Pierce County Council appoints Brian Yambi to fill District 5 seat after weeklong deliberations

Pierce County Council on Jan. 14, 2025, voted unanimously to appoint Brian Yambi to fill the District 5 council seat, following interviews with three finalists, public comment, and executive-session review of candidates' qualifications.

The appointment came after the council held a second round of three-minute-question interviews with the finalists—Kimber Starr, Brian Yambi and Jeremy Williams—heard public comment, and met twice in executive session to discuss candidates’ qualifications under state law. Multiple oral amendments to name each finalist on the resolution initially deadlocked at 3-3 before the council reconsidered and moved to insert Brian Yambi’s name; the final roll call vote to adopt the amended resolution was 6 ayes, 0 nays.

Why it matters: District 5 contains roughly 130,000 residents and had been unrepresented for two weeks while the council completed the appointment process, council members said. Filling the seat restores full seven-member representation for Pierce County and returns a voting member to committees and intergovernmental bodies.

Process and public input The council followed a process that had been continued from the previous week: each finalist responded to three questions with a three-minute limit; the council then took public comment and moved into executive session to evaluate qualifications. Staff told the council the executive sessions were authorized by the state Open Public Meetings law on evaluating qualifications of candidates for elective office.

Public speakers and written remarks urged the council to choose from the three finalists. Brandon, a local business owner and community organizer, spoke in support of Kimber Starr, praising her community ties and experience. Mary Anne Lincoln, calling in from Zoom, said she preferred that the council act that day rather than delay another week.

Council debate and votes A motion to adopt Resolution R2024-268 (appointing a person to represent Council District 5) was made on the floor. Council Member Robin Denson moved to insert the name Brian Yambi into the resolution’s blank; that oral amendment first failed on a 3-3 roll call (ayes: Denson, Ayala, Hitchen; nays: Herrera, Kuver, Morrell). Subsequent oral amendments to insert Kimber Starr and Jeremy Williams each also failed on 3-3 roll calls.

After further executive-session discussion and a motion to “reconsider,” the council again moved to insert Brian Yambi’s name and then adopted the amended resolution. The final adoption of R2024-268 (as amended to name Brian Yambi) passed by roll call, 6-0. The clerk recorded the roll call as: Herrera—Aye; Kuver—Aye; Denson—Aye; Ayala—Aye; Hitchen—Aye; Morrell—Aye.

New council member remarks and next steps After the vote the council swore in Yambi and members welcomed him to the dais. In brief remarks on the dais, Brian Yambi said he understood the responsibility of the seat and pledged to be accessible to constituents and to “be a problem solver” while he ramped up to full duties.

The council also noted that the appointment restored the full complement of council members and will allow the body to proceed with regular committee assignments and the 2025 workload, including the upcoming budget process.

Votes at a glance - Continue R2024-266 to January 21, 2025: motion carried (voice vote). - Continue R2024-267 to January 21, 2025: motion carried (voice vote). - R2024-268 (resolution to appoint a District 5 representative): Adopted as amended to insert Brian Yambi — final roll call 6 ayes, 0 nays.

Ending The council placed onboarding and formal swearing-in steps on the calendar and directed staff to complete any outstanding procedural requirements for the new member.