Two words for Woody McEvers: Thank you

One cannot come to know Mayor Woody McEvers and not come to like him. He is, as they say, the genuine article. The real deal. An original. We hate to use a cliche, but they broke the mold after making Woody McEvers. His joy, his laugh, his smile, his sense of humor, are one of a kind. 

For a quarter of a century, the man has served Coeur d’Alene, nearly all of that on the City Council, and the last 16 months as mayor. He has served on commissions and committees. He has sat through more than 1,000 meetings. A skatepark bears his name. The Lake City Center owes him a great deal of appreciation. And this city will forever be in his debt. 

He has served this city not just with mind, but with heart. A big heart. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who cares about this community more than Woody McEvers. Words like “selfless,” “vision,” “caring,” and “humble" have been used to describe him. He was, in a word, cool.

Perhaps, ironically, McEvers, a surfer dude at heart and longtime restaurant owner, was never a politician. He was not a gifted speaker. Not exactly eloquent. He did not rally hundreds to his causes. If he ever spoke a bad word about anyone, it would be big news. He never liked the politics that came with being an elected official. He didn’t like the pushing and pulling from the different sides.

Yet, that did not deter him from running for office. Again. And again. And again. And he won. Again. And again. It wasn’t so much because people expected him to carry out their agenda, but because they knew he cared. They knew he would act on their behalf, not his own. Say what you will about Woody McEvers, he is one of a rare breed who is exactly who he seems to be. We all like to find dirt on someone. There was none to be found here.

What he did, arguably better than any other councilor, was listen. He listened closely. Intently. If he wasn't clear on something, you could tell because he turned his head, with a quizzical look on his face, and would ask for further explanation or clarification. He had a way of questioning people that put them at ease, not on the defensive. 

The Press has had the honor of interviewing Woody McEvers scores of times over the years. Honor is a good word to describe him. Those times he didn’t pick up the phone, he called us back. He did not dodge questions. He didn’t dodge the issues. He went about representing the people without fanfare or expectations. If he had strong opinions on an issue, you didn’t know it. He didn’t launch into long dialogues to win over people. He was a man of few words who let his vote speak for him. 

But with his defeat in the mayoral race in November’s General Election, Woody McEvers is calling it a career when it comes to public office. You will likely not see his name on the ballot again, which is too bad. Every town and city could use more people like Woody McEvers.

Finally, fittingly, we note that the Woody McEvers Skate Park bears this quote from its namesake: "Dude, make it cool."

He did.