Arcata city councilmember Kimberley White got her flowers last night (both a bouquet and bountiful praise) when she was unanimously appointed to be Arcata’s new mayor at a special city council meeting. 

“Kimberley, I’m so happy for you,” councilmember Sarah Schaefer said. “I’m so excited that you get to step into the seat and continue to do great things that we’re doing and bring your passions to the position of mayor as well.”

As the former vice mayor, Arcata’s rotational system all but guaranteed that she’d be the next mayor. In Arcata, it’s mostly a ceremonial position. They can:

• Act as chair for every city council meeting;
• Set agendas;
• Declare special meetings;
• And “facilitate discussion, gauge direction, and listen for majority support prior to calling a vote,” according to the city officials’ protocol manual.

The mayor does not possess any veto power. Mayors are allowed to make and second motions under California law, but, according to the city officials’ protocol manual, Arcata tradition discourages this.

Vice mayors step in as a replacement if the mayor is unable to attend a meeting, or if they resign the position.

As the councilmember with the most experience, Stacy Atkins-Salazar was appointed to be the vice mayor. She will (almost certainly) become Arcata’s next mayor next December, a position she last held in 2022.

White has served on the council since 2022, and is the only member on the council who hasn’t yet been mayor yet. 

Councilmembers and public commenters also spent much time praising former mayor Alex Stillman, who told the Outpost several months ago 2026 would be her last year serving on the council. Stillman was the first woman to serve on the council when she was elected in 1972, and has served on-and-off since then: a total of 19 years on the council. 

“I think your lifetime of service to Arcata might be unrivaled,” Atkins-Salazar said. “…And it’s through this assignment here that we got to know each other. And I appreciate you. You are such a generous and kind person, and I’m honored to be your colleague and serve with you and also to be a friend.”

After accepting the gavel and moving into the mayor’s seat, White listed off some of Stillman’s accomplishments and all of the years she was elected.

“Well, I would like to thank everyone for their kind words and for acknowledging me and my years of service,” Stillman said. “And now you can add it up and figure out how old I am.”

“Nevertheless, I really appreciate it,” she continued after the audience and the councilmembers stopped laughing. “I love Arcata. My mother always said, ‘Wherever you live, you have to give back to your community, no matter what.’ And I feel like that was a goal — my mother put that in my head, and I feel like I have done that…I really appreciate all of your kind words, and I’m not going to stop working for Arcata.”