Mountlake Terrace City Council elects new leadership

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, January 13, 2026

EVERETT — The Mountlake Terrace City Council elected Steve Woodard on Thursday to serve as mayor for the next two years.

Mountlake Terrace has a council/manager form of government, so the council votes on a member to perform mayoral duties every two years.

Woodard has served on the council since 2019. He is also the vice president of community engagement for Volunteers of America Western Washington.

“Thank you to our Council and residents, including the staff, of our beautiful destination City of Mountlake Terrace for your ongoing trust,” Woodard said in a press release Monday. “My goal is to continue to make you all proud of your thoughtful decision to elect me as Councilmember and now appoint me as Mayor.”

Kyoko Matsumoto Wright held the position since 2018. Matsumoto Wright will continue to serve on the council.

The council also elected Bryan Wahl to serve as mayor pro tem. He has served on the City Council since 2012.

Four council members were sworn in Thursday, including Woodard and Matsumoto Wright, who won reelection in November. William Paige Jr. won the November election after being appointed last year to fill a vacancy. First-time council member Sam Doyle was also sworn in Thursday.

Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.