Sanborn emphasizes community and continuity for Wallace
JOSH McDONALD | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 days, 18 hours AGO
Wallace Mayor Chase Sanborn was sworn in by city clerk Kristina Larson during the city's January council meeting.
AriAna McDonald
WALLACE – “We’re going to stick to what we do best.”
That’s the plan, at least for now, for the city of Wallace, according to recently sworn-in Mayor Chase Sanborn.
Sanborn, along with new city council members Katie Watterson and Scott Leitch, were sworn in during the most recent Wallace City Council meeting on Jan. 14. The ceremony marked the start of a new leadership chapter for the small, historic community, which relies heavily on consistency and collaboration to keep the community’s economy afloat.
In one of the tightest races in recent memory, Sanborn narrowly edged out Shauna Hillman by just six votes to win the election.
Sanborn is taking over for Lynn Mogensen, a two-term mayor who helped navigate the city through several challenging times, including the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the city’s tourism-based economy. After deciding not to seek re-election, the table was set for a new mayor.
"I'm excited about taking over," Sanborn said. "The city has been in good hands. I want to thank Lynn, the council, and city staff for their dedication and hard work."
During his campaign, Sanborn leaned on his experience as a former city councilman, during which time he helped the city through several major infrastructural improvements. He also floated several ideas to improve the city, both from a beautification and a governance standpoint.
The new mayor emphasized better communication with city employees, launching the YouTube channel, continuing infrastructure improvements, and cleaning up Wallace’s section of the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River.
But for the time being, he plans to spend his first few months refamiliarizing himself with the other city officials, city processes, and continuing to let Wallace function as it has for the past few years.
“Right now, we’re getting to know everybody,” Sanborn said. “I want to make sure we’re all on the same path. We have a top-notch crew here at the city. I want to continue to give them the tools to do their jobs.”
As far as “sticking to what we do best,” for Sanborn that’s ensuring that Wallace’s robust event and festival calendar continues to deliver high-quality, high-trafficked events that bring dollars into the community. He noted that these events have long been a reliable driver for the city and remain a point of pride for residents and the people who organize them.
“The people who put them on really know what they’re doing,” Sanborn said.
ARTICLES BY JOSH MCDONALD
I‑90 pursuit from Pinehurst ends with arrest, dogs seized
Stanton reported locating the vehicle and observing multiple traffic violations, including failure to stop before entering roadways, failure to signal turns and erratic driving through parking lots, campgrounds and city streets. When Stanton activated his overhead lights to initiate a traffic stop, Warnock did not stop and instead continued driving at slow speeds while repeatedly changing direction before entering Interstate 90 eastbound.
I‑90 pursuit from Pinehurst ends with arrest, dogs seized
Kellogg sees progress in FEMA flood map dispute
In 2020, Kellogg and neighboring municipalities sought updated river flow data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, whose long‑term monitoring showed flood levels lower than those reflected in FEMA’s maps. Using that data, Kellogg submitted a Letter of Map Revision, or LOMR, to FEMA in early 2021, arguing that flood levels shown as 100‑year events would likely require flows closer to a 500‑year flood to reach projected elevations.