The Hayden, Idaho city council has chosen a new interim mayor. Community member Scott Forssell was picked from three finalists who answered questions during a candidate forum this week.
Forssell is retired from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, where he worked on land use issues. He touted his ability to bring people together on difficult projects.
“Everybody else heard what everybody else’s problems were and, in the end, everyone agreed on a course of action and a management plan that would work for that mountaintop," he said.
Forssell was chosen by a three-to-one vote of council members. He will serve until the next municipal election in November 2023. He replace Steve Griffitts, who resigned in February.
The appointment came after an occasionally rancorous process conflicts between council members, something member Ed DePriest alluded to after the vote.
“Let’s move on and do the business of the people and avoid the divisiveness, avoid all of the negative issues and please move forward," he said.
Forssell may be sworn in as soon as next week’s city council meeting.
