Billy Silvola and Mark Williams are competing for Buellton’s District 1 City Council seat in the Nov. 3 election.

Silvola has spent 22 years as a special-education teacher at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. He was the union president for the Buellton Education Association, and he has been a Rancho de Maria resident since 2000. Silvola said he was approached by current Mayor David Silva to run.

He described his approach to governing as “listen first,” and to focus on collaboration and transparency.

Williams has worked for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office as a sergeant, on top of being a former EMT and SWAT team member. As a Buellton resident for more than 20 years, he said he is focused on “the essentials of government,” including public safety and fiscal responsibility.

Council members serve four-year terms, and current District 1 Councilman Hudson Hornick is not running for re-election. The other two council seats, District 2 and District 3, will be up for re-election in 2028.

Additionally, incumbent Silva and former Mayor Dave King will be facing off for mayor in the November election.

Law Enforcement and Public Safety

Williams talked about the city’s policing contract with the county Sheriff’s Office as a major issue. The contract has been extended for one year so the city can assess a shared contract with Solvang to instead provide deputies from the Lompoc Police Department. 

He strongly advocated for Buellton to keep contracting with the county. He expressed doubt that Lompoc has the necessary staffing and resources to cover Buellton emergencies. However, he clarified that as a council member, he would prioritize “getting the best deal” for the city.

“I don’t think Lompoc police and their fantastic officers … are set up to do it,” Williams said. “All agencies right now in California are struggling to hire people. It’s very challenging to get people to apply and pass backgrounds. So from a practical standpoint, I think the Lompoc [contract] will not work very well.”

Silolva spoke about community preparedness and safety concerns, including flooding mitigation during the upcoming winter with El Niño conditions. He also wants to slow down Highway 246 vehicle traffic so residents can be safe crossing the street.

“We have some [residents] that are 55 and older,” Silvola said. “Sometimes they ask about emergency preparedness. We’re coming up on an El Niño year, and so they’re wondering, ‘How can we mitigate any flood concerns, or how can we make sure that we as residents are prepared for a potential safety issue?’”

Economic Growth

Both Silvola and Williams discussed expanding the Avenue of Flags corridor to improve the city’s economic development. 

Silvola described Buellton as the “little engine that could,” and he said he would like to see the Avenue of Flags revitalized with pop-up shops and attractions, making the city stand out among others in the valley.

He also spoke on expanding the city’s boundaries farther north.

“With our increased housing, we are expanding our urban growth boundary to the north a little bit as the most logical place to expand,” Silvola said. “I would like to see us expand there and make sure that we have the infrastructure to meet the needs of anything that we expand to the north.”

Williams said he wants to take a “slow growth” approach, in which the city expands while preserving its small-town feel and quiet neighborhoods. He also spoke about prioritizing existing local businesses with the city’s Chamber of Commerce before focusing on new expansions.

“I think most of the voters in [District 1] said the same thing: They don’t want big high-rises. They don’t want to grow too fast,” Williams said. “They like the small-town feel.”

Voters will choose between Silvola or Williams for District 1 in the Nov. 3 election, and they will decide between the two candidates for mayor, Silva and King.

Incumbent Carla Mead will not face a challenger in her bid to continue representing District 4 on the council. She is a former middle-school teacher who described herself as people-focused and a good listener. She plans to continue her term by focusing on local growth, affordable housing and a transparent City Council.

“When people cast out their vote for me, they’re voting for someone who is energetic, hardworking, has a vision and deeply cares about what the citizens want for Buellton,” Mead said.