SANDPOINT —     While concerns over potential electrical issues shuttered performances at the Panida for the past week, board members said an inspection gave the historic theater a clean bill of health, allowing it to reopen.

"Safety is the board’s first priority, so we exercised caution and performed due diligence before reopening the main theater," board member Amy Flint said. 

Flint said potential electrical safety concerns were identified at the June 4 board meeting, prompting the board to close both the historic theater and the adjacent Little Panida Theater while it sought legal guidance and arranged for a professional electrical assessment of the facilities.

Both a Monday walkthrough with a licensed electrical contractor and a state electrical inspection Wednesday brought positive news, allowing the board to reopen the main theater. The Little Theater was cleared for safety Monday afternoon.

Scheduled events this past weekend as well as events this week on Tuesday and Wednesday were relocated to alternate venues to give time to conduct the inspections. The relocation was "preferable to cancellation for all involved," Flint said.

Concerns over potential electrical issues at the theater were raised after executive director Heather White detailed a 2023 assessment of the theater's electrical system and noted there had been two electrical incidents over the past several months, including a near fire on the Panida stage.

After receiving the report on the recent incidents, White questioned what action had been taken and the status of the theater's electrical system. She said she talked to an engineer connected with the original report, which included an estimate for $300,000 to fix potential grounding issues with the theater's electrical system.

"I want it documented that I will not take personal responsibility," a clearly frustrated White told board members about the lack of documented action. "I will help the board achieve the recommendation, which include a full-on electrical assessment of both buildings; the same with the safety lighting, which we do not have."

When White told the engineer about a near fire on the stage, his response was clear: "You don't even have the legal lights that you need to get out of the building …"

White was then interrupted by board vice chair Charlotte Solly, who said the board might need to move to executive session to discuss the matter.

"I want it noted because when we get sued, I want it noted that I had no knowledge of this," White said, cutting Solly off. "I will do what I can but we need well over $300,000 in repairs … this is unacceptable."

Solly said she understood White's concerns but said it wasn't appropriate to continue the discussion in open session.

"I would say that if you are recommending that the Panida is unsafe then we have no option but to close the Panida," Solly said. "I don't feel like you are giving us any other option on this right now. "

Solly adjourned the meeting, saying the theater would need to be closed until the appropriate inspections could be conducted.

"Safety of the community is my number one thing," she added. "I have no choice but to go down that line. … Life is most important (and) making sure the Panida is safe for our community."

Speculating on the theater's safety at the meeting was not the "healthiest move." Solly said the board took White's concerns seriously and would move to take immediate action to investigate them. 

With that, Solly moved to go into executive session to decide whether the theater was safe to remain open — and to discuss the appropriate path forward.

Thursday, board members said that while the potential electrical issues were concerning, the two inspections brought good news.

"We want to thank community members for their patience as we navigated this unanticipated challenge," Flint said.