NORTH POWDER — The North Powder City Council will soon be selecting a new mayor.

The city council is seeking a successor to Mike Wisdom, who resigned as mayor on Monday, Sept. 13. Wisdom, who served as mayor for two years and 8½ months, stepped down because he did not believe he was on the same page as members of the council in terms of what direction the city should be moving in.

“My vision for North Powder doesn’t align at present,’’ Wisdom said in a letter he read at Monday’s council meeting, according to North Powder City Recorder Beth Wendt.

Mike Morse, North Powder’s mayor tempore, is now taking on added responsibilities as the city’s acting mayor. Morse is the city council’s president and has served as a city councilor for at least a dozen years. Morse, who has lived in North Powder for 20 years, is a retired chef. He said he earlier was the chef at the Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker City and headed Eastern Oregon University’s food service program.

Morse credits Wisdom with connecting with the public while serving as mayor.

“He did a good job of communicating with the community,’’ Morse said.

Wisdom was involved with a number of successful projects while mayor, Wendt said. The city recorder credits Wisdom with helping the city get $67,000 worth of new playground equipment for its park which will soon be installed; helping the city get street repair work done; and providing support for the city’s effort to get funding for major upgrades for its wastewater system.

Wendt said that the city council will likely decide on how it will select a new mayor when it meets next on Oct. 4. She said the council has two options: elect a council member to serve as mayor or invite North Powder residents to apply for the position. Should the latter option be pursued the city council would appoint an applicant to serve as mayor after interviewing all of the candidates.

The individual selected as mayor would be able to complete the remainder of Wisdom’s term, which expires in early January of 2023.