Video courtesy of Nancy Kusky of Goldendale TV. Please subscribe to her YouTube Channel.
The Goldendale City Council met last night and mayor Mike Canon had a surprise announcement:
“I had one other thing, and I think this is the best time to announce it to everybody, rather than just one or two people, but I will not stand for re-election at the end of this year. My term is over in 2023, and I don’t intend to stand for re-election again.”
In making the announcement, the mayor cited age and health as his reason for stepping down at the end of the year.
It’s a tiimely announcement, because there is a narrow window for candidates to file for office, and that week begins May 15 and ends May 19.
Councilor Ellie Casey also mentioined the candidate filing week:
“There’s three city council positions that are up for election this year, and I know a lot of times on Facebook there’s a lot of negativity about what we do and don’t do, and I would challenge you to file for a position.”
And, speaking of changes, Police Chief Jay Hunziker, who announced his retirement at the end of May after 25 years with the city last month, added this:
“This will be my final Council meeting because the next one I will be out on some vacation time so either Sgt. Smith or another Sgt. will be attending that meeting in my place, but I’ll still be in town.”
In other business, councilors heard an update on restarting a process to establish a tax increment financing district. A representative of the consulting firm will meet with the public works committee and the mayor on May 16.
And Councilor Miland Walling secured approval from the council to draft a letter supporting the proposed Goldendale pumped storage project. Mayor Canon said:
“One of the things I’d like to add to that letter is the level of support of the city council. It will bring so much – in the way of jobs by the thousands. It’s a tremendous project and we will benefit from it for years and years and years.”
This is timely because tomorrow, Wednesday, May 3, there will be two public meetings at the Goldendale Grange from 10 am to noon and from 7 pm to 9 pm, for people to comment on the draft environmental impact statement for that pumped storage project. The public will be allowed to make both oral and written comments on the project.