Midvale City Council appoints Dustin Gettel mayor after coin-toss and runoff ballot

The Midvale City Council on Dec. 10, 2024 appointed Council Member Dustin Gettel as mayor to serve the remainder of the unexpired term, passing Resolution No. 2024-R-57 by roll call after a runoff ballot.

The selection followed an initial secret-ballot round that produced no outright majority. Repeated coin tosses were used under the council’s adopted tie-breaking procedure to winnow multiple tied candidates to two finalists. In a second paper ballot the council recorded three votes for Dustin Gettel and two for Paul Glover; the council then approved the resolution appointing Gettel to serve through Jan. 5, 2026. “My main goal is to work with the council to re-establish Midvale City’s Community Council and continue to re-vitalize Mainstreet,” Dustin Gettel said during his interview.

The council then held a brief swearing-in ceremony: City Recorder Rori Andreason administered the oath of office to Gettel. City Manager Matt Dahl had opened the meeting by explaining the ‘weak mayor’ form of government used by Midvale — a structure in which the council retains primary executive and legislative authority and delegates powers to the mayor — and the council’s legal authority to appoint a replacement when a mayor leaves midterm.

The resolution vote is recorded in the official minutes as unanimous in favor of appointment at the time the resolution was considered (the ballot count supporting the appointment was 3–2 in the runoff). The council’s next procedural item was setting the schedule and rules for filling the council seat vacated when Gettel became mayor.