New year brings new council members

SANDPOINT — The first meeting of 2018 saw new faces on City Council as Joel Aispuro and John Darling were sworn in Wednesday night.

Returning Council President Shannon Williamson took the oath as well. In their first order of business, Williamson was selected to continue her role as council president.

"I look forward to a productive working relationship and I'm eager to see the fruits that you bring to council," Rognstad said as he welcomed the new members.

Darling and Aispuro took over for council members Bob Camp and Stephen Snedden. While Snedden said his goodbyes in the last meeting in December, Camp started out Wednesday's meeting in his regular seat of the past four years.

As he prepared to step down, Camp jokingly offered his condolences to the new council members, who are looking at a busy four years ahead of them. He offered them some advice, including getting to know the city's department heads, all of whom are a "wealth of knowledge." Camp also detailed his struggle with pancreatic cancer, which he had been diagnosed with exactly three years ago, he said.

"I want to thank the staff and everybody for their prayers and well wishes," he said. "That second year on the council was quite a challenge."

It was prayer, he said, that helped him get better and ultimately overcome his illness.

"He's really shown incredible dedication to continue his service, particularly through life challenging illness, and I'm so happy to see you make it through those challenges and be able to continue to serve the city," Rognstad told Camp.

Throughout his years on council, Camp was never shy to vote against a resolution, regardless of how his fellow council members voted.

"Bob has often been the lone dissenting vote, or, in some cases, there’s been five dissenting votes and then there’s been Bob," Rogstad said. "So he’s certainly kept the debate lively and diverse, and he’s brought a fresh perspective to the council."

So in his final act as on council, as City Clerk Maree Peck read off the names of council members to vote on the consent agenda, Camp asked, "Do you want me to say no?" He ultimately voted in favor, but only after garnering a chuckle from the small crowd, all of whom stood to applaud him before he joined them in the audience.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.