Pasco council has a reappointment decision after 4th vacancy in 4 years
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- Pasco City Council faces fourth vacancy in four years after Pete Serrano declines seat.
- Council will decide whether to reappoint Joe Cotta or open applications.
- State law requires qualified district residents; county picks if council fails in 90 days.
Pasco City Council has a vacancy for the fourth time in as many years.
Pete Serrano, the former councilman and mayor who was elected to his Council District 4 seat in November, declined to take office due to his continued work leading the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington.
His absence creates a vacancy in the seat representing the city’s northwestern limits starting Jan. 1.
On Monday, the city council will decide whether to reappoint Joe Cotta to the post, or to solicit applications from the public. Whoever is appointed will serve less than two years, until a new councilmember is elected in November 2027.
Cotta is the lead pastor at Harvest Valley Calvary Chapel in Prosser with a background in agriculture and winery operations. In 2022, he ran unsuccessfully for a Legislative District 8 seat.
He told the Tri-City Herald in a Wednesday text message that he was seeking the reappointment and would be “honored” if they chose him.
Cotta was initially appointed in September to fill the seat after Serrano was selected by President Donald Trump to lead the federal office. Serrano’s name still showed up on the ballot because he had filed to run back in May.
Though his nomination was never brought before the U.S. Senate for a confirmation hearing, he has taken a position as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the district, effectively still leading the office, according to Senator Patty Murray.
Cotta’s council priorities include “leadership integrity, housing solutions, public safety and improving quality of life through accountable, love-centered governance,” according to a biography.
When someone resigns from the city council, it’s up to the remaining members to appoint a “qualified individual” to serve until the next general election. State law says that if they fail to make an appointment within 90 days, then the authority to pick a candidate falls on Franklin County.
The qualifications to be appointed to the seat are the same as those required to be elected to it. Residents must be a registered voter who lives within the boundaries of District 4.
If the city council chooses to not appoint Cotta, who is qualified for the position, then they’ll have to set up a new timeline for selecting someone else. The process will include accepting application materials, vetting candidates, conducting open-door interviews and voting on their preferred candidate.
The Pasco City Council has seen substantial turnover in recent years with resignations and newly elected officials. Four of the body’s seven representatives have fewer than a year’s experience on the council.
Both Councilmembers Leo Perales and Charles Grimm were first elected in 2023. Mayor David Milne has served since 2017.
