Preceded by Dirk Kempthorne Spouse(s) Julie | Name H. Coles | |
 | ||
Religion The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | ||
Succeeded by Carolyn Terteling-Payne | ||
H. Brent Coles served as mayor of Boise, Idaho, from 1993 to 2003.
Coles was appointed mayor in January 1993 by the city council, upon the resignation of Dirk Kempthorne, who was elected to the United States Senate in 1992. Coles was elected to a full term as mayor in November 1993, defeating Tracy Andrus, and was re-elected in 1997 and 2001.
In 2000 and 2001, Coles served as president of the United States Conference of Mayors.
In February 2003, Coles resigned after being charged with accepting an illegal trip from an insurance company to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to his resignation Coles had been the target of a recall election drive. City council member Carolyn Terteling-Payne was appointed to serve until the end of 2003.
Coles was indicted in May 2003 by an Ada County grand jury for five felonies stemming from the incident and related activities. In November 2003, Coles pleaded an alford plea to a count of presenting a fraudulent account or voucher and a count of misuse of public money by officers. The remaining charges were dropped as part of a plea bargain. In January 2004 he was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years probation. In August 2011, The state of Idaho levied a tax lien in the amount of $44,691.31 against Coles and his wife for unpaid individual income taxes.
Born in Idaho Falls, Coles moved to Boise with his family in 1968 and graduated from Borah High School in 1970.