Meanwhile each of the cities’ City Council vacancies features unopposed candidates

By Mike Chaldu

michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

Voters in the Santa Ynez Valley’s two main cities — Buellton and Solvang — will face similar scenarios in this year’sNovember elections. In both, there will be a contest for the mayoral seats, but the open City Council seat for each are decided as they each have just one candidate, all of whom are already on their respective City Councils.

In Solvang, current Mayor Mark Infanti decided not to run for re-election in that position, but filed as the only candidate for the city’s District 1 council seat, while Claudia Orona, who is finishing her term in Solvang’s final at-large seat, will run unopposed for the District 2 seat.

Solvang Mayoral Candidate Jamie Baker
Solvang Mayoral Candidate David Brown
Solvang Mayoral Candidate Denise El Amin

There will be a race to replace Infanti in the mayor’s position as current Mayor Pro Tem David Brown will run for the seat, along with Jamie Baker and Denise El-Amin.

In Buellton, Mayor Dave King has his hat back in the ring for reelection and will get a challenge from a familiar face: Vice Mayor David Silva. 

Meanwhile, City Councilmembers Elysia Lewis (District 2) and John Sanchez (District 3) will run unopposed for those seats as their at-large terms, the last two to transfer over to district seats, will expire at the end of the year.

Both cities also have measures to be voted on in November.

Buellton Mayor Dave King

The lone measure for Solvang voters will be Measure E, which would increase the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), the tax charged to hotel guests only, from 12 to 14 percent. The measure was added to the ballot during the City Council’sJune 10 meeting.

Meanwhile, Buellton has the same TOT increase (12 to 14 percent) on its ballot, though in its case, it’s referred to as Measure D. 

Also on the ballot for Buellton residents for November is Measure C, which if passed would extend the city’s Urban Growth Boundary to a 2036 expiration date. The UGB was adopted by Buellton in 2008, amending the City’s General Plan to prohibit the provision of municipal services (primarily water and sewer) outside of the UGB.

Also on the ballot will be numerous school district and community service districts in the area. They include:

Santa Barbara County Board of Education, Trustee Area 4: Cristina Correno, Jill Crang, Patrina Jones, Guy Walker.

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, Trustee Area 3: José Juan Ibarra, Kristina Novak

Buellton Mayoral Challenger David Silva

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, Trustee Area 5: Chris Johnson, Joshua A. Jones

Ballard School District, Trustee Area 3: Aniesa Rice Ballinger

Buellton Union School District, Trustee Area 5: Brandon John Perkins

College School District Board, Trustee Area 3: Calisse M. Courtney

Los Olivos School District Board (two seats): Carlee M. Fernandez, Mark Herthel (incumbent), Michael McKee (incumbent)

Solvang School District Board, Trustee Area 1: John Winkler (incumbent)

Los Alamos Community Services District Director: Thomas Fayram, Kristy Gnesa-Williams, Peggy Golden, John Jacksen, Thomas A. Nelson, Michael Nicola, Bradley Vidro

Santa Ynez Community Services District Director (three seats): Karen Jones (incumbent), Donald Kelleher, J. Brett Marymee, Frank Redfern (incumbent)

Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District, Director Div. 4 – Short Term: Larry Lahr (appointed incumbent)

Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District, ID1 Trustee Div. 4 – Short Term: Mark Moniot (appointed incumbent), Michael Burchardi (incumbent)