LOS BANOS — Refugio Llamas was chosen to fill the unexpired term of Evan Saunders on the Los Banos City Council during a council special meeting Monday night.
It was a narrow decision between Llamas – who will be serving for the second time on the council – and Anthony Castillo. The four members of the council voted using a rank-ordered system after Llamas and Castillo answered six pre-determined questions. Llamas got 11 points to Castillo’s 9.
Immediately following the council’s decision, Llamas was sworn in; the entire process took 50 minutes.
A third candidate, former planning commissioner Elias Reyes, had filed to be considered for the seat but did not attend the meeting and was disqualified.
During his interview, Llamas said he “could fairly and accurately represent District Two,” pointing out that citizens trust him and frequently reach out to him to discuss city issues. He said it is important for Los Banos to attract industrial employers who pay “livable wages,” allowing residents to find good jobs that don’t include a five-hour commute. Llamas also emphasized lifestyle issues, saying the city should create “fun runs” for residents and expand volunteer programs. He urged the city to host charitable first-responder dinners to give those living in the community a chance to connect in social settings.
Llamas also said one of the biggest issues facing the city is removal of hexavalent chromium from the city’s water supply. He believes the city has not been communicating its progress on the issue, saying he can find state grants to help solve the issue. He also presented six letters of support.
During his interview, Castillo emphasized the need for greater “industrialization” of the city, support for local businesses, and finding solutions for addressing homelessness.
Before the interviews began, the council decided it would vote using a rank-order system based on having three candidates. That meant the first choice for each councilmember would get three points, the second two points and the third a single point.
Mayor Micheal Amabile and council members Marcus Chavez and Mitzy Perez each ranked Llamas as their first choice. Mayor Pro-Tem Deborah Lewis chose Castillo, accounting for Llamas’ 11-9 score.
On being sworn in, Llamas quipped, “What did I just do?” He then thanked God, his wife, and
the council for choosing him, saying he looks forward to working with the residents of District Two to make sure their voices are heard and that the will of the people is carried out “consistently and lawfully.”
It is Llamas’ second appointment to the council. In 2021 he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Tom Faria, who had been elected mayor. He served until 2022 when Brett Jones outpolled him in an election. In 2024, Llamas ran for mayor and finished second in a three-way race with Amabile and incumbent Paul Llanez.
Amabile offered Llamas some advice: “Tighten your shoes, we got a lot of work to do.”
The mayor and Councilmember Chavez also had some advice for Castillo, urging him to remain involved in the city.
“This is our town, it’s your town, it’s everyone’s town,” said Chavez, who assured the young hopeful that he has a “bright future.” After the meeting, Castillo approach Llamas and shook his hand, telling the former Marine, “I’m really excited to see what you do.”
