NICHOLS, Iowa — Wanted: Someone to step up as mayor of Nichols.

“Someone has to do the job, otherwise the work won’t be done to keep the city viable,” said outgoing Nichols Mayor Sonya Wilson.

Wilson has been mayor for eight years and doesn’t want to do it any longer.

There’s just one problem: No one is running for mayor of Nichols in  today’s election.

Wilson hadn’t even planned serving as mayor the last time she was elected. That was in 2007 and Wilson won by a write-in vote when, like this year, no one else ran for the job.

While she’s quick to point out that she loves her town, today she wants the people of Nichols to get out and write in the name of a candidate who can take over.

“I just don’t want to do it anymore. I’m tired of babysitting the town,” Wilson, 66, said Monday. “I love Nichols but I’ve done it long enough.”

If the write-in candidate turns the position down, the next write-in candidate is offered the seat. Voting in Nichols for today’s election runs from noon-8 p.m. at Nichols City Hall. If no write-in candidates accept the position, the Council will have to appoint one its members as mayor and then appoint someone to fill the vacancy on the Council.

Wilson was a City Council member for eight years prior to becoming mayor. Her husband, Marvin, 63, is running for Council because only three others had announced they’d run for the five At-Large seats.

“There’s about 40-45 people in Nichols that vote each election,” said Council member Richard Hillyer, 63, who is running for his third term. “It would be nice if they’d do a write-in so we know who they want in the position.”

Even with Marvin Wilson running for Council, there was still a void. At-Large council members Hillyer, Russ Grim, Ron Oostendorp, Jamie Kirk and Deb Williams’ terms are ending, and only Grim, Hillyer and Oostendorp are running for re-election.

That  left one empty position. Cynthia Massey of Nichols decided to step up. She has spread the word through the community that she would like to be considered as a write-in candidate for the empty Council position, Hillyer said. Massey could not be reached by press time for comment.

Sonya Wilson said it’s not a tough job to be mayor of a town the size of Nichols — about 375 people — but that as mayor she took a fair share of complaint calls 24-hours a day.

“Grown people fight over who is going to get the shelter at the park instead of sharing it and it’s just ridiculous,” Wilson said. She added that she took calls when people had a problem with their neighbors or if people’s electricity would go out and she never understood why adult residents need so much guidance.

“If your electricity goes out call the electric company,” Wilson said. “If you have a problem with your neighbor, go talk to them.”

Wilson said the City Council does a great job and it does need a good person who is dedicated to the community to become mayor and run meetings.

“I will step up and help anybody that will take the job,” Wilson said. “They need to be willing to take complaints.”