Schreiber runs for city council

SANDPOINT — Kyle Schreiber has been attending the city’s council meetings for the past year to gain a better understanding of changes happening in the community — and he isn't happy with what he's seeing.

That’s one reason he has decided to run for Sandpoint City Council. He is establishing his campaign based on three focuses: workforce housing, transparency and responsiveness, and fiscal responsibility.

Schreiber and his wife moved to Sandpoint from Colorado about six years ago. He said he feels most at home in rural mountain towns, where he spent most of his life. However, he has seen similar patterns with workforce housing challenges in those areas. From his experience, he believes it will take several strategies working in unison to properly address workforce housing in Sandpoint.

He has been a vocal critic of some of the city's transportation projects, including a "couplet" project that is part of Sandpoint’s Multimodal Transportation Plan. He has also contributed to conversation about a downtown truck route.

“The economic benefit that our community gets from businesses along Pine Street massively outweighs a three-minute shorter trip for a trucker driving 12 hours across the country,” Schreiber said at the Aug. 2 council meeting.

Schreiber said he would like to see more transparency and responsiveness from the council.

"Too often, we find out after the fact about big changes, and we are only given part of the story,” he said. “Of course, big decisions are complicated, and it is difficult to explain every detail and nuance of why a decision was made in a particular way, but our local officials need to take action when the public makes their voices heard.”

As a city councilor, Schreiber said he will also focus on prioritizing specific infrastructure improvements. He believes city streets are below national standards and pedestrian paths need updating.

“Our 'walking town' fails to provide safe pedestrian routes, and our sewer infrastructure is decades overdue for replacement,” he said. “Our city must prioritize the needs of residents by focusing on basic city services first.”

Schreiber is hosting a campaign launch event Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Matchwood Brewery, on the mezzanine.

Information: KyleForSandpoint.com.