Pasco city council selects local pastor to fill ex-mayor’s District 4 seat
The Pasco City Council appointed Joe Cotta to fill the vacant District 4 seat Monday night.
Cotta is the lead pastor at Harvest Valley Calvary Chapel in Prosser. He ran in 2022 for a seat in the state Legislature in District 8 and was defeated by Representative April Connors. He also has a background in agriculture and winery operations.
The council interviewed four candidates at an open special meeting this week. The other candidates were Tanya Bowers, Abel Campos and Pat Jones.
In his interview, Cotta said that citywide safety was a top priority.
“I was encouraged to see the position (the council holds) of trying to reduce traffic deaths by half,” he told the council. “There’s a lot of things involved in safety — less crimes, less drugs and supporting law enforcement.”
He said the council could improve its efforts to reduce homelessness and increase behavioral health support.
The council voted 5-1 to appoint him, with Councilman Leo Perales opposed. Perales told Tri-City Herald Wednesday that he had no further comment about his vote.
Unusual Nov. 4 election
Last month, Pete Serrano left an open District 4 seat on the Pasco City Council when he was sworn in as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
David Milne was selected to take over as mayor.
Come election day on Nov. 4, Serrano will be the only candidate on the ballot for District 4.
It’s likely that he’ll win the election, unless a majority of voters name a write-in candidate
He’ll have to decide whether to accept or resign from the position again. It’s possible he could choose to return to council if Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is successful in blocking his confirmation.
Cotta’s term at the city will end either Nov. 25 or Dec. 31, depending on whether Serrano wins the election and if he then accepts the position.
If Serrano does not win or accept the position, the council will have to go through the same process again and name someone to fill the new two-year term that begins in January 2026. Voters will get to choose their own replacement in November 2027.
