COQUILLE — The candidate pool for mayor doubled to two when former police chief Michael Reaves joined the race.

Incumbent Steve Britton, seeking his fourth term, isn’t bothered or surprised to have company.

“I welcome a challenger,” he said.

Reaves welcomes a chance to continue serving the community. He moved to town 12 years ago to become police chief. Now retired by a shoulder injury, he has decided to stay.

“It’s a good place to live,” Reaves said, but he has aspirations to make it better.

“I think we need to develop our city as a place people want to come visit and live permanently,” Reaves said.

But first, both candidates say the community needs to mend wounds after a bruising year, especially for the city’s police department.

The department was under a microscope earlier in the year after an arrest by two officers left a man paralyzed. The officers were not brought up on charges, but concern and complaints about the department persisted.

Both Britton and Reaves say the situation could have been handled better, but they differ on how. Reaves contends much of the problem could have been avoided if city leadership had asked for official complaints, rather than let the department be judged on rumor and innuendo.

“I think the mayor should have pushed for specifics,” Reaves said.

Britton said the city may have found a solution in not only hiring a new police chief, but also in the manner in which it did so.

He said the city received requests that the hiring process be public. City officials changed the process to satisfy those requests. As a result, Britton said, the city made a strong choice in Police Chief Mark Dannels.

“He’s a no-nonsense guy,” Britton said. “He’s going to be the kind of chief we have needed for years.”

Hiring a new police chief is just a start. According to both Reaves and Britton, the city still has some work to do.

“We need to promote the city of Coquille,” Reaves said.

Putting Coquille in a positive spotlight is Reaves’ main reason for running. His time as police chief and his familiarity with the city council make him a good choice, he said.

“I’ve been to almost every city council meeting,” he said. “I know all the issues the city is facing.”

One of those issues is the former Georgia-Pacific mill site — now an empty lot. Both candidates are hopeful they will find someone who wants to develop the site soon.

In addition to making the G-P site a useful addition to the city, Britton wants to see the completion of upgrades to the water and wastewater plants.

“I get things done,” Britton said. “I’ve never walked away from anything.”

Britton asserts he has made city government more user-friendly by allowing citizens plenty of time to address the council.

“We work for the public,” he said. “I’m going to take their input.”

He says his experience and approachability make him a good fit for Coquille.

“Now I know the process,” Britton said. “I tried to better myself as a mayor.”