As North Plains Mayor Ariel Goodwin takes a leave of absence, questions are emerging about her leadership. (Jaime Valdez/Hillsboro News-Times)

Have you seen the mayor of North Plains?

It’s been two months since Mayor Ariel Goodwin last attended a city council meeting in person due to illness, and more absences are expected. But as the city leader seeks treatment out of state, uncertainty about her role at home is mounting as her colleagues question the implications of a vague city charter — one that is mostly mum on extended leaves as well as Goodwin’s potential censure.

Goodwin, who took office after being elected in November 2024, told city staff Friday, June 13, that she is undergoing care in Los Angeles for a condition that “recently became acute but is treatable.” The council granted her a 30-day approved leave Monday, June 16, following her limited attendance or outright absence since her last meeting Monday, April 21.

Her leave has become cause for concern among the council, alongside emerging calls for accountability in her handling of city meetings and decisions.

Stricter rules for attendance

Before the transition in city leadership earlier this year, outgoing officials implemented several procedural changes before parting ways — including revised attendance rules for councilors and the mayor. Those rules expect members to attend at least 75% of all meetings annually and state that being absent from the city for 30 days without council approval, or missing all meetings within a 60-day period, may allow the council to declare a position vacant.

Acceptable reasons for excused absences include illness, a family emergency or a death in the family, according to the city charter. In her June 13 email, Goodwin noted that she has requested formal documentation from her physician and will share it with the council once received.

Goodwin has not submitted any related communication as of Monday, June 23, according to City Recorder Lori Lesmeister. Goodwin also has not responded to a request for comment from the News-Times.

Questions in leadership

While the council unanimously approved the mayor’s extended absence through mid-July, concerns about Goodwin’s ability to lead are beginning to surface.

During the city council meeting Monday, June 16, City Councilor James Fage claimed that Goodwin has not been fulfilling the duties required of her position while also questioning if her health condition will prevent her from leading the city.

“Please consider if you want to have the name of ‘mayor’ or if you actually want to serve the city,” Fage said to Goodwin, who attended the meeting online and with her camera turned off. “You haven’t been present for many of the things that require a mayor to do. Some of the meetings you have had have been drawn out and ineffective.”

“Your health is very important to us — however, I do want you to consider the effect this is going to have on the city and your doing your job,” he added.

An unresolved issue in the city’s charter is whether the 60-day meeting attendance rule applies when a member is present but does not act in an official capacity. Although Goodwin virtually attended the June 16 meeting, Councilors Fage and Michele McCall-Wallace questioned whether her lack of participation was sufficient to reset the absence clock.

Censure in motion

Also awaiting the mayor’s return is a motion for censure, brought forward by Council President Aaron Dumbrow — who ran in a slate with Goodwin and is currently presiding in her absence.

The motion, passed in a 4-2 vote while Goodwin was absent at a meeting in early May, alleges multiple violations of council rules. According to Dumbrow, Goodwin attempted to direct Lesmeister to bypass public comment procedures and repeatedly spoke out of turn while trying to pause a Parks & Recreation project involving the removal and replacement of trees at Jessie Mays Community Hall and Park.

Though the censure has been on the agenda for several meetings, formal discussion has been repeatedly postponed due to the mayor’s absence.

A censure is a formal public reprimand used to address violations of council rules, ordinances, the city charter or state law. Removal from office is possible if outlined in the city charter — though North Plains’ charter does not define procedures for issuing or acting upon a censure.

The North Plains City Council is expected to receive guidance on attendance rules and discuss the implementation of a censure at future meetings. In the meantime, the city will follow up with Goodwin on her state of health in July.