Kennedy joins CdA council

Newly sworn in Coeur d’Alene City Councilman Mike Kennedy can’t wait to check his new city e-mail account.

And he hopes it’s filled with messages from local residents.

After taking the oath of office Tuesday afternoon, Kennedy thanked his family, friends and supporters, and then gave out his new council address – mkennedy@cdaid.org – and encouraged taxpayers to write.

“I understand completely that we work for all of you, not any one group or any one interest,” Kennedy told the 50 people gathered at City Hall. Cable Channel 19 broadcast the ceremony later in the day.

“I’m honored to be here,” said Kennedy, who was elected in November. “Let’s get to work.”

Kennedy took the oath along with council members Deanna Goodlander and Woody McEvers, who were re-elected in November. Mayor Sandi Bloem also was sworn in for a second term.

Kennedy’s first act of business was to help unanimously elect Councilman Ron Edinger as council president.

At 36, Kennedy is the youngest member of the council, and he and his wife, Kathleen, have five children ranging in age from 10 months to 10 years. His children sat in the audience, coloring until it was their father’s turn to raise his right hand. Then they stood behind him and listened as he pledged to uphold the U.S. Constitution, the state constitution and city laws.

Kennedy beat out challengers Mary Souza and Dan Yake and collected a record-breaking war chest of $27,535 in his bid for the office that pays $8,400 per year.

The campaign became heated when one of Souza’s advisers questioned whether Kennedy, who works for the software company XDimensional Technologies, was a resident of Coeur d’Alene. The adviser decided not to challenge Kennedy’s win.

Kennedy was living in Hayden until July, when he rented a room in a Coeur d’Alene house to comply with the residency law. Council candidates must live in Coeur d’Alene for at least 30 days before declaring their candidacy. Kennedy has maintained his residency at the Coeur d’Alene rental since the election.

He said his family is moving into their new home in the Coeur d’Alene Place subdivision on Jan. 30.

Kennedy will serve on the city’s public works committee and act as a liaison to the finance and legal departments.

He replaces Councilman Ben Wolfinger, who served five years and decided not to run for re-election because his job as a Kootenai County Sheriff’s captain was taking up too much of his time. During the meeting, council members presented Wolfinger with a plaque.

“He’s been one of the better councilmen I’ve ever served with,” said outgoing council President Dixie Reid, who noted that she has seen her share of new council members.

Even though Wolfinger is leaving the council, he isn’t cutting all ties with the city. Before the meeting was adjourned, Bloem appointed him as a citizen member of the Sign Board Commission that is rewriting laws for signs and billboards within city limits.