Garvin’s go-to guy

JIM JULIEN has been a mainstay in Garvin since the 1980s and has no intention of stepping away from the public sector anytime soon. Photo / Per Peterson

Jim Julien is about to begin his 36th year as Garvin’s mayor

By Per Peterson

Jim Julien’s late wife, Linda, would sometimes tell him how much she liked being the First Lady of Garvin. Julien himself has been equally as proud of his mayoral title, and his service to the City of Garvin that has stood the test of time for 35 years.

As an unchallenged incumbent, Julien will win another election this year to further continue his mayoral tenure that goes back 35 years.

“There were different times that Linda would say, ‘You’re not gonna do this forever, are you?’ Julien said. “She wanted me to give it up, and I knew she was having some health issues. I knew at one time she didn’t have much time left, so then she’s gone … then what do I do? This has been a diversion to get my mind off things, and I enjoy it. Same as with First Responders and the fire department. These are things I enjoyed and made me feel needed in my community.”

Linda died in August 2016 after a long battle with heart disease, and Jim said it was important for him to stay active after he lost her.

“She enjoyed calling herself the First Lady of Garvin,” said Jim, whose grandfather, Julian, was Justice of the Peace in Garvin back in the 1970s. “She might have complained about it, but she was OK with it.”

Julien started his career in small-town government in the summer of 1976 when he was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Garvin City Council. He served in that capacity until 1984, when he and his family moved to Texas for six months. He came back later that year — around Box Car Days — and he decided to file for mayor. He won that election and was sworn in, in January 1985.

He’s been running — and winning — ever since.

See this week’s Headlight Herald for more on this article.