The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

A retired businessman with plenty of experience took a seat on the Coulee Dam City Council last week.

The decision to seat Merv Schmidt came immediately following an executive session called to make a hard choice between Schmidt and another experienced former council member, Ken Miles.

Schmidt served on the council for many years, beginning in 1984 and including years when the council initially began planning for a new wastewater treatment plan, a project that is just now getting done after years of controversy.

"Thank you for your confidence," Schmidt said after being sworn in by City Clerk Stefani Bowden. "I hope I can make some difference here, but probably not much."

Mayor Bob Poch, who was sworn into that office at the last council meeting, said the decision between Schmidt and Miles had been a tough one.

Miles, who served on the council until 2017, was urged by several council members to put in for Councilmember Ben Alling's seat in June.

Several seats will open up this for next election in November, filing for which opens in May.

Schmidt took over council Position 2, vacated by Poch when he took the mayoral seat, replacing Larry Price, who recently resigned citing health problems.

Schmidt is the former owner of Merv's Chevron, the service station at north edge of town that is now one of Jack's Exxon stations.

He operated the service station for decades and moved into his home on Tilmus Street in 1966.