Councilman Tom Schwedhelm selected as Santa Rosa’s new vice mayor

First-term Santa Rosa City Councilman Tom Schwedhelm was appointed vice mayor Tuesday by his colleagues.

The 55-year-old retired city police chief will succeed Chris Coursey, who served in the role for the past year.

The vice mayor serves a one-year term and works closely with the mayor to set the council agenda, filling in when the mayor is not available.

Mayor John Sawyer thanked Coursey for the role he played in bringing to the council “some stability and respectability that it had not shared for some time.” He praised Coursey for his thoughtfulness, easygoing style, visibility in the community, sense of humor and dedication to the job.

Schwedhelm, who also had kind words for Coursey, was selected over Councilwoman Julie Combs. He had support from Sawyer and council members Ernesto Olivares and Erin Carlstrom to back the vote he made for himself. Combs voted for herself and was supported by Coursey and Councilman Gary Wysocky.

Schwedhelm said he looked forward to helping set the council’s agenda and helping the city be “more efficient and effective.”

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @srcitybeat.