MARION COUNTY — Centralia Mayor-Elect Bryan Kuder filed a complaint Thursday in Marion County court seeking a judgment declaring him the duly elected and qualified Mayor of Centralia. Kuder is also seeking a temporary injunction prohibiting the Centralia City Council from appointing a mayor pro-tem before a ruling is handed down in his case.

The City has been served with papers in the case and a hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, May 10, in the Marion County courthouse.

Kuder and his attorneys had indicated their intent to file the suit after three members of the current city council voted in April to vacate Kuder’s election, claiming he did not meet residency requirements of the office.

“On April 2, 2019, the citizens of Centralia chose me to lead this city for the next term,” Kuder says in an online statement. “The choice was certified by the applicable authorities. By any recognized legal definition, I met all legal residency requirements.”

Current mayor Tom Ashby’s term ends with the start of the city council meeting Monday.  If Kuder isn’t successful in securing an injunction, the newly seated city council will have to appoint a mayor pro-tem to serve until the next city election in April 2021.

Kuder claims in his court case that he was qualified to serve, having lived in the city one year prior to the election and that he had obtained the majority of votes in the election.

Kuder says he lived at his home on Circle Drive until April 1, and that on March 1 he had a lease for his apartment on West Broadway but was unable to move into it until April 9, due to water damage.

The City, however, says that Kuder had signed a tax form and mortgage documents stating a home he bought outside the city limits would be his primary residence.