And then there were five.

The Buellton City Council no longer has an empty spot after newly elected District 4 member Carla Mead joined the dais on Thursday. She took the oath of office before an audience of supporters who donned pink in her honor.

Mead was the top vote-getter in a rare summer election, receiving 269 votes to the 179 for former Mayor Dave King, a retired California Highway Patrol officer.

The District 4 seat became vacant when David Silva, then a council member, won the job of mayor in November 2024. The four remaining council members remained divided on whether to appoint Mead or King, leading to the special election.

Mead will fill the seat for the remainder of the term, which expires late next year. To continue serving, she will have to run for election in November 2026.

A community volunteer, Mead first became active in Buellton city matters when she appealed the Planning Commission’s approval of In-N-Out Burger, which the City Council later rejected because of traffic concerns. 

City Clerk Linda Reid administered the oath of office to Reid before she joined her new colleagues on the dais.

Victoria Pointer, who served on the original City Council after Buellton became a city in 1992, expressed pride for Mead.

“I want to say she has worked really, really hard to get to that chair, and I want her to know she has the support of myself and a big part of the community. District 4 loves you,” Pointer said.

“A lot of you probably don’t know, but I think I’m the only living council member from our first council, so I’ve been around for a long time,” she added. “Anyway, Carla, I just am here to give you my love and ask for all of you to please work together and make this town a better town and make it greater than it is. You guys are on a great path.”

Mead’s arrival on the dais also led to filling the fifth planning commissioner slot after the panel has operated with four members for more than nine months.

Daniel Contreras, division manager for Santa Barbara County General Services, received unanimous approval Thursday night to rejoin the panel.

Contreras, who holds a bachelor of science degree in construction engineering, previously served on the panel for about six months in late 2024.

He will join the other four members— chair Shannon Reese and vice chair Marcilo Sarquilla, plus Commissioners Brian Campbell and Kasey Kump.

The Buellton Planning Commission typically meets the first and third Thursdays of the month, but next week’s meeting has been canceled.