The Des Moines City Council ushered in a new era during its Jan. 8, 2026, meeting, which was marked by significant leadership shifts and the implementation of state-level policies.
The session began with the swearing-in of newly elected councilmembers Pierre Blosse and Robyn Desimone, followed by a selection process that saw Yoshiko Grace Matsui appointed as Mayor and Gene Achziger as Deputy Mayor.
Beyond the changes at the dais, the meeting addressed community concerns regarding Flock surveillance cameras, debuted modernized digital agenda tools, and took proactive steps toward updating regulations in accordance with new state laws.
New Mayor & Deputy Mayor Chosen
The meeting began with the swearing-in of newly elected Councilmember Pierre Blosse and Councilmember Desimone. Blosse and Desimone replace outgoing councilmembers, who each served as mayors, Matt Mahoney and Tracy Buxton.
Following the swearing-in ceremony came the selection of a new mayor. There were a string of nominations and refusals to accept those nominations. Councilmember Jeremy Nutting nominated Councilmember Harry Steinmetz, who served as deputy mayor under previous Mayor Traci Buxton. Steinmetz declined this nomination. Councilmember Grace Matsui then nominated Councilmember Achziger, who also declined the nomination. Councilmember JC Harris then nominated himself, and he accepted his own nomination. Finally, Councilmember Steinmetz nominated Councilmember Grace Matsui, who accepted this nomination.
After the awkward nomination process, a vote was taken. Besides Harris, who voted for himself, and Nutting, who abstained, all other votes went to Grace Matsui, who was immediately made mayor and took her seat next to the city manager. Mayor Grace Matsui then led the process of deputy mayor selection, which was a bit more straightforward.
Grace Matsui holds a bachelor’s degree in American Cultural Studies and a master’s in education from Western Washington University, and works as a public safety exams administrator. She was also elected to the King County Water District No. 54 Board of Commissioners, where she has served her community and been involved in local governance issues.
Councilmember Steinmetz nominated Councilmember Achziger, who accepted. Councilmember Nutting then nominated Councilmember Steinmetz, who again declined the nomination. Nutting and Harris both abstained from the vote, which went to new Deputy Mayor Achziger.
Achzier is a longtime resident with a background in journalism and public service. He holds degrees from Washington State University, Tacoma Community College and Highline College, and has worked as a journalist. Achziger previously served on the Des Moines Pool Metropolitan Park District and has been active in local civic organizations, including the Des Moines Legacy Foundation.
Flock Camera Update
During Public Comments, two community members spoke about the urgent need to disable all the city’s Flock cameras. These cameras, they said, pose a security risk as well as other issues inherent in the technology. Later, Councilmember Jeremy Nutting received unanimous council support in his request that a presentation on the Flock camera system be added to a future meeting agenda.
New Agenda Software, Website Update
City Manager Katherine Caffrey shared that followers of council meeting agendas will now find them in a new place on the city website. The packets will utilize new software as well, so the public should expect to see some changes.
Updates To Lot Regulations & Business Licenses
In compliance with new state laws, the city must update its regulations regarding lot subdivisions and lot splitting. While lot sizes will be allowed to change more easily, septic codes must still be followed along with other regulations. Des Moines is one of the first cities to implement these changes, and it was mentioned that other cities are watching and will follow suit.
The city also had to update some of the regulations around business licenses, which the state is requiring to be standardised across Washington. The city must increase exempt income from $2,000 to $4,000, which is expected to reduce city revenue by around $3,000. It was pointed out that these changes are mandatory, but will affect fewer than 20 businesses in the city. Both these changes passed unanimously to a second reading.
Planning Commission Selection Process
Candidates are actively being sought for the new Planning Commission. To date, ten applicants have submitted applications to be on the Planning Commission. The window to apply closes at the end of this month. For more information on the commission and how to apply, see the above link. From the qualifying applicant pool, each councilmember will select their favorite seven candidates. The candidates with the most votes will then serve on the commission. The council voted unanimously for this selection process.
Video
Below is full, raw video of this meeting:
