For the second time in six years, Lompoc is asking voters to choose between Jim Mosby and Jeremy Ball. The two City Council incumbents previously squared off in 2020 for the 4th District seat, which Ball won. Mosby’s successful run for mayor against Jenelle Osborne in 2024 put him back on the dais—where he’s served […]
Jim Mosby
Tie vote blocks Lompoc from censuring Steve Bridge
Three hours into the Lompoc City Council’s Sept. 15 meeting, Councilmember Steve Bridge asked his peers to remember the oath they recite in unison ahead of every agenda. It’s the same oath many schoolchildren have already memorized by kindergarten. “We started today the way we start every meeting. We stood up and said the words—the […]
A dramatic political shift could come to Lompoc with the upcoming election
The 2026 election in Lompoc could result in a dramatic change of political direction in our city. First, the election for mayor pits two former foes for the seat. In 2020 they faced off for the council District 4 seat, and Jeremy Ball won handily by a 600-vote margin. Then in 2024 Jim Mosby, who […]
Lompoc changes how it bills wastewater customers
A new method of calculating wastewater rates caused a slippery debate at the Lompoc City Council meeting on July 21. Residents and businesses will still be paying based on water usage, Management Services Director Bob Cross explained, and customers who see an increase in cost would’ve seen one under the previous calculations, too. “I think […]
Closed-session Lompoc employee evaluation spurs public backlash
Discipline. Dismissal. Appointment of an interim city manager. A handful of business items on the table for the Lompoc City Council to discuss in closed session on July 14 were tied to City Manager Dean Albro’s performance evaluation. Although the council ultimately gave Albro “a satisfactory review” and “did not consider or conduct the discipline/dismissal/release […]
Lompoc begins environmental review for possible housing project annexation
The Bodger Meadows housing project near Lompoc has bounced between city and county staff for the past two and a half years, but the city’s been trying to obtain the property from the county for decades. After the City Council discussed the project’s latest news, Mayor Jim Mosby joked dryly about the saga. He referenced […]
Lompoc is auditing its rebate program after fraud allegations
Rebates for turf landscaping and water leak detection are under the microscope in Lompoc, including those received by the current city manager. The city plans to pay for a third-party audit of applications to water and energy conservation rebate programs going back at least two years. On April 21, City Council members continued a discussion […]
Lompoc citizens deserve trustworthy leaders
Political history was made during the public comment period at the Lompoc City Council meeting on Dec. 2. It wasn’t the kind of history any city would be proud of. I have been commenting on the political scene in Lompoc for more than three decades in various publications. During this time, there have been numerous […]

