Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Council Organization topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
New Sandpoint council sworn in; Deb Rule elected council president and council issues proclamation
Summary
The council swore in newly elected and re-elected members, re-elected Deb Rule as council president by roll call, and Mayor Jeremy Grama issued a proclamation designating Jan. 11, 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Day / Wear Blue Day in Sandpoint.
Sandpoint's City Council held ceremonial and organizational business on Jan. 17. The meeting began with farewells to outgoing councilors and an invocation, then the city administered oaths of office to re-elected and newly elected council members, including Joel (Espiro), Joe Tate and Joshua Torres.
At the first meeting of the newly seated council, Councilor Pam Duquette nominated Deb Rule for council president; Rule accepted the nomination and the council voted by roll call to elect her to a two-year term. Mayor Jeremy Grama read a proclamation recognizing Jan. 11, 2026 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day / Wear Blue Day and encouraged the community to report suspicious activity to the national hotline at +1 (888) 373-7888 or by texting 233733.
Council members also approved the consent calendar as part of the incumbents' concluding fiscal business; Mayor Grama reported total bills of $1,159,045.15 for payment. Staff and council outlined upcoming procedural items, including a Jan. 21 public hearing on short‑term rental and residential zoning code amendments.
The meeting adjourned at 8:04 p.m.
