Three former Coeur d’Alene mayors offered insights from the past and advice for the future Tuesday. 

One of them, Jim Hammond, cited the Beatles’ song, “All You Need Is Love.” 

He said no matter one’s faith, love can unite.

“You don’t even need a Bible if you love yourself, which is truly the hardest part,” said Hammond, who served as mayor from 2022 to 2024 before resigning to be with family in Colorado. “And you love your neighbor. It kind of throws all these other things away because that’s all you need. Love is all you need.” 

A few hundred people attended the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber event at The Coeur d’Alene Resort. The mayor part of the program was billed as “Legacy and Leadership” as the elected leaders outlined challenges, accomplishments and what they learned in office.

Mayor Woody McEvers called the trio of Hammond, Sandi Bloem and Steve Judy, part of “the foundation of where we are today.” 

Judy, who served from 1997 to 2001, was the city’s youngest mayor when elected at age 28.  

“Certainly at that age I was very naïve and idealistic,” he said. 

But he got things done, including snow gates on plows to prevent leaving berms in front of driveways, bringing back the annual leaf pickup and the city’s purchase of 33 acres of Cherry Hill for $500,000 in 1999. 

“Cherry Hill for me was certainly a wonderful accomplishment,” he said. 

Judy was a promoter of public art, including on Northwest Boulevard. 

“Yes, I’m responsible for the feathers,” he said as the crowd laughed. 

Bloem, mayor from 2001 to 2014, called it the best time of her life.

“There isn’t anything like being mayor,” she said. 

Bloem was instrumental in major projects like the Coeur d’Alene Public Library, the Kroc Center and McEuen Park, for which she credited strong private/public partnerships. 

She said she should not receive praise for how well each of those turned out. 

“It wasn’t about me. It was about all of you,” she said. 

Hammond recalled one of his first meetings as mayor was a workshop about using federal funds. A crowd turned out wanting to testify, but as it was a workshop, they could not. 

"I learned at that meeting I was a tyrant,” Hammond said. 

He credited Police Chief Lee White with helping him manage heated meetings by calling for recesses so they could cool down, while allowing all people to be heard. 

Hammond was mayor when the city went through a racial incident that gained national attention. He said it was important for city leadership to defend those who had been wronged and make sure all were treated equally and welcome in Coeur d’Alene. 

Hammond also opened the invocations before City Council meetings to all faiths, rather than only Christian, to be sure all were treated fairly.

“I think that has served us well,” he said. 

In closing, Judy said it’s all too easy to criticize.

“The challenge for all of us is to step up and take responsibility," he said.

Bloem said she “always felt Coeur d’Alene had a true sense of place, a true sense of who it was.” 

But she said the city's demographics have changed. She said long timers have to remind newcomers of what Coeur d'Alene stands for, what it is about, and engage with them. 

“I don’t think it just happens,” she said.  

Hammond agreed sense of place is essential to a vibrant, effective community, so it an “endure when challenges come our way."