Three candidates filed for the 2025 Centralia City Council election ahead of Monday’s deadline: Andrew J Heser, Marion “Bunny” Garrett and Robert “Rob” Jackson. Because Jackson and Heser both filed on the first filing day, there will be a lottery on Nov. 5 to determine which of them is placed first on the ballot.

Council member Jeff Castellari, whose seat is also up for election, has not filed and will not seek re-election after serving a four-year term. When asked why he left, Castellari said he felt the time was right to move on.

“Four years have passed. Let some new blood in and possibly make changes. This board is doing a great job … it’s time for me to do other things and venture out.”

Castellari noted some of the accomplishments of the board he got to be a part of during his tenure.

“Some balanced budgets, doing the right things for Centralia, seeing things happen. It’s a team effort, not one person,” Castellari said. “The biggest thing is the water plant under construction. People don’t realize how precious water is to us and to all the communities on the outskirts… I know everyone is going to keep going and progress is being made.”

The local council elections will take place on April 1, 2025.