Committee aims to help sustain city

SANDPOINT — Two years have passed since City Council gave the official nod to the creation of a new advisory panel, the Sustainability Committee. However, the seats at the table have remained vacant until recently, when city officials issued a new request for applicants.

"We received a great deal of interest and several applications. After reviewing all the applications received, conducting interviews and taking into consideration the requirements of the ordinance, I made seven initial appointments to the committee," wrote Mayor Shelby Rognstad in a letter to City Council.

According to official guidelines, the majority of committee members should reside within the Sandpoint city limits and should have experience or expertise regarding sustainability.

"The ordinance states ...'the committee (should) act in an advisory capacity to the mayor and city council to aid in the process of effective, responsible and efficient government, with the goal of enhancing connectivity, good stewardship, ensuring resilience and fostering socioeconomic health,'" said Rognstad.

The designees for the sustainability include: Nancy Dooley, John Hastings, Rebecca Holland, Cindy Peer, David Price-Williams, Karen Robinson and Katie Turner. The mayor has chosen councilwoman Shannon Williamson, executive director of Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper, as the committee's council liaison, as specified in city code. He will seek official approval of appointees at Wednesday evening's City Council meeting. 

Nancy Dooley has been a Bonner County resident for 21 years, residing within the city for 11 of those years, according to her committee application. She is the North Idaho outreach coordinator for the Idaho Conservation League and has acted as administrative executive director of the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Conservancy, now Kaniksu Land Trust, according to her Facebook page. She has also been involved with Friends of the Lake Pend Oreille Bay Trail and 101 Women.

Sandpoint High School teacher John Hastings is a 19-year city resident. He teaches environmental studies and forestry and acts as a dual enrollment instructor of horticulture and landscape design via the University of Idaho. Along with his wife, Nancy, Hastings owns the All Seasons Garden Center in Sandpoint. He is a member of the Bonner County Bonfire Committee, volunteers for Friends of Scotchman Peak, Idaho Conservation League and Kaniksu Land Trust, according to his application.

"I desire to serve on this committee to assist Sandpoint in maintaining a vibrant community and economy that are resilient to regional and global changes," Hastings said.

Rebecca Holland, who has lived in Bonner County for 41 years and Sandpoint proper for 15, owns All-Star Photo. She chairs the city's Pedestrian and Bicycle Committee.

"Supporting Sandpoint and continued efforts to improve its environmental health is the reason I wish to serve," she said on her application.

Ten-year Bonner County resident Cindy Peer works in the printing business from her home. She volunteered on the Sandpoint Transition Recycling Committee for two years. She currently holds a seat on the city's Historic Preservation Committee, according to her application.

"I have always been passionate about sustainable living," she said, "and I feel that Sandpoint could benefit by having a better recycling program. The best way to do this is to form a commission to explore ways to implement a plan."

David Price-Williams has lived in the city for a year, working in the waste management industry. He wants to help support the community and improve the quality of life now and in the future, he said on his Sustainability Committee application.

Karen Robinson is a 29-year Sandpoint resident who has lived in Bonner County for 36 years. She has worked as a resource specialist in forest stewardship for the Idaho Department of Lands and Inland Forest Management Inc. She coordinates the annual Idaho State Forestry Contest. Robinson is involved in the Friends of Scotchman Peaks and is a well-known artist who runs her own business.

"I would like to serve on the city Sustainability Committee because of my lifelong interest and passion for our planet and all its inhabitants. I believe I have a wealth of knowledge to contribute toward achieving the goals of such a committee, as well as a broad network of support resources," Robinson said on her application.

Relatively new to the area, Katie Turner has lived in Sandpoint for a year and a half. She works as group sales fulfillment coordinator for Schweitzer Mountain Resort. She has volunteered on several ecological restoration projects, including sea turtle research in Hawaii.

"As an active community member who cares about the overall health, integrity and  sustainability of Sandpoint, I am passionate about the issues facing Sandpoint and greater Bonner County," Turner said in her application letter. "A key area of interest is waste management and recycling."

With the population of the Sustainability Committee, Sandpoint stands to enter a new era of environmental responsibility, with future prospects including more effective recycling capabilities and ongoing stewardship of natural resources.

"To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations," according to EPA. 

If qualifications and a drive to succeed are any indicators, the Sandpoint Sustainability Committee is set to lead the community into a healthier, more environmentally viable future.