On May 15, the Dos Palos City Council voted on and elected Claudia Bautista to be the newest member on the council. Claudia Bautista will be completing previous Councilmember Deborah Orlando’s term until December 15, 2026.
After a holistic interview process, the council interviewed five people and needed to make an appointment to align with county elections. Ultimately the motion carried 3-1 as council members Armando Bravo, Thomas Pigg and Marcus Porter approved the motion.
After moving to Dos Palos in 2021, Bautista had a strong desire to integrate and become a positive contributor to the community. As a resident she participated in countless city council, planning, JPA and community meetings. She is an advocate in the community and continues to strive for a transparent Dos Palos.
“As a resident, I have always held city leaders accountable and made sure city matters were transparent to members of the public,” said Bautista. “I hold myself to the same, if not higher standard.”
Ultimately she was hand-selected to be the next council member with an option to be reelected after completing her term. She was sworn into the Dos Palos City Council and hopes to use her vote for a positive change.
“I hold one of five votes and will always use my vote for the greater good, for every resident of Dos Palos,” explained Bautista. “I don’t just want to live in Dos Palos, I want to be part of it.”
Councilmember Bravo commented on Bautista as his selection, welcoming her to the council and giving her advice.
“You are going to have to adapt, the things you did [as a resident], you might not do up here and vice versa,” Bravo explained. “Any questions you have we would be more than happy to help.”
Following Councilmember Deborah Orlando’s resignation on April 1st, the council had the responsibility of filling that vacancy within 60 days or Dos Palos would have been forced into a special election.
The resignation from Councilmember Orlando occurred because she was offered an opportunity to grow elsewhere. According to Mayor Miller, this was a difficult decision for Council member Orlando.
The first time the position was offered to her, she rejected it to remain on the council. However, this second time, Orlando couldn’t resist.
“Councilmember Orlando was given the opportunity of a lifetime, in her words, that she couldn’t turn down and that took her out of the city lines,” Reed said.
As Councilmember Orlando seeks better opportunities out of the council seat, she has opened the door for the new Councilmember, Bautista. Councilmember Bautista will strive to remain transparent and make the right decisions for the City of Dos Palos.
“I promise to be selfless and use my (one) vote as councilmember to make decisions for the greater good,” Bautista added.
