Recall Effort Underway in Sandpoint
A recall effort against Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm and City Council President Deb Ruehle has been formally authorized, following community backlash over the city’s implementation of paid parking downtown. Bonner County Clerk Michael Rosedale approved the recall on Friday, July 24, allowing petitioners to begin collecting signatures immediately.
The recall petition targets the two officials over their roles in approving the downtown paid parking program, which took effect July 1. Ryan Ryebreadloh, one of the organizers, stated the recall effort aims to hold elected officials accountable to constituents. The petitioners must gather 1,048 certified signatures from Sandpoint residents by October 7 to trigger a recall election.
If either official does not resign within five business days of being notified of the certified petition, an election will be held. A recall election would require 1,177 votes to remove Grimm and 1,080 votes to remove Ruehle from office.
Paid Parking Program Sparks Community Backlash
The city council approved the paid parking initiative last summer, intending to manage downtown traffic and generate revenue. When the program launched July 1, it drew immediate community resistance. A protest was held that day at the Church Street city lot, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the change.
At least one downtown business owner reported a 64 percent decline in sales compared to the same period the previous year, citing the paid parking as a factor driving customers away.
The swift negative response prompted the council to reassess the policy. On July 15, just two weeks after implementation, the council voted to scale back enforcement significantly. The revised approach limits paid parking to the Sandpoint City Beach parking area and designated city lots, rather than applying it broadly across the downtown core. Parking kiosks in free two-hour zones remain disabled pending a revised motion by the council.
The city is expected to pass an updated parking ordinance on August 5, formalizing the scaled-back program.
Recall Petitions Target Only Two Officials
While Grimm and Ruehle face recall efforts, petitions for other council members—Joel Aispuro, Pam Duquette, Kyle Schreiber, Joe Tate, and Joshua Torrez—have not been filed. This suggests the organizers are focusing their challenge on the two leaders they view as most responsible for the parking decision.
A successful recall in Bonner County is not without precedent. The most recent occurred on August 29, 2023, when voters removed West Bonner School District trustees Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown from office. That recall demonstrated that Idaho residents are willing to use the mechanism when they believe elected officials have strayed too far from constituent wishes.
What Comes Next
The petitioners have until October 7 to collect and certify their required signatures. If they succeed, Grimm and Ruehle will have five business days to resign or face a recall election. In the meantime, the city will proceed with finalizing the revised parking ordinance in early August, which may affect the trajectory of public sentiment heading into the recall deadline.