Wednesday night at the Bend City Council meeting, it will be an unusual more pubic process to pick the next mayor.

 

In the past, the choice has been more internal, but this year three councilors voiced publically their desire to be mayor and some even asked citizens to send in their "votes" by email.  So far, as of Friday only a few dozen citizens had sent in their choices.

 

In the Wednesday night meeting the vote for new mayor is one of the agenda items.

 

Bend City Manager Eric King was a recent guest on 1110 KBND's Your Town.

 

"in bend we elect a mayor amongst the council members, versus a lot of other communities where the citizens elect a mayor.  we've attempt a few times to change the charter to move in that direction, but there has not been enough council support to change the system to put something on the ballot for citizens to decide. but for right now that's the system that we have."   

 

The three councilors who would like to be the next mayor are mayor pro tem, Jodie Barram, Councilor Mark Capell and Councilor Jim Clinton.  The mayor serves for two years.  The prior mayor was Jeff Eager.