Two years after losing the Solvang City Council District 3 race to David Brown by six votes, V. Louise Smith was appointed Monday to fill that position for the next two years.
The results of the November 2024 election created a vacancy on the council as Brown moved into the mayor’s seat, leaving the council 60 days to make an appointment to fill that seat or call a special election to fill the vacancy at a cost of $30,000 plus consultant fees and other internal costs.
At its Nov. 12 meeting, the newly-seated council voted to open the position to applicants. Smith and Melanie Eckford-Prossor heeded the call…