Wilson Sworn in as Council Mayor
On November 4, 2025, the city of Council elected a new mayor, for the first time in over 27 years. On January 13, that new mayor, Malvin “Gabe” Wilson was sworn into office in a packed city council meeting. In addition to the novelty of having a new mayor for the first time in over a quarter of a century, Wilson made headlines around the state, winning both as a certified write-in candidate, but also securing 64% of the vote, something that is both historically difficult and rare.
Wilson grew up in Council and has lived here almost his whole life. His family has been in Council for five generations. Growing up, he loved the hunting and outdoor activities that were plentiful in the area. As an adult, he spent five years of active duty in the Navy, did one tour in Afghanistan, and was in reserve for 11 years. He lived briefly in the Treasure Valley but didn’t enjoy the city life, and found himself back in Council. “This is home,” said Wilson.
Wilson had considered running for mayor several times in the past, but was often working out of town and didn’t feel like the timing was right. This year, however, he did finally feel it was the right time and decided to jump in after talking with several potential candidates he was hoping would run for mayor, who told him they weren’t going to after all. He felt it was time for a change. He noticed a lot of unhappy people surrounding different city projects and thought he saw a lack of new construction inside the city and enforcement of city codes slipping through the cracks, things he all hopes to improve on.
Wilson has a lot of plans for improving the infrastructure in Council. As soon as the water project is finished, he wants to start focusing heavily on roads and supporting businesses. “I’d like to draw a lot more small business back to our community,” he said. He mentioned the possibility of tax breaks for business, or getting rid of business license fees. “We have such a great little community,” said Wilson, “I hate to see it almost like a ghost town downtown.”
Wilson also mentioned a need to plan for the future and the possibility of increased growth from local mining operations. “That’s a lot of potential for growth here and I’d like us to be a little more ready for it.” He mentioned the limited amount of residential zoned areas in town and limited places to build and grow new businesses. “Change and growth are inevitable,” he said, “and it’s not always a bad thing.” Wilson wants to ensure that the change is correct for the people already living here though.
His first priorities as mayor will be focusing on the water project and focusing on getting city hall moved. Wilson also wants to start going through the city ordinances and making sure they are being enforced. He wants to have a larger presence around town as Mayor and wants to start holding office hours where he is available to the public. He hasn’t yet set a schedule, but hopes to once they are moved into the new City Hall, where there will also be a new separate office for the mayor. “I want people to feel like their voices are actually heard.” In the meantime, he encourages residents to contact him through his email address, mayor@cityofcouncilidaho.org.
Currently, Wilson lives with his wife, Kaija, and their two daughters, the couple is also expecting a new baby who will be arriving shortly. Wilson drives a log truck for Mahon Logging, but also serves as a volunteer firefighter, volunteers for the Loggers Jubilee Board, and is a board member for the Council Mountain Music Festival. He is excited about helping Council continue to be a wonderful community, not only for the people who are living here now, but for generations to come.
