COEUR d’ALENE — Mayor Dan Gookin said an email supports his allegation that the city's attorney and two City Council members conspired against him in his effort to appoint a police chief last month.

“This letter confirms it. Confirms that the city attorney coordinated with two city council people to undermine my authority at a meeting,” Gookin said during an interview Tuesday.

Because of it, Gookin said he will continue to seek the removal or resignation of City Attorney Randy Adams.

During the meeting, Gookin said Adams sent a “targeted email" dated April 16 to City Council President Amy Evans and Councilman Dan Sheckler and did not adhere to his job as a representative of the whole council. He also said Adams did so to undermine and embarrass him.

Evans disagreed.

“I reached out to him for his legal opinion about this because my understanding from the process you established was that the appointment needed to come from Ron Jacobson,” Evans said, “I was concerned about that, and I reached out, appropriately, to our city attorney for advice on this.”

Sheckler also disagreed with Gookin.

“I only think it's appropriate for him to provide both the council president and me his opinion. If anybody else wants this email, they certainly could request it," Sheckler said. "But I don't understand what the problem is to have legal advice from the city attorney being provided to the council president and to a member of the City Council making a motion." 

Sheckler moved to have the issue brought up at a future meeting. 

Christie Wood requested official reviews of Adams’ and Evans’ positions at a future meeting but later rescinded the request.  

Councilmember Kiki Miller said she was surprised to hear the accusations thrown around.

“This is really disheartening, I am trying to absorb what is currently happening right now,” Miller said. “I have had a sense for quite some time over this police chief issue that there was a lot of orchestrating going on."

Miller then questioned Gookin about whether Adams was doing his job and informing the council president and the council member who was making a rival motion about the mayor’s actions. 

She also said she believed the email was in response to an inquiry from Evans or Sheckler. 

Gookin disagreed.

“Show me the proof that they inquired," he said. "It came from his office to undermine the mayor."

Gookin said he is considering several actions regarding Adams' role with the city.

“It is obvious that I have a city attorney that is not working in the best interest of this mayor and this city,” Gookin said.

Last month, during a heated meeting April 21, the City Council voted 4-2 to name Greg Yeager of Fort Collins police in Colorado as Coeur d'Alene's police chief. Gookin wanted to appointment interim police chief Capt. Dave Hagar to the post, but that failed by a 4-2 vote. He accused Adams of working against him.

Hagar has been the acting police chief since Lee White retired earlier this year.

Yeager's tentative start date is June 1.