By Stephen Floyd
Mount Angel Mayor Pete Wall has announced he will not seek another term in office. He said instead he’s opening the opportunity for someone else to run for the position this fall.
Wall made his announcement during his State of the City address before the Mount Angel City Council during its regular meeting Jan. 2.
Wall said, between his previous career as a city manager and his time on the council prior to becoming mayor, he was ready to step aside from civic leadership.
“I can honestly say I have enjoyed these years and the relationships we have developed,” Wall told the council. “I’m planning on finishing my term and will do my best to serve the community effectively during this final year.”
Wall became mayor after the sudden passing of former Mayor Don Fleck in June of 2022. At the time Wall was serving as president of the City Council. He was appointed to serve the remainder of Fleck’s term and was then elected to a full mayoral term during the November 2022 Election.
Wall described Fleck as a close friend and mentor, and a leader who fostered positive relationships and was quick to listen. Wall told Our Town he made a point of building on Fleck’s legacy and said he thinks Fleck would approve of how the council has continued working together.
“We’ve made some strides in working on infrastructure and that was a very big deal to [Fleck],” said Wall. “We get along well as a council and we listen to each other, so I think he would have liked those things.”
Wall was initially hesitant to run for mayor in 2022. he said ultimately he placed his name on the ballot to help keep the city on track toward near-term goals. These included major road and sewer improvements, which saw completion in 2023, and efforts to update the city’s long-term infrastructure plan, which have entered the beginning stages.
Wall said he believes Mount Angel is currently “headed in a positive direction” and he feels good about passing the baton.
Wall said the next mayor of Mount Angel should be a team player who values the contributions of the council and is “able to disagree without being disagreeable.” He said it is important to not bring personal agendas or preconceived notions into the job, saying a mayor who thinks they have it all figured out sets themselves up for failure.
When asked if he would endorse a specific candidate, Wall said he wants the election to play out on its own. He will “let the chips fall where they may.” He said he hopes someone with experience in local government runs because they would be less likely to feel overwhelmed by the scope of the job.
Candidates interested in running for mayor can file at City Hall starting June 5 through Aug. 27. Also up for election this year will be the council positions currently held by David Hoffer, Shelley Otte and Joseph Pfau.
