COEUR d'ALENE - Nearly 200 people attended the Coeur d'Alene City Council meeting Tuesday night in a show of support for the four incumbents targeted by the recall effort.

Nancy Sue Wallace, a former council member, spoke on behalf of the group of "concerned citizens," she helped organize as a way to publicly thank council members Mike Kennedy, Deanna Goodlander, Woody McEvers and Mayor Sandi Bloem for their leadership.

"Thank you for an enhanced vision, which has allowed Coeur d'Alene to be all it can be now and in the future," she said. "Thank you for the tenacity in making difficult decisions. Thank you for having the character to take the high road."

As Wallace read a prepared statement during the public comment portion of the meeting, between 150 and 200 people stood behind her in the packed library community room. When it was over, applause broke out.

"Whoa," Bloem said after the clapping died.

She then thanked the people, many of whom were community leaders, for their help in shaping the current vision of Coeur d'Alene.

"We are honored and overwhelmed by the support from the community," Bloem said.

Wallace, who ended the speech by calling the incumbents "tremendous role models," said she organized the public gathering because she was tired of seeing the incumbents being publicly "bashed."

"We couldn't be more proud of you," Wallace told them.