Mayor of White Salmon

Marla Keethler is the current Mayor of the City of White Salmon. Her office is located in the City Hall and she can be reached by Mayor@ci.white-salmon.wa.us or phone 509-774-7491

• The Mayor is the elected head of the administrative arm of City government.
• The Mayor is ultimately responsible for implementing the City ordinances and overseeing the work of City staff, and is directly supported by the City Administrator, who is responsible for day-to-day oversight and running of the City departments and functions.
• The City Administrator oversees the operations of City Hall employees and functions, including the City Clerk/Treasurer, Land Use Planner, Code Enforcement, and Administrative Assistance Clerk.
• The City Administrator also oversees the Public Works Department, where the day-to-day operations are supervised by the Public Works Operations Manager.

Priorities for White Salmon

While the council sets policy, the Mayor serves as the city’s chief administrative officer. Marla sees the administration working for White Salmon by advocating for our community, collaborating with individuals and organizations, leading our city staff and resources, and aligning our vision for the future with the projects that need to happen today. Key areas of focus include:

• Affordable Housing
• Infrastructure and planning for future growth
• Responsible, right-sized development
• Supporting Local Businesses and Downtown Beautification
• Community-focused government services

Ask the Mayor

The Mayor has monthly open office hours for "Ask the Mayor" sessions from 11am to 4pm on the dates listed below. These open office hours are for any city resident to come in and ask questions, give input, seek help with a current problem or give any other feedback directly to the Mayor. Please visit this link to schedule a time on any of the following 2024 dates:

Biography

The daughter of an Air Force pilot and a special education teacher, Marla’s years as a military brat began and ended in the Pacific Northwest. A childhood-long fascination with storytelling led her to pursue broadcast journalism as a career. After graduating from Puyallup High School and being named 1998 Washington State High School Journalist of the Year, Marla first headed south from Puyallup, Washington, to Arizona State University for a degree, and then east to New York City for an opportunity in sports television. Manhattan would become home for 16 years, as Marla’s producing career in sports included covering 6 Olympic Games with NBC Sports, earning four Sports Emmy awards, and executive experience leading the first network rebrand of CBS Sports in 35 years.

Marla and her husband shifted gears in 2016, heading west and settling in White Salmon. Their family expanded to include a daughter in 2018 and son in 2020.