Meet Erin McCardle, Mayor of Chelan

Erin McCardle, Mayor of Chelan

For more than a decade, McCardle has been an active voice in shaping the future of Chelan. After serving on the Chelan City Council from 2010 to 2024, she stepped into the role of mayor just over a year ago. During that time McCardle has focused on increasing transparency in local government, strengthening infrastructure, and working to ensure that both residents and visitors can continue to enjoy all that Chelan has to offer.

To keep Chelan’s economy strong, McCardle plans to expand year-round tourism in thoughtful and innovative ways that allow growth without sacrificing the small town charm that everyone loves. McCardle is focused on addressing housing affordability and managing the impact of seasonal crowds on the city’s resources. 

With a background in marketing and a passion for community engagement, she’s working to bridge the gap between local government and the people it serves. In this exclusive Q&A, she shares her vision for Chelan’s future, the challenges the city faces, and what drives her to serve.

What makes Chelan unique, and how do you plan to leverage these qualities for the city's growth?

Lake Chelan is one of the most beautiful places in Washington—it’s truly one of a kind! The City of Chelan spans 7 square miles at the base of our 55-mile-long lake, serving as the “urban hub” for the larger Lake Chelan Valley within Chelan County. We all share a deep appreciation for nature, value strong community ties, and a love for the rich agricultural heritage. Locally owned businesses—from Historic Downtown shops and restaurants to family farms and world-class wineries—are central to Chelan’s character. With less than 5,000 full-time residents, we see anywhere from 20,000–40,000 daily during summer months, requiring infrastructure and services to support both locals and visitors. Our economy supports our nationally recognized school system, robust healthcare options, emergency services, and diverse businesses, but also presents challenges in traffic, crowding, housing stock, and affordability. By understanding our community priorities and working closely with Chelan County, we can work to see that growth preserves Chelan’s charm and sense of home.

What specific sectors or industries do you believe hold the most promise for Chelan's economic future, and how do you plan to support their growth?

Chelan’s economy is built on tourism, healthcare, education, and agriculture. To keep it strong, we need to think beyond just the summer months. Expanding year-round tourism with family-friendly and sports-based attractions—like an ice-skating rink (i.e. hockey and figure skating tournaments in winter, pickleball and basketball in summer) or upgraded youth baseball, softball, and soccer fields—will bring in visitors during the slower seasons and give local families more to do close to home. Keeping Chelan thriving isn’t just about tourism—we also need to make sure the people who work here can afford to live in the region. That means tackling affordable, middle-income housing, which is a challenge we can’t solve alone; regional partnerships and big-picture solutions will be key. To keep Chelan’s economy strong, we will need to be open to fresh ideas, question the “it’s always been done this way” mindset, and work together. With the right mix of innovation and collaboration, we can grow in a way that benefits everyone—without losing the small-town charm that makes Chelan special.

What motivated you to pursue a career in public service?

My husband and I moved to Chelan from Seattle in 2005 to raise our children in a more community-centered, outdoor-focused environment after my career at Microsoft. I can’t imagine a better place to raise a family and this is what inspired me to get involved in public service. I want to ensure that the life our children enjoyed remains available for future generations.

What's the most important lesson you've learned so far in your role as mayor?

I’ve learned that rapid growth, limited transparency, and a lack of community input has led to distrust in the decisions of local government. I know that needs to change and am committed to making the extra effort—investing in time, staff, and better technology—to improve communication and rebuild trust. After talking with many Lake Chelan residents in 2024, one thing is clear: no matter how long you’ve lived here, we all love the same things about our home and share the same concerns for its future. By focusing on transparency, real community engagement, and working from a foundation of common core values, we can work together to keep Chelan special while handling growth in a way that benefits all segments of our community.

What does a normal day look like as mayor?

Being mayor may be a part-time role on paper, but it rarely feels that way! My day starts early at The Barn Fitness Center, where I’m the managing partner, before heading into the office to connect with staff, community members and get through email and voicemails. Since Chelan is a small city, making real progress requires collaboration with federal, state, and local partners. And that means meetings – lots of meetings! I’m also honored to serve as the Small Cities Representative on the Chelan Douglas Transportation Council, the Vice Chair on Link Transit Board, and the Nominating Committee for the Association of Washington Cities.

What is your favorite part of your job and why?

I get asked all the time how I like being mayor, and my honest answer is: this is my dream job! What excites me most is reaching out to previously unengaged segments of our population to get them involved in the conversation about the future of Chelan, turning that vision into strategies and action plans, and bringing the right people together to solve problems in a way that benefits the whole community. With a background in marketing, I also love the challenge of making the complexities of government more accessible and help people understand the "what, why, how, and when" behind decisions. My hope is that by improving communication and transparency, we build more trust in the direction we are headed—and inspire more people to get involved.

What are the biggest challenges facing Chelan currently, and how do you plan to address them?

Chelan’s biggest challenge is keeping the city livable for locals. And I recognize that this is not just a Chelan problem – I see it across Eastern Washington small cities and towns. When an area is in demand, it becomes more expensive. Increasing property values in North Central Washington, lack of local rental inventory, high cost of building materials and coveted land next to beautiful Lake Chelan all contribute to this issue. At the same time, tourism—while essential to the economy—is putting a strain on our roads and public spaces, making it harder for residents to enjoy their own town. To address these concerns, we are developing innovative policies that will address both missing middle housing as well as adding significant inventory to rental housing. We are also honored to be participating in the Tourism Impact Study from the County and finally addressing overcrowding in our city parks. We have also recently passed a Transportation Benefit District sales tax increase to help fund transportation improvements. 

What are the key goals you hope to achieve for Chelan in the near future?

Chelan is a special place, and my goal is to keep it thriving, safe, and welcoming while making sure we grow without losing what makes it feel like home. Right now, I’m focused on:

• Keeping our finances and staffing strong. I want to ensure we’re planning for the long haul and improving how city departments work better together and improve efficiency.
• Investing in infrastructure. My big dream here is to secure funding to get started on the East Chelan Water Reservoir project which will provide clean drinking water security and increased fire protection for nearly half of our city.
• Expanding housing options in the city. I fully support new developments for market rate rentals and want to make it easier to build middle housing (duplexes, triplexes and cottage housing) so more people can afford to live here.
• Managing tourism’s impact on public spaces. I am excited to be working with Chelan County on their Tourism Impact Study and have worked hard to create policies to better protect and maintain our parks.

At the end of the day, it’s about balancing growth with keeping Chelan the place we all love—somewhere people want to live, work, and raise their families.

Who or what inspires you?

I am inspired by the incredible women leaders of North Central Washington—smart, strategic, and deeply committed to their communities. They lead with strength and heart, tackling challenges while lifting others up. What stands out most is their collaborative spirit—they don’t just lead, they mentor, support, and empower those around them. Their ability to make bold decisions while leading with compassion has shaped my own leadership journey. I feel lucky to be part of this powerful network, constantly learning from their wisdom, resilience, and dedication to making a real difference.

What do you like to do with your free time?

Family. Fitness. Friends! Any extra time I have is spent in a hot yoga or CrossFit class at The Barn, in my garden and/or greenhouse, staying connected with our core tribe of friends (which seems harder once all our kids have gone off to college!) or driving to a Whitworth Baseball game to watch our son pitch. 

Is there anything else you want our readers to know?

Starting in March 2025, we will be rolling out ‘Mondays With the Mayor.’ This is an opportunity for me to meet with various groups around the City to share more about our Strategic Plan and discuss topics that matter to them. A structured schedule of meeting dates and times will be available soon, but in the meantime, I invite anyone in the community who has a group I can meet with to reach out to mayor@cityofchelan.us to schedule a visit.