Dec. 23—Glenn Johnson said anyone can be a good mayor, but what sets apart a great one is having a fantastic staff to help run the city.
Johnson will be retiring after 20 years as Pullman’s mayor. He’s the city’s longest-serving one, first elected in 2004.
Though he’s most known for his role in public service, Johnson is also well-recognized for being the voice of the Cougars. He’s been the public-address announcer for Washington State University football and men’s basketball games for more than 40 years.
Johnson moved to Pullman from Sacramento, Calif., in 1979 to teach at WSU’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communications. He holds a doctorate degree in mass communications from the University of Iowa and a master’s in journalism from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Johnson said the move was a family decision befitting a philosophy his family has held for decades. While living in California, Johnson was busy managing two radio stations and didn’t want to miss his kids growing up. He, his wife Kathryn and children Eric and Karen, uprooted to choose a simpler life in small-town Pullman, one with better education, less crime and more time for family, Johnson said.
He became involved with various organizations a year after settling down.
Johnson was co-chairperson for a bond issue to build a police station, and later was chairperson for several bond issues like the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail expansion, the Downtown Riverwalk and a measure to add three new firefighters and police officers to Pullman’s stations.
Johnson served on the Pullman Chamber of Commerce board and was chamber president in 1999. He is also the announcer for community events like the Lentil Festival and has chaired the Fourth of July celebration event since 1998.
Johnson started volunteering as a chaplain at the Pullman Regional Hospital after his daughter and son-in-law were killed in a car crash near Genesee in 1996. He said if he could get through it, maybe he could help someone else.
After he worked as a volunteer for 10 years, the hospital had an opening for a commissioner. He served on the hospital’s board and was president for the last three years of his term before leaving to become mayor.
Johnson said he’s seen many accomplishments in Pullman while serving five terms. However, he added there’s no way anything could have been done without a great team.
He said his successes as mayor couldn’t have been done without a great city staff and community partners; without them he couldn’t have done such a good job.
Johnson navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, and saw many improvements to the whole community.
The Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport at Schweitzer Field will soon have a new terminal, a project Johnson said has been in the works for years.
Johnson was a part of the initiation of Project Downtown, a city-led revitalization project to upgrade Main Street’s utilities, roads, sidewalks and public spaces.
The city of Pullman moved into its new building in 2020. Johnson said the new facility is fantastic and came at a fraction of the costs compared to other city halls.
Welcome Wayside, public art that says welcome in numerous languages, was added during his service.
He said his favorite part about being mayor was reading to kids at the Neill Public Library, as well as being a good representative of Pullman.
Though Johnson will be retiring at the end of this month, he said he’ll still be active in the community. Johnson will continue to be involved with the chamber and community events.
Pearce can be reached at [email protected]
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
