he intends to taper down to a part-time commitment, which the position has been for prior mayors. In Sandpoint’s fiscal year 2024 budget, the annual salary for the position of mayor is $22,350. For full-time work — 40 hours/week — the hourly wage would be $10.75. 

Grimm plans to rely on the new department heads and the council as he reduces his hours. 

“I believe the council and the mayor are here to ensure that there's accountability from the department heads,” he said. “I see this change as putting more work on the council. I do not shy away from that” Grimm added. 

Councilors Pam Duquette and Rick Howarth voiced support for the ordinance. 

“Before joining this council, I can tell you there were numerous people in my circle of influence that were very disappointed in the prior structure,” Howarth said to Grimm. “I give you grace — I want this structure to work. I'm fully supportive of the ordinance.” 

After the ordinance was passed, the council voted on two items that would confirm Cheryl Hughes and Jason Welker, respectively, as the new central services director and community planning and development director; both were passed unanimously.  

The position of public works director is the only vacant seat in the new department head structure. According to the city, a recruitment effort is underway. 

    Sandpoint's 2023 organization chart shows the administrative structure of City Hall prior to the November 2023 election. Under this framework, the now-defunct city administrator played a major role in managing operations.