HAYDEN, Idaho — The Hayden mayoral saga will continue at 4 p.m. Monday in Hayden City Council Chambers.
A special meeting will be held for city staff to present Council members with a draft outlining mayor applicant requirements, as requested by Council members at the March 22 regular meeting, as reported by our partners, The Coeur d'Alene Press.
"After Monday, we may have a process on how we can move forward with receiving interest from the citizens on being the mayor,” Hayden clerk Abbi Sanchez said Thursday.
Hayden has been without a mayor since Steve Griffitts resigned in February. Discord has settled on the remaining Council, which has at times struggled to come to consensus or make decisions with no mayor to break ties and is experiencing infighting through the process to appoint a new mayor.
At the last meeting, Council President/Acting Mayor Matt Roetter and Councilwoman Sandra White shot down longtime City Councilman Roger Saterfiel's opportunity to be appointed interim mayor from within after a contentious cross-examination of Saterfiel by Roetter.
Saterfiel, who was unable to discuss his extensive experience as a public servant at the time, has prepared a My Turn piece that is featured in the local section of The Press today. Saterfiel said he still plans to submit his application to be appointed interim mayor.
"I’m disappointed in that I wasn’t given an opportunity to present my credentials, but I'm also very very grateful and enthused,” he said. "I’ve gotten so many phone calls, emails, etc. in support, and that support comes from the people of Hayden and ex-commissioners, ex-senators, a lot of people that are very prominent citizens.
"I am very humbled by the outreach to me by the general public," he said.
While his My Turn offers some criticism for Roetter and White, he said he hopes it will also serve as "an olive branch" to his colleagues so Hayden can move forward.
"Maybe, just maybe, there might be a change of heart to do what’s right for the city," he said.
For Councilman Ed DePriest, it all comes down to experience.
"We need an experienced person with qualifications and proven abilities to lead cities and examples of how they've had successes, and with knowledge of how cities operate," he said.
Hayden City Hall is at 8930 N. Government Way.
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