If anyone deserves to rest on her laurels, Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem does.

In the five years that she’s been in office, the Lake City has undergone dramatic change. All along the waterfront, Bloem’s community is evolving. New high-rises are joining the Coeur d’Alene Resort to form a 21st-century skyline. A long-awaited library is under construction; a community center soon will be.

With its picturesque backdrop of water and mountains, Coeur d’Alene has always been a pleasant resort area. In recent years, however, the booming community has attracted the box stores, chain franchises, restaurants, motels and banks to become self-contained. Downtown shops have rebounded from a 40 percent vacancy rate. Coeur d’Alene’s growth and vibrancy have also made it into a burgeoning political power in far-away Boise.

If Bloem did nothing else in the remainder of her second term, she’d go down in Coeur d’Alene history as one of its best mayors, maybe the best. Others have accomplished much. But Bloem has been preparing her community for change for decades, first as a downtown business leader and now as the first female mayor and only the second mayor to win two four-year terms. Fortunately, she remains enthused about her job and sees no end to the challenges.

In her State of the City address this week, she spelled out a series of priorities.

Of utmost importance will be the establishment of an education corridor extending along the Spokane River from North Idaho College – a campus where the community college can feed students into a system of upper division courses offered by the University of Idaho, Lewis-Clark State College and Idaho’s other four-year institutions. The education corridor will be possible only if the city can take advantage of developer Marshall Chesrown’s offer of property at his cost when he takes possession of the DeArmond Mill adjacent to North Idaho College.

Not only would the education corridor double the number of students enrolled at NIC and four-year colleges, but it would have a ripple effect. Bloem envisions condominium and apartment developments to house faculty and students. She believes the city will be able to add at least one more entrance to the historic Fortgrounds area surrounding the college. Only one entrance-exit exists now. Also, she believes that the sewage treatment plant, which underwent a $15 million upgrade that was completed this week, can be incorporated into college curriculum of national significance involving wastewater treatment.

Equally important, Bloem is committed to ensuring that lower- and middle-income residents aren’t left behind as her town moves forward. The city has studied affordable housing problems and now is busy changing ordinances and encouraging infilling to provide homes for these important demographics.

Bloem has detractors. Some believe NIC should be moved to the Rathdrum Prairie and rebuilt with the money gained from selling its prestigious site. Others question the role the urban renewal district has played in the redevelopment. She’ll listen to them politely. That’s her way. Then, she’ll push ahead.