City Council Special Session
The North Plains City Council convened a special meeting on September 16, 2025, to interview four applicants for the vacant mayor’s seat and attempt an appointment. Despite extended public comment, detailed candidate questioning, and multiple voting rounds, the council deadlocked and ultimately agreed to reopen the recruitment process after pausing to realign expectations.
Highlights
- 👥 Residents urged both experienced leadership and fresh perspectives, praising nominees Russ Sheldon, David Hatcher, Don Weber, and Mark DeForge for stepping up.
- 🗳️ Council interviewed all four candidates in 20-minute blocks covering availability, council-manager roles, consensus-building, fiscal strategy, and community outreach.
- ⚖️ Three successive 3-3 votes (DeForge vs. Hatcher, then Hatcher vs. Weber) underscored a split between prioritizing institutional experience and elevating new voices.
- 🔄 Council unanimously voted to reset the selection timeline, reopen applications, and schedule an October 6 work session to clarify criteria before another appointment attempt.
Notes
- Public Comment: Six speakers emphasized the need for unity and a decisive appointment, alternating between calls for experienced leadership (particularly Russ Sheldon and David Hatcher) and appeals for new voices such as Don Weber. Residents thanked the council for keeping debate civil despite months of tension around the mayoral vacancy.
- Mark DeForge Interview: The corporate controller and budget committee member highlighted financial stewardship, a collaborative approach to policy, and availability after becoming an empty nester. He pledged to support a safety levy if residents want expanded police coverage and to amplify quieter community voices through door-to-door outreach and mayor’s office hours.
- David Hatcher Interview: The former mayor and 42-year resident stressed plug-and-play readiness, deep regional relationships, and respect for council-manager boundaries. He warned that the city’s tax base is out of balance, urged work sessions and listening forums to rebuild trust, and committed to meeting obligations despite a heavy professional schedule.
- Russ Sheldon Interview: The former council president framed the mayor as chief policy-maker and council facilitator, promising strict adherence to charter limits on staff interaction. He outlined priorities such as amending the urban renewal plan before its 2027 sunset, accelerating the Glencoe opportunity area cleanup, and aligning with statewide economic competitiveness efforts discussed at regional forums.
- Don Weber Interview: The longtime volunteer and parks board member leaned on community organizing experience, Sunset Ridge neighborhood outreach, and ideas for energizing legacy businesses via urban renewal support. He pushed for creative revenue strategies, transparent analysis of large-format industrial returns, and new recreation opportunities to reconnect “old town” residents.
- Deliberations & Voting: Councillors nominated DeForge, Hatcher, and Sheldon, then cast ballots that split 3-3 between DeForge and Hatcher three times. After reopening nominations, Hatcher and Weber advanced and produced another series of tied votes. Members articulated the divide as experience versus change, with repeated acknowledgements that all applicants were qualified and that ongoing gridlock was hampering city business.
- Process Reset: Following a short recess, the council unanimously moved to close the current recruitment, reopen applications with fresh noticing, and hold a team-building work session on Monday, October 6, 2025, before reentering interviews. Staff will manage the two-week posting window and return with a revised appointment schedule.
Follow-Ups & Action Items
- City staff will reopen the mayoral application window (minimum two-week notice) and prepare an updated interview calendar.
- Council and staff will hold a work session on 2025-10-06 to define selection criteria, decision mechanics, and expectations before resuming appointments.
- Candidates and community members were encouraged to stay engaged for the next recruitment round and upcoming town hall-style listening sessions.