Saying the city’s leadership needs a new tone, Lompoc City Councilman Jeremy Ball is challenging a colleague for the job of mayor while the incumbent, James “Jim” Mosby, renews his contention that he is fighting for the future.

Ball, 46, is in the middle of a four-year term but filed to run for the two-year term of mayor against 62-year-old Mosby, who is seeking a second stint in that job.

While the mayor has the same voting power as the other four City Council members, the person wielding the gavel represents Lompoc and sets the tone both inside and outside the city in communicating with other cities and government agencies, Ball said.

“I feel like we’re not being represented as well as we possibly can in a lot of ways,” Ball said. 

However, he also recognizes that the role of mayor has limits. 

“It doesn’t mean they can solve everything or fix every problem, but they can definitely build consensus, bring people together and really set a tone of respect for everybody,” Ball said. 

Mosby returned to the dais in 2024 after a two-year break and explained his bid for another term by saying, “The future of Lompoc if worth fighting for.” 

“A lot of the analytics I do is to find out not only what’s been going right, but what’s been going wrong,” Mosby said, claiming he “uncovered” a tax implemented decades ago for the city’s electricity customers. 

If elected, Ball said, he wants to focus on blighted properties within the city, adding that property owners of some empty lots lack pride. 

He said he also wants to stabilize public safety staff to ensure that Lompoc firefighters and police officers are treated with respect and receive competitive pay and training, both key for recruiting and retaining employees. 

He also referenced Mosby’s penchant for bringing up practices from the 1960s and 1970s. 

“It’s not enough to say we used to do it this way. … That’s all irrelevant. That’s not an answer to a complex issue. That’s just whining,” Ball said, adding that the future council still needs good fiduciary decisions.

Mosby listed housing and jobs among the top issues.

“We get those two rectified, you’ll see a lot of other things come into line,” Mosby added. 

He took credit for leading efforts to reduce growth-impact fees by up to 92% for single-family residences, calling it a game-changer while noting the city’s shortage of recreation fields. 

Growth-impact fees are one-time charges paid by developers to help cover the needs of new residents in a city.

He claimed that Lompoc saw zero single-family residences in recent years, but this year is slated for 350 starts or completions.

Many of those are the River Terrace community that was approved and started before Mosby was in office. 

Ball also wants the city to ensure renters know their rights and protections, a proposal his colleagues declined to push forward. 

“We should be representing our community better, and if we’re not willing to have a conversation about something that affects 50% to 60% of our residents, then I think we’re failing in that area,” Ball said.

Mosby claimed that there’s a great attitude at City Hall under his leadership. 

“I would say that something drastically changed,” he added. 

What he didn’t discuss is that City Hall has lost a significant number of top employees in the past two years, many privately pinning their departures on Mosby’s return.     

Both publicly and privately, Mosby’s favorite targets include criticizing city staff, such as work by individuals and in general. He also has lobbed criticism at other agencies, including Santa Barbara County and regional organizations.

It isn’t the first time the pair have faced off. In November 2020, Mosby, who had spent six years on the council, lost his re-election bid to Ball, who garnered 58.5% compared with 41.3%. 

Mosby lost in a head-to-head battle in 2022 for the job of mayor, but he eked out a win for the job in 2024 when a pair of candidates split the votes.

While Mosby received 39.9%, his challengers — incumbent Jenelle Osborne and challenger Lydia Perez — together accounted for 59.7%.

Voters from throughout the city will choose the mayor, with the job going to the top vote-getter.

If Ball loses, he would remain on the City Council, continuing to represent District 4. If he wins, the four council members could appoint his replacement or call a special election.

Along with the job of mayor, the seats now filled by Councilman Victor Vega, for District 2, and Councilman Dirk Starbuck, for District 3, will appear on the ballot.

The council terms last four years, with only voters in those districts picking who will fill the seats.

Vega filed for another four years and will be challenged by Sharlameigne Segovia, a housing site manager.

Starbuck did not seek re-election, with Nick Gonzales, business owner, and Sarah Anne Read, a registered nurse, vying for the seat.

A nonpartisan candidate forum is planned for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Lompoc City Council Chambers, 100 Civic Center. The session is being organized by the Lompoc-Vandenberg Branch of the American Association of University Women.