Could you be the next Grand Coulee mayor?

The Grand Coulee city council is looking for the next mayor, and any registered voter living within city limits can throw their name into the ring. 

Interested applicants should bring a letter of intent to City Hall, 306 Midway Ave, by 4 p.m. on June 10. Letters can also be mailed to Grand Coulee City Hall, P.O. Box 180, Grand Coulee 99133.

A letter of intent is similar to a cover letter for a job, and is up to individual applicants to decide what to write about. Possible topics could include: why you are interested in serving as mayor; your relevant knowledge, skills, experience, and passions; involvement in community activities or volunteer organizations; as well as your understanding of the role, and vision for the city. 

Councilmember Tom Poplawski said at the May 21 council meeting that a letter of intent could simply be “from the heart.” 

The city council will interview applicants at an open public meeting on Tuesday, June 25. After the interviews, the council can retreat to a closed executive session for discussion and deliberation, but council members must return to the open meeting to take their vote in public. 

It was not clear at press time whether all applicants will be interviewed, or if the council will narrow down the pool. City Clerk Lorna Pearce said it may depend on how many letters of interest are received.

When a mayor or council member resigns, the remaining members have 90 days to appoint a replacement — by mid-August, in this case. The appointee would serve through the end of 2025. To remain in the role beyond that, the appointed mayor must run in the 2025 election and be elected by a majority of the city’s voters.

In essence, as the chief executive officer, the mayor’s office is “where the buck stops.” 

According to state law, in a mayor-council form of government the mayor is the official and ceremonial head of the city, ultimately responsible for ensuring city ordinances are followed. The mayor reports to the council on city affairs, including financial and other needs, makes policy recommendations, and develops the annual budget for council approval.

The city council is the legislative branch of local government, which makes resolutions and ordinances, approves the city’s annual budget, directs the mayor to sign contracts and agreements with outside entities, and confirms some of the mayor’s staff appointments, such as police chief.

While mayors preside over council meetings, they do not vote on motions except to break a tie.

The next mayor will inherit several challenges that have been building over the last decade. Among them: filling several open positions in police and public works, staying within budget in the midst of rising costs, and contributing to broader community discussions on regional emergency medical and fire services, animal control, community and economic development, and the lack of available housing inventory.

In Grand Coulee, the mayor position is part-time, with many day-to-day responsibilities delegated to the full-time city clerk/treasurer. The mayor receives a monthly stipend of $400.