Recently-appointed Centralia Mayor Norm Chapman — who was reelected as a city councilor in the November election — will resign his seat on the Centralia City Council, and as a result his position as mayor, effective at the end of the month.
In the final minutes of the Tuesday evening Centralia City Council meeting, Chapman used his council report to announce his heartfelt resignation from his position.
The mayor stated that he needed to step down for personal and health reasons, but said he would prefer not to explain further. He asked members of the public to respect his privacy and apologized to his supporters for the sudden resignation.
Chapman began his council report like any other evening, sharing some recent experiences, such as his testimony in the state's Capitol in recent weeks on bills related to the Bob Oke Game Farm near Centralia.
Soon, he transitioned to a more personal tone, speaking about his motivations for serving on the council before revealing that he would resign his District 1 seat, which he was reelected to after defeating Lisa Striedinger in the general election last November.
Chapman was originally appointed to the council in September 2024 to replace former Councilor Cameron McGee, who moved out of the district. Chapman spent around seven years on the Centralia Planning Commission and attended city council meetings regularly before joining the council. Chapman is a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves who served for 33 years.
“I am resigning my District 1 council position, effective at the end of February, for personal and some health reasons,” Chapman said. “There's stuff that's personal to me that I have to focus on. I am 70 years old. I feel like I'm 39, but there's things I have to focus on in my life.”
Chapman was appointed mayor last month, taking over for fellow City Councilor Kelly Smith Johnston, who remains on the council.
Chapman said that while he would like to stay engaged in the community, personal matters called him to spend more time with family. He also apologized to his supporters and Centralians who he said might have had high expectations for him.
“I do apologize to the community that maybe had some high hopes and expectations in me, that you know, if you feel like I let you down, I'm deeply sorry,” Chapman said.
Chapman had opened his announcement speaking about civic duty and shared that, while growing up, his family had always been committed to serving their local community and being engaged in local government and events. While he admitted that as a kid he did not have the same habit of civic engagement, it's something he later picked up.
Chapman echoed the words of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy, stating that, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country,” captivated him and always motivated him to serve.
“It’s not what the city can do for me — it's what I can do for my city,” he said.
Chapman moved on to his struggles to be civically engaged as a young parent and worker and his excitement to serve more as he got older and had more time to do so. He reminisced on first volunteering to serve on the Centralia Planning Commission and then the Local Actions Non-Dam Alternative Committee related to mitigating flood damages through the Office of Chehalis Basin.
In closing, Chapman expressed confidence in city staff and in the Centralia City Council to do well by the city and its residents. He gave a special nod to Deputy Mayor Chris Brewer, who will likely fill the mayor position temporarily before a new one is appointed.
Brewer posted a statement on Facebook on Wednesday: "I have enjoyed the brief time that Mayor Chapman and I have had to work together as Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and also the year and a half that we have spent together on Council. I wish him the best going forward and want to thank him for his time not only on Council, but his time on the Planning Commission as well. I'm grateful for Mayor Chapman's service to both country and city, and simultaneously sad to lose a fellow veteran's voice on council. Once Mayor Chapman's resignation is effective, I will serve as Mayor of Centralia until the first regular scheduled meeting on March 10. This essentially will fill the gap of time between the end of the month and the Council preparing to elect a Mayor to preside presumably through the end of 2027. I am committed to serving Centralia and all of our 18,000-plus residents each and every day. Part of that commitment involves walking with everyone through whatever we may face day to day, helping navigate us through challenges, and collaboratively working to do what's best for everyone who calls Centralia home. Serving on Council is a solemn responsibility and one that I take seriously. I want to do my best to always put the citizens of Centralia first and advocate for the needs of the people in our city. We have a great Council and a fantastic city staff who keep Centralia moving forward into the future while at the same time honoring our history. I'm honored to serve and thankful to walk this journey with you all in the Hub City."
