Coeur d'Alene City Council Meeting - July 8, 2026
Coeur d'Alene City Council Meeting - July 8, 2026
The Coeur d'Alene City Council met on July 8, 2026, to discuss the fiscal year 2024-25 audit, public comments, consent calendar, several resolutions, and a discussion on fireworks ordinance amendments. The meeting included presentations, reports, and council actions.
Presentation: Fiscal Year 2024-25 Audit
- Tony Hackwith, managing member of Alpine Summit CPA, presented the audit results. The city received an unmodified opinion, the highest possible. The general fund balance was $17.6 million, with $13.8 million unassigned (26% of general revenues). Operating revenues decreased by $968,000 due to a $2.4 million drop in intergovernmental revenues, while property taxes increased by $1.5 million. Operating expenses increased by $1.37 million (2%), with public safety up $2.5 million. The city had 90 days of unassigned fund balance (GFOA recommends 60 days). Water fund net income was $1.2 million; wastewater fund net income was $5.3 million.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Christine Zeradawa (Zarandawa) expressed strong opposition to the new fireworks ordinance, criticized Mayor Gukin and Governor Little, and urged citizens to protect constitutional rights. She described the council as unpatriotic and called for their removal.
- Lee Wayman requested permission to remove a tree on a public right-of-way near his property, citing a risk of falling onto a chimney and gas line. He had been denied by the urban forester. Council encouraged him to formally appeal the Urban Forestry Commission's decision.
- Max stated he would sue the city over building permit issues, alleging the city made mistakes, failed to respond to a public records request, and that the city attorney claimed sovereign immunity. He expressed frustration and said he would see them in court.
Council Announcements
- Councilmember Amy announced two Arts Commission programs: the Art Spotlight CDA Visual Arts Grant Program (applications due July 10) and nominations for the 30th Annual Coeur d'Alene Arts Awards (due August 28).
- Mayor reported on a short-term rental workshop (June 26), a downtown noise workshop (June 29) where enforcement was discussed, and the dedication of a new time capsule at the county courthouse. He thanked the chamber for the Fourth of July parade and the Hagadone Corporation for the fireworks show. He also acknowledged Ron Jacobson's last meeting as interim city administrator and the retirement of Deputy Fire Chief Bill Dereder.
Consent Calendar
- Approved.
Discussion Items
- Confirmation of Parks and Recreation Director: Council confirmed the appointment of Adam Rouse as Parks and Recreation Director, effective immediately. The motion passed unanimously.
- Resolution 26-054: Approved an amendment to the classification and compensation plan adding two new FLSA exempt positions in the wastewater department: Assistant Office Project Manager and Assistant Field Project Manager (both pay grade 14). The motion passed unanimously.
- Resolution 26-055: Approved a special assessment levy of $29,600 against property at 361 West Mill Avenue for demolition costs. The motion passed unanimously.
- Resolution 26-056: Approved a new budget administration reallocation and amendment policy and revisions to the supplies and personal services policy and public works construction procurement policy. The policy requires council approval for reallocation of personnel savings. The motion passed unanimously.
- Resolution 26-057: Approved the second year of funding for the Arts Spotlight CDA performing arts grants: $5,000 each to Lake City Playhouse, Coeur d'Alene Summer Theater, and the Music Conservatory of Coeur d'Alene, totaling $15,000. The motion passed unanimously.
- Fireworks Ordinance Discussion: Council discussed potential amendments to Section 8.12.020 regarding enforcement. Concerns were raised about the language “shall be evidence” and the lack of a “knowing” element. City Attorney Randy advised that the current language is appropriate and that changing “shall” to “may” could create discretion issues. Council directed staff (law enforcement and legal) to draft a revised ordinance within four months. The motion passed unanimously.
- Council Bill 26-013: Approved amendments to the city's wastewater code (Section 13.20) as required by IDEQ, removing duplicative language and adding spill reporting requirements. The motion passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Council confirmed Adam Rouse as Parks and Recreation Director.
- Approved several resolutions relating to personnel, property assessment, budget policies, and arts grants.
- Directed staff to propose revisions to the fireworks ordinance within four months.
- Approved amendments to wastewater code.
- Entered executive session to deliberate on a labor contract offer (motion passed unanimously).
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. This is the Cordelaine City Council meeting, and I seem to have lost my agenda. Thank you. It is thank you, Dan. It is July seventh, twenty twenty-six, and it's a beautiful day in Court d'Alane, but we would like to call this meeting to order. Clerk will take the role. English. Here. Wood. Evans. Here, Miller, Hair. Gabriel. Here. Very good. Uh, we will do our invocation from David Gortner, Luke's St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Will everyone please rise? Before we pray, thank you all for the work you do and for the commitments of your hearts for the good of this place for which we're stewards and for the people who live and work and learn and visit here. Tonight, following this great weekend celebration of two hundred and fifty years of our independence as a nation, and looking toward this high energy season here in Courtalane, let's open our minds and hearts to God. These are prayers which we prayed for our nation on Sunday, and I invite you to pray these prayers for this city council and for all our leaders and citizens. With all in this room and all gathered online and from all our diverse faiths, I pray these things through Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns one God forever and ever. Amen. Thank you, David. Kiki, could you lead us in the pledge? I pledge allegiance to apply. And which stands under audit. Thank you. Item D, are there any amendments to the agenda? Moving on, we have a presentation on item E. This is our fiscal year 2024-25 audit. And I know Terry is here. There you are. So Terry Hackwith, managing member of Alpine Summit CPA will be doing our presentation. Tony, I'm sorry. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor and Council. I am going to go over the results of your audit, and then I have a few financial highlights to go over and then some graphs, historical graphs to go over in my presentation. Go ahead and stop me at any time if you have questions, and if I can't answer them tonight, I will get back with you. And okay. Okay. As the mayor uh indicated, this was your financial statement audit for your year-in September 30th, 2025. Um you have an audit done because state statutes require it, and the primary purpose that they require it is to so that they can ensure that your financial statements are materially correct and that they're in accordance with GAAP, generally accepted accounting principles and governmental cap. Okay. As a result of our audit procedures, we issue three separate reports. Um is the independent auditors report, and this is over whether or not your financial statements are materially correct at that time period and during that time period. Um we've issued an unmodified opinion, which is the best opinion you can have. Uh kind of sounds contradictory, but um it basically means throughout procedures that we feel that your financial statements are materially correct. Uh as a governmental entity, we also have to do some work over your internal controls and compliance with uh laws and regulations as they for financial reporting. Um this report that we issued, we did have one item that we found where a correction needed to be made for the prior year. Um your finance director has put in place um some additional procedures to uh minimize that this would happen in future years.
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