LIND, Wash. – According to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, duly-elected Paula Bell is the Mayor of Lind, a small town of around 500 people in Central Washington. But according to a unanimous vote from the Town Council on Tuesday night, she’s not.
“We’re not addressing her as the Mayor,” Councilmember Bob Dew said. “She is not the Mayor, as far as I’m concerned.”
Building on Councilmember Dew’s independent research, the Town Council said they found a Washington State Law that allowed them to vacate the Mayor’s seat for malfeasance. Citing issues with the town’s upkeep, finances and water supply, a unanimous Council voted 3-0 to remove Mayor Bell.
However, Mayor Bell went on as if nothing happened, not acknowledging the validity of the motion. The next morning, she went back to Lind Town Hall, and when the Council called the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, they sided with Mayor Bell.
“(The deputies) said ‘No, she’s to remain Mayor,’” Councilmember Bell said.
The Town’s Attorney, who Councilmember Dew says only serves at the benefit of the Mayor and has been deemed off-limits to Councilmembers, sent Councilmembers a letter afterwards claiming the Council’s actions were illegal and void.
Without the answer they’re looking for, the Councilmembers said they’d regroup to prepare for the next Town Council meeting on May 14.
“As a Council we’re all together,” Councilmember Jim Weidemann said. “We might be wrong, but what we’re doing is we’re trying to do the best for the town that we can.”
