Mike Eylar seeking mayor's office

After 26 years in Las Vegas law enforcement and another five in the in security and investigations at a resort there, Mike Eylar feels "It's good to be home," he said.

Now retired, he'd like to see if he can make a contribution, so he's running for the mayoral seat being left open by Mayor Paul Townsend's decision not to run again.

Eylar is one of three candidates for the job hoping to make it through the primary election ending Aug. 1 to make it to the general in November. He faces Kim Christensen and Chuck Crowe in the primary.

Even though Eylar hadn't actually resided in Grand Coulee until three years ago, he spent a lot of time here as a Tonasket kid visiting his grandparents in the town where both his parents "were raised, schooled and married," he said in his Voter's Pamphlet information.

"I just remember as a young kid that the town was a lot more vibrant than it currently is," he said in an interview Tuesday.

During his career, Eylar spent half his law enforcement career in uniform in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the other half as a detective, including 11 as a hostage negotiator.

That last duty honed his listening skills he says, so he can bring an "ability to be a good facilitator," which can come in handy bringing people together.

"There needs to be a little bit more cohesiveness between the four" towns here, he said, and "it seems like there's a big separation between the community and the" Bureau of Reclamation.

Eylar said he was one of 32 gaming sector executives to be chosen to attend a year-long leadership program and used his "negotiator skills to great effect during this time."

He has two grown sons and his been married for eight years to Anita Eylar, who was appointed to the city council in 2022 to fill a vacated position.

Asked if the possibility of a mayor and council member in the same household should cause anyone concern, Mike Eylar sought to put any such notions to rest.

"If they knew Anita and I, they'd know we collaborate when we're able ... but don't always see eye to eye," he said.