As mayor of Coeur d’Alene, Woody McEvers likes to hear ideas about how things could perhaps be better in the city. 

He got what he was after Tuesday during an hourlong workshop he organized with City Council members as city department heads looked on in the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Community Room. 

McEvers called it “more of a kumbaya” session “without a vote, without an issue,” and a chance to talk about hopes and dreams. 

“Let's just talk about things we think are important to our city,” McEvers said. “Everybody has different perspectives. It all seemed to make sense. It was all positive.” 

Fees, bonds, paid holidays, pay raises and staffing were among the subjects raised by councilors. 

Dan Gookin said he would like to see improved communication, public safety remain a priority and suggested the city hire another building inspector. 

“I think we could do more to expedite our service,” he said. 

Gookin also said he would like to see IT be its own department, as online security is an area of growing importance, and he noted the city was hacked last year.

He also said he would like to see raises for city attorneys, which brought a reaction from Dan English. 

“Did I hear right, that you want to pay attorneys more?” English said, smiling. 

Discussion also included why the city is the only government agency in Kootenai County that doesn’t recognize Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery, as a holiday. It was declared a federal holiday in 2021.

Gookin said city employees were having trouble doing their jobs on that day as they could not “interface” with other local government agencies. 

Melissa Tosi, human resources director, said the city already provides 11 paid holidays, including the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Another paid holiday could cost the city about $300,000. 

Christie Wood said perhaps another holiday could be exchanged for Juneteenth, or the city “could decide this is important” and declare it another paid day off. 

Kiki Miller said as boat traffic continues to grow on the Spokane River, the city “needs to be more proactive in what’s happening with one of our most valuable resources.” 

She also suggested the city consider hiring a communications person, whose role could include grant writing and research, which would help the post pay for itself. 

“Our parks department does an amazing job of finding every grant there is,” Wood said. 

Wood said the city should consider raising parking fees to pay for parks maintenance. 

“Kick that up a notch,” she said. 

Kenny Gabriel said he would like to see the city develop a succession plan for when administrators and other key personnel retire, so they are not caught unprepared. 

“We should be thinking about that much, much sooner than later,” he said. 

Gookin said the city will be receiving $1 million from the Coeur Terre annexation, and said the city could use that, plus budget $300,000 a year so it could have funds to replace fire department vehicles and apparatus on a five-year cycle, rather than relying on a bond every 10 years.

City voters recently approved a 10-year, $16.4 million bond for the fire department. 

Gabriel, however, said it was important to remember the $16.4 million will not come out of the general fund.  

“The bond has worked to great success,” he said. 

English agreed, saying there was “nothing negative about the bond.” 

“I don’t think it’s realistic to think we could do stuff without the bond,” English said. 

McEvers said he was satisfied with the workshop. He said it provided a chance to look at the way the city previously operated, how it operates today, and “where we want to be.” 

“Get stuff off our chest,” he said. “We don’t necessarily have the answers.”