Richland City Council Sworn In and Chooses New Leadership

At last night’s council meeting, five members were sworn into office by City Clerk Jennifer Rogers. New councilmember Kurt Maier began his first term of office and Ryan Whitten, Theresa Richardson, Jhoanna Jones, and Shayne VanDyke were reelected for another term. 

Following the swearing-in, the Richland City Council elected council members to act as Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem for a two-year term. Councilmember Theresa Richardson was elected as Mayor. Councilmember Sandra Kent was elected as Mayor Pro-Tem. Theresa Richardson is the first female Mayor of Richland since 1958 when Patricia Merrill was chosen as the first Mayor of Richland. This represents a historic milestone in Richland, with both a female Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem serving concurrently for the first time in the City's history.
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Theresa Richardson began serving as a City of Richland council member in January 2022 and was selected as Mayor Pro Tem in January 2023. Sandra Kent was appointed to the Richland City Council in February 2008 to fill a vacancy and elected in November 2009 to complete the unexpired term. She was selected as Mayor Pro Tem once before in 2020.