Kenny Gabriel, appointed to the Coeur d’Alene City Council in October, wants to stay put. 

The retired fire chief said Thursday he is seeking to be elected to the two-year post in November, which would keep him in office through 2027. 

“I gave my professional life to Coeur d’Alene, first as a firefighter, then as fire chief, serving and protecting this incredible community," Gabriel said. “Now, I’m ready to continue that service by helping lead our city into its next chapter while preserving everything we love about it.” 

Gabriel said his campaign is grounded in his “unwavering commitment to protecting the safety, legacy and future of the city he has long called home.” 

His priorities include ensuring strong and effective public safety services; preserving Coeur d’Alene’s small-town character and natural beauty; guiding responsible development that serves families and future generations and championing transparency and common-sense leadership at City Hall. 

The 62-year-old said he has enjoyed being on the council more than he even expected when appointed to fill the seat of Woody McEvers, who was appointed to be mayor when Jim Hammond resigned. 

“It’s an opportunity to kind of shape what the town is going to continue to look like,” he said. “I really appreciate that.” 

What he appreciates most, though, is people’s passion for their community. 

“I love to hear from people. It’s important to them,” Gabriel said. “I love being part of that process. It's very rewarding.” 

Public safety is paramount to Gabriel, who served as the city’s fire chief for 22 years before retiring in 2022. He said the city is blessed with strong fire and police departments. 

“I want to be a champion for them,” he said.  

Gabriel wants to do what he can to preserve the city’s character, but said growth is here and won’t be going away. The high cost of housing and increase in traffic are issues that have huge impact, which he hopes to address.

“We can’t escape it. What we can do is try to manage it the best way we can,” he said. 

The council has talked about building height restrictions for downtown, which Gabriel said is something he wants to investigate, and he would like to discuss the city perhaps working with the state to provide incentives for builders to construct attainable housing. 

But he doesn’t want things to become too complicated or government to try and do too much. 

“Simpler is better. I’m a big fan of less government,” he said. 

Gabriel said he’s as transparent as possible on the council so voters know what he stands for.

“If I'm lucky enough to get elected, they need to know what I’m doing for them,” he said. 

Gabriel and his wife, Wendy, have called Coeur d’Alene home for decades, raising their child and now grandchildren here, “and investing in the community every way, from public service to local partnerships.” 

He said he has seen Coeur d’Alene change over the years and has spent much of his adult life doing what he can to better the community. 

“I’m not looking for anything,” he said. “All I want to do is help. I’m going to continue to try and make a difference.”