02/03/2026
Sandpoint Idaho
Regarding Averill’s Proposal:
(Reposted from another Sandpoint resident)
As some of you might be aware, the Averills have lived and developed in Whitefish for their entire lifetime.
They have done the same thing in Whitefish they’re trying to do to Sandpoint and are not highly regarded in Whitefish because of this.
I’ve read over several of your “proposals by the numbers” and here’s some food for thought for those of you that think their proposals will be good for the city.
Averill’s boat club on Whitefish Lake leased their slips for $10,500/ yr each in 2025, and it’s expected that number will be higher in 2026. These slips are private.
You can expect those type of numbers for the 20 slips they want to gain from City Beach Marina.
20 slips x $10,500= $210,000/yr x 30 years is $6,300,000.
So just the gain of their slips is $4,250,000 greater than their measly $2,050,000 offer to the City of Sandpoint.
How about the City of Sandpoint considers this option instead:
They reject Averill’s proposal, keep Your 20 slips, raise the yearly fee to $3500/yr for that 30 year period of time which will gross the city $2.1 million which is a gain of $50,000 over Averill’s proposals, just on the slips.
When you add this number to the Park Grant funds, the City parking in-lieu fees, anticipated RV park net income over the next 30 years, and income from 5 slips at Windbag Marina, you’re a little over $7million for funds received by the City of Sandpoint. This way your city beach, marina and RV park remain public.
City Council, how about you use some common sense here…with a raise just in the marina slip income, why would you even need to consider a proposal from a private developer?
Remember that these properties belong to the people of Sandpoint and should be protected for your citizens and not sold off for short term gains. You have a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Sandpoint and I hope you take that very seriously.
Sandpoint is such a special place, please keep it that way.
