Rob Moore sworn in as Los Gatos mayor; council names Risto vice mayor

Rob Moore was sworn in as mayor of the Town of Los Gatos on Dec. 9 after a unanimous council vote that capped a reorganization meeting honoring outgoing Mayor Matthew Hudis.

Mayor Matthew Hudis opened the meeting and invited Santa Clara County Supervisor Abbe Koga to present a commendation recognizing Hudis’s work on wildfire resilience and regional collaboration. ‘‘Your leadership…has really made this city the great place that it is,’’ Supervisor Abbe Koga said during remarks commemorating Hudis’s year in office.

Council Member Renie nominated Vice Mayor Rob Moore for mayor; Council Member Risto seconded the motion. The council voted unanimously to elect Moore. After the vote, Moore—who previously served as vice mayor—addressed the chambers, saying, ‘‘Becoming the mayor of Los Gatos is without a doubt the greatest honor of my professional life.’’ He pledged to be ‘‘a mayor for all of Los Gatos’’ and laid out five priorities for his term: housing; youth, seniors and families; street safety and traffic; emergency preparedness; and community vitality.

Moore told the council he had knocked on ‘‘more than 7,000 doors’’ during his outreach and said the council is likely to consider ‘‘about a dozen major development proposals in 2026.’’ He said his approach will seek to ‘‘preserve the town’s character, strengthen local decision-making, reduce legal exposure and create affordable housing’’ while balancing other town priorities.

Later in the meeting Renie declined the customary rotation to serve as vice mayor and moved to nominate Council Member Risto for the vice mayor role; the motion, seconded by Council Member Badami, also passed unanimously. The clerk was asked to administer the oaths of office to the new mayor and vice mayor.

The reorganization meeting included a ceremonial presentation and multiple tributes to Hudis. In his farewell remarks Hudis reflected on the town’s challenges and goals—highlighting wildfire preparedness, historic preservation, fiscal stability, support for older adults and measures to manage development. Hudis noted he will remain on the council for three more years.

The meeting ended with Moore thanking town staff, commissioners and the community and adjourning the session.

Votes at a glance - Motion to elect Rob Moore mayor: moved by Council Member Renie; seconded by Council Member Risto; outcome: approved unanimously (council members present recorded at roll call). - Motion to elect Council Member Risto vice mayor: moved by Council Member Renie; seconded by Council Member Badami; outcome: approved unanimously.

Context: The December reorganization is the council’s annual leadership transition. Moore’s stated priorities reflect recurring town concerns that Hudis emphasized during his year in office—particularly wildfire resilience and managing growth—and set the agenda for council work in 2026.