The former mayor of Pella has announced his intention to once again run for office — this time, outside of the Tulip City limits.

Mayor Jim Mueller has released a statement about a potential return to public service with the Marion County Board of Supervisors.

“I would like to announce my intent to run for the office of Marion County Supervisor this fall. As many of you know, I served for 8 years on the Pella City Council and 8 years as the Pella City Mayor. In 2019, I chose not to run for re-election. During my tenure as Councilman and Mayor, Pella experienced exciting growth both in population and industry. Many investments were made in housing, electrical infrastructure, water treatment and supply operations, as well as street reconstruction. Many recreational issues were addressed with the construction of the Pella Sports Park including softball and baseball diamonds as well as the addition of multiple soccer fields. The stabilization of the Bos Landen Golf course, and the construction of the new Pella Swimming pool and Adventure River all added to our recreational offerings. I am proud of what we were able to accomplish even while reducing our overall debt and maintaining our property tax at the same rate for an astonishing 16 years with no increases.

Marion County continues to face many challenges. Rising costs, aging infrastructure, and increasing demands have created a very difficult situation to address. With my experience, I feel I am uniquely qualified to jump in and start taking the necessary action to insure the future growth and success for every community in our county. We are all experiencing a difficult time and together we can solve it.

I look forward to the opportunity to serve our community again!”

Mueller served on the Pella City Council from 2006 to 2020, first on the council and as mayor for two terms. He decided not to run prior to the November 2019 election, which was won by current Mayor Don DeWaard.