Will Pasco replace its 1st Latina mayor? A new majority could select new leadership

Will Pasco’s first Latina mayor keep her leadership position, or be ousted by a new conservative majority on the city council?

That’ll be the first question answered when the city council meets Tuesday, Jan. 2, for its first regular business meeting of the new year.

Every two years, after local election results are certified, the new Pasco council holds a vote at their meeting to determine who will serve as mayor and mayor pro tem.

The mayor leads city council meetings and largely serves in a ceremonial role. Pasco. functions under a council-manager system, where a non-elected executive oversees the daily operations of city government.

The mayor pro tem serves as second in command and leads meetings in the absence of the mayor.

Barajas was elected mayor in 2022 in a 4-3 vote over Councilman Pete Serrano. She replaced former Mayor Saul Martinez, who previously served in the position for more than 11 years, to become the city’s first Latina mayor.

This year, a few names are already floating around, including Mayor Blanche Barajas and councilmen Serrano and David Milne. But only time will tell if the council chooses to go a new direction with its leadership.

Barajas declined to speak to the Tri-City Herald about the upcoming vote.

Serrano told the Herald he’s happy to take charge as mayor if his fellow council members decide they want him to lead.

The past couple years, he and Milne have been in the voting minority when it comes to controversial issues, including this past summer’s vote to lift the city’s ban on recreational cannabis retailers.

But with the election of candidates backed by the Franklin County Republican Party — which include Peter Harpster, Charles Grimm and Leo Perales — conservatives and developers in Pasco will have a council that’s friendlier to them on growth, zoning and water issues.

“It’s hard to pinpoint one issue, or several issues, or say this was a message from the voters,” Serrano said of the November election results.

Serrano is director-general counsel of Pasco-based Silent Majority Foundation, a conservative nonprofit that has filed legal challenges to the state’s COVID-19 emergency order, vaccine mandates and gun control legislation.

Due to his work challenging Washington state, Serrano has recused himself in the past from participating in votes where there may be a perceived conflict of interest, including during last year’s redistricting process.

But Serrano doesn’t anticipate his work interfering with the duties of mayor any more than it already does for him as a council member.

While his job regularly takes him around the state, Serrano said he would make the time commitment to serve as mayor and attend ribbon cuttings.

“I’m happy to serve the community whichever way is best,” he said.

Milne, who owns Milne Nail Power Tool and Repair and who was recently elected to his third term on the city council, said he would be willing to serve as mayor or mayor pro tem, too.

“It’s service above self,” he said. “I have no big aspirations, but I do want to serve my community and feel I have a special set of skills that I bring to the city council, including owning my own business.”

Perales, who was elected to his first term on city council, said he believes Serrano has the “leadership skills and the commitment” needed to be mayor.

“I believe he’s earned that in a nomination and believe people will get behind him,” he said.