Published January 9 2026
Plus, Hamilton selected deputy mayor, Eastgate housing campus update, arts grants allocation and school levies
Voting unanimously, the City Council elected Mo Malakoutian mayor and Dave Hamilton deputy mayor at their meeting Tuesday. Malakoutian and Hamilton will serve in these roles for the next two years.
Malakoutian, still in his first term, succeeds Councilmember Lynne Robinson, who served as mayor the past six years. Malakoutian has been deputy mayor the past two years. Hamilton, like Malakoutian, was also first elected to the council in 2023.
Bellevue’s mayor presides over council meetings and study sessions, helps set the meeting agenda, represents the city at public events, and acts as the primary spokesperson for the council. The seven-member council together establishes policies and develops a long-range vision for Bellevue's future.
Bellevue operates under a council-manager form of government, with the council hiring a city manager to oversee all city operations. The council is made up of seven members elected at large who serve staggered four-year terms. The councilmembers, in turn, select a mayor and deputy mayor from among themselves every two years.
The full discussion and vote can be viewed on replay through Bellevue Television.
Eastgate Housing Campus update
The council received an update on the Eastgate Housing Campus and the ongoing collaboration between program operators and the city to support a safe and welcoming neighborhood.
The Eastgate Housing Campus opened in 2023 and includes PorchLight men’s shelter, Plymouth Crossing permanent supportive housing and the Polaris at Eastgate affordable housing apartments. In 2025, these buildings together provided housing, shelter, and services for more than 1,500 community members.
In response to community concerns from nearby residents and businesses, the city and program operators for both PorchLight and Plymouth Crossing created an action plan, which included operational adjustments, increased outreach and police presence in the area, and ongoing work with community groups to proactively identify and address concerns.
Over the past few months, calls for emergency services at Plymouth Crossing and PorchLight have declined and the number of encampments in the area has decreased.
Coordination between PorchLight, Plymouth and the city will continue. Staff will provide an additional update to the council later this year.
Full details are available in the meeting materials.
Art grants issued
Accepting the Arts Commission’s recommendation, the council approved allocation of $200,000 for 31 arts projects to be presented in Bellevue this year. That total included $1,000 bonus grants to 13 artists or art groups delivering projects in the BelRed Arts District.
Arts organizations and artists submitted 67 project grant applications, totaling $464,000 in funding requests, a big jump over last year when 26 applications totaled $68,000 in requests.
Project grants provide funding for arts, cultural and heritage projects serving Bellevue residents and visitors. The city encourages innovative projects by artists, individuals and communities that fill cultural gaps and inspire new forms of creative participation.
Projects this year include a large variety of art and cultural offerings, from hands-on workshops to festivals.
A list of all of the recipients is included in the meeting materials.
Presentation on school levies
Kelly Aramaki, superintendent of the Bellevue School District, and other district staff gave an informational presentation about two school district levies on the ballot for the Feb. 10 election. One levy is for continuation of funding for educational programs and operations, the other for technology and capital projects.
The council voted to consider a resolution at a future meeting to express a collective position on the levies.