Sitka hires Gerrie Cotter as municipal administrator at $200,000 a year

The Sitka Assembly voted 7-0 on Oct. 13 to hire Gerrie Cotter as the city's next municipal administrator, at a base salary of $200,000 a year.

Cotter has run Perry Township, which serves nearly 30,000 residents with a $19 million budget, since July 2025, according to her application. Before that, she spent 14 years at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The application lists her township salary as $8,200 a month. Asked her reason for leaving, she wrote: "Desire to relocate to an area with more natural beauty."

She starts Nov. 9 and takes over when administrator John Leach's contract ends Dec. 18, under her employment agreement. She has six months to move to Sitka, and the city will cover up to $10,000 in moving costs.

The hire ends a search that started over this summer, after the city's sole finalist was no longer a candidate, with no explanation given.

At the same meeting, Kevin Mosher was sworn in as mayor, and JJ Carlson and Sherri Blankenship joined the Assembly. Members voted 5-1 to give Mosher's old seat to Darrell Windsor, who had the next-highest vote total in the election, rather than advertise it. Carlson beat Katie Riley 4-3 for deputy mayor.