History:
The Village of Sandpoint was incorporated on February 7, 1901 by the Kootenai County Board of County Commissions. Present day Bonner and Boundary Counties were a part of Kootenai County at that time. The Kootenai County Commissioners appointed five village trustees who first met on February 25, 1901 in the Sandpoint courthouse to take their oaths of office.

The first village election was held in April of that year. Judge Whitaker was the first chairman of the trustees elected by the voters - not the first mayor as is popularly thought.

Almost six years later on December 12, 1906, 270 of the 282 qualified electors of the Village petitioned the Board of Trustees requesting that the Village of Sandpoint be organized and changed to a city.

On January 15, 1907 the Village of Sandpoint became the City of Sandpoint. The April, 1907 election moved the City into a mayor/council form of government - the same form of government we have today. A mayor and eight council members were elected biennially until 1919 when the council was reduced to six members. Dr. O. F. Page who had served as chairman of the Trustees in 1902 and 1905-1907, was elected Sandpoint's first mayor. He served one term as mayor from 1907 through 1909.

Sandpoint has been served by 19 trustees, 31 mayors and just over 150 council members. Fourteen of those council members have also served as mayors. At this time, Sandpoint's mayor is paid $1000.00 per month; council members receive $200.00 per month. These salaries are set by ordinance. Idaho Code Title 50 contains most of the present laws of the State of Idaho regulating the formation and powers of cities within our state