A Solvang councilman on Wednesday announced his bid for mayor of the Danish-themed city after the incumbent decided against seeking a second term this fall.
The current mayor pro-tem, Mark Infanti, 74, said he intends to seek the job wielding the gavel, immediately gaining the endorsement of Mayor Charlie Uhrig and other colleagues on Wednesday in front of City Hall.
Infanti, first elected to the council in 2020 among a slate seeking to oust incumbents and recall one member, said he talked to several residents to assess the issue and gained support from a broad cross-section of the community.
“I’m here to ask you for your vote in November to make me the mayor so that I can … continue on the progress that this council has made over the past year and a half,” Infanti said before a handful of supporters.
A retired project management consultant, Infanti and his wife, Gay, moved to Solvang in 2013.
In the coming years, water will remain among the top priorities, he said, adding that includes getting water for the residents and handling the drought.
Budget is another concern as Solvang has raised utility rates and will ask voters to hike the sales tax among efforts to ensure adequate funding for infrastructure, he added.
He said parking and traffic also continue to cause issues in the city, which explored adding a top layer above some existing parking lots to add spaces, but encountered huge estimates for the cost.
“It just all ties together,” he added.
Infanti has been involved in the city since arriving and previously served on the Board of Architectural Review while his wife served on the Planning Commission.
His website can be found at infanti4solvang.info/.
Uhrig said a number of reasons, including family concerns, led to his decision not to seek another term, and he tossed his support to Infanti.
“We as a city have addressed significant issues with transparency and trust, and under Mark’s leadership I believe the city will continue to be guided by those principles,” Uhrig said. “I support Mark wholeheartedly.”
Uhrig will serve out the remainder of his term, which ends in December.
“I’ve really enjoyed representing and being the mayor and able to meet a lot of new people,” he said. “I’m trying to still do what’s best for the city of Solvang, and for me and for my family this is the best decision.”
Councilwoman Claudia Orona also showed up to support Infanti’s race for mayor, saying he is knowledgeable about city issues as the city looks to rebuild after COVID-19 and update the General Plan.
“It’s important to have somebody that has a perspective of what came before so we can make better decisions,” she said. “Mark’s expertise is invaluable in that way.”
Councilman Jim Thomas, elected in 2020 during the successful effort to recall Chris Djernaes, said he will not seek another term on the panel and also supported Infanti’s mayoral campaign.
A third seat, held by Councilman Robert Clarke, also will be on the ballot.
Filing for Solvang elections, along with those for most other local cities, school districts and special districts, begins July 18 and ends Aug. 12.
However, in races where an incumbent won’t seek re-election, the filing period remains open for another five days, until Aug. 17.
For Solvang along with Goleta, Carpinteria and Buellton, the Nov. 8 election will mark the first time members will be elected to represent specific areas or districts. However, the job of mayor will remain an at-large position.
To file for city councils, candidates need to contact the individual city clerks who each handle declarations of candidacy and nomination papers. For school boards and special districts, candidates can contact the Santa Barbara County Elections Division, which has a made a candidate guide available here.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
