Copyright Coeur d'Alene Press
POST FALLS — Ron Jacobson's bid for a fourth mayoral term fell short Tuesday when City Councilor Randy Westlund won a close three-way race. Wednesday, Jacobson said he wasn't surprised. He said when Westlund had told him he was running for mayor and had the endorsement of the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, he knew it was going to be an uphill battle. “It went as I anticipated,” Jacobson said in a phone interview with The Press. “I texted Randy to congratulate him today and wished him nothing but the best.” Westlund won with 2,532 votes, 39%, while former police chief Scot Haug received 2,131 votes, 33%, and Jacobson received 1,870 votes, 29%. Jacobson said he was proud he didn’t get bogged down in political games. “I think character and integrity is important. That's the race we ran and we didn’t win, but the people wanted a change. That's life and I’m absolutely fine with it,” Jacobson said. “We ran a clean race; it was honorable.” Jacobson has lived in Post Falls since 1980 and served on the Parks and Recreation Commission from 1991 to 1999 and on the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency. He was originally appointed to the City Council in 1999 before being elected to three terms and serving as council president from 2012 to 2014 before becoming mayor. “This is the first time in 34 years I’m not going to worry about having at least one Tuesday night a month tied up in meetings. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Jacobson said. He said the city is on a solid foundation. He called city staff diligent for foreseeing infrastructure impacts as growth continued in the area and helped city government stay ahead of costs by budgeting for projects like critical wastewater improvements. “We don’t recruit, but people are still moving here, they’re moving here for reasons, good reasons,” Jacobson said. “The property taxes are low, the crime rate is low, the parks are beautiful, the city staff are good to deal with. It's a welcoming place.” This is the first election Jacobson has lost since getting involved in politics and he credited the KCRCC for devising a clear-cut strategy and organizing voters. “It's been a tremendous experience, I’ve worked with some outstanding councilors, I’ve worked with some outstanding staff, good mayors, that’s the part I’m going to miss,” Jacobson said. Jacobson said he’s looking forward to finding new ways to spend his time. “We’ve got four kids, six grandkids, and my wife (Susan) and I like to travel, but I’ve got a feeling I’ll still be involved,” Jacobson said.
