New Panida board elected

By Cameron Rasmusson
Reader Staff

With a newly restored roof and a newly elected board, the Panida Theater is moving toward 2016 with fresh wind in the sales.

Local residents approved a roster of seven new board members Tuesday night, including Todd Coumbe, Daniel Deshon, Julie Berreth, Rachel Cox, Patricia Gessaman, Barbara Perusse and Nacy Renk. The new board members bring a variety of skills and specialties to the table, from finances and accounting to theater production to marketing.

The meeting also provided a forum for the historic theater’s annual update. According to Panida director Patricia Walker, the theater is on much stronger financial footing than it was a year ago. However, there are still plenty of challenges to overcome in maintaining the Panida’s status as the cultural anchor of downtown Sandpoint. To boost revenue, theater officials are working hard to enhance fundraising opportunities and increase the number of days the theater operates beyond Friday and Saturday nights.