The Buellton City Council experienced a shift in leadership when Mayor Dave King passed the gavel to newly-elected Mayor David Silva during the Dec. 12 regular council meeting, marking the end of King's tenure as mayor and the beginning of Silva's two-year term.
The meeting included moments of reflection and recognition for King's contributions to Buellton. Community members, council colleagues, city staff, and a representative from the Sheriff's Department in attendance took a moment to express gratitude for King's years of service and leadership.
Former Mayor Holly Sierra, who served as Buellton's mayor for six years before King, shared her appreciation in a written statement read aloud during the meeting.
"Dave, we've been involved with the City of Buellton since 2008 when we became city council members. We spent a lot of time and I believe we left our town better than when we started. We worked hard to keep the budget growing, pushed hard for the River Trail, and continually battled bureaucracy to make Highway 246 safer. [..]. Thank you for all you did for the residents and the City of Buellton. Good job."
Following the tributes, newly elected Mayor David Silva was sworn into office. Silva, who brings a fresh perspective to the council, expressed his enthusiasm for serving the city and building upon the work of his predecessors.
In addition to Silva's swearing-in, Elysia Lewis, vice-mayor -- District 2, took the oath of office to retain her seat after running unopposed in the Nov. 5 election. John Sanchez, District 3 councilmember, also retained his seat unchallenged. Sanchez participated in the meeting via Zoom and will formally be sworn in during the Jan. 9 council meeting.
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The District 1 seat, currently occupied by Councilmember Hudson Hornick, expires in 2026.
Council seats will serve four year terms.
The District 4 seat Silva was elected to in 2022 remains vacant after his election to mayor. As a result, the City of Buellton is seeking candidates interested in filling the vacancy of the remaining two years of the term for the District 4 seat.
Those interested should email their qualifications and experience to [email protected] no later than Jan. 3, 2025.
Interested candidates are also invited to speak with current council members via phone as soon as possible after submitting a statement of interest to ensure being considered for appointment. Information on how to reach council members can be located at cityofbuellton.com