American Canyon Mayor Pierre Washington’s office on the second floor of City Hall was mostly empty Tuesday morning other than two desks, five chairs and the California and U.S. flags near the window.

Washington, 61, hasn’t fully moved in yet. He said he’s put more attention since his win in the November election on being out in the community, talking with residents. It’s only been about a month since he was sworn into the mayoral seat and succeeded Leon Garcia, who served as the city’s first elected mayor for the past 18 years.

Washington called Garcia a mentor and friend, crediting him with smoothing the rough edges Washington said he picked up during his law enforcement career, which included 22 years in the Richmond Police Department.

“He left big shoes to fill, but I’m prepared to fill them,” Washington said.

He is coming off his first four-year term as a council member, an experience he said helped him understand the people and players in the city. The job, on the surface, is mostly the same: Washington represents one of five votes on the council, setting the budget and policy. The council also oversees City Manager Jason Holley, who manages the city’s day-to-day operations.

Washington said he understands his role beyond that as being a facilitator for the council — he now leads the meetings, and casts the tiebreaking vote if the council members are deadlocked — and as a community liaison.

He’s well acquainted with the other council members, having already served with council veterans Mark Joseph and David Oro, his opponent in the 2024 mayoral race.

As for the two new members also sworn in on Dec. 3, Washington said he’s long been friends with Melissa Lamattina and that he mentored Brando Cruz over the past four years.

“It’s a good fit,” Washington said. “I like the challenge of having two supporting cast (members) and then two new people to kind of bring up to speed.”

Mentorship is important to Washington, who describes himself as being a “servant leader” since age 17, when he joined the Navy.

To him, that leadership philosophy refers to striving to serve the needs of others, an effort that ties into mentoring people and setting up succession planning. He contrasted the philosophy with leaders who don’t want others to overcome them, who attempt to hold on to power or hoard information.

“I’d rather help and support others than try to use positions to say that I am the boss or I am in charge,” Washington said.

He attributed that philosophy, in large part, to his success. People trust him because they know he’s willing to help out, he said, and that ultimately comes back to benefit him as well.

“It benefits me because now I have people, one, that I trust around me,” Washington said. “And I know that when I’m no longer here things will still move smoothly going forward and no one has to try to recreate the wheel.”

Goals for American Canyon

Washington moved to American Canyon in 2006 after retiring as a detective with the Richmond Police Department.

His priority then was to find a place where his family felt safe, and where his kids — he’s the father of seven — could get a good education. He found both in American Canyon, and said many public safety professionals have moved to the city for the same reasons.

His goals as mayor generally seek to reinforce those community strengths by building up local entertainment and recreational options while continuing to prioritize public safety.

Rather than attempting to shape American Canyon into a destination for visitors, like much of Napa County, Washington said his focus is on what the city can do to serve residents.

“I think our identity is more of what we can do from a community base, and what we can do to keep our community safe and also provide entertainment for within,” Washington said.

He said residents in much of the rest of Napa County also are beginning to understand that American Canyon is a more affordable option that’s still within the county.

That appeal ties in part to some of his other priorities around the city’s growth.

He wants to make sure the Napa Valley Ruins and Gardens project — one part of the Watson Ranch development of over 1,200 homes in the northeast part of the city — moves forward as planned. The center is planned for an area that features remnants of American Canyon’s industrial history, and is set to include a 200-room hotel and 30 residential units along with community gathering space.

Washington said he thinks the city can do better in not putting bureaucratic barriers in front of that project, along with generally removing red tape that gets in the way of providing services.

His third priority is to find more to do for local kids, including a youth-focused regional recreation center. No such facility exists across Napa County, and one in American Canyon could draw interest from other communities, Washington said.

“That will help give the youth things to do, it’ll help the youth with employment, it’ll help employment for our residents,” Washington said.

Washington added that he’d also like to see child care services bolstered. They are at an “all-time low” in the city, he said.

And he’d like to bring a biotechnology industry presence into American Canyon. Washington works as a contractor with biotech company Lonza, which in October 2024 acquired Vacaville’s Genentech biologics manufacturing site, where Washington previously worked as head of security.

Having a biotech presence in American Canyon would help to diversify the city’s economy, which is largely focused on warehousing, and support solid local jobs, Washington said.

“For most of your good-paying jobs, people are commuting to San Francisco, Oakland, Emeryville. They’re leaving our city during the day,” Washington said.

Washington added that he wanted residents to know he’s open to meeting with them and that people can reach him via email or phone. He added that he’s going to try to put together a newsletter each month to keep people aware of what’s going on.

“I’m just happy to be here, and I’ll be that servant leader for the community,” Washington said.

You can reach Staff Writer Edward Booth at 707-521-5281 or edward.booth@pressdemocrat.com.