Valentin Medina reappointed mayor, council members sworn

The three appointed members, Vincent Martinez, Miguel Raya and Eddie Saldaña, were sworn in at Tuesday's City Council meeting. Valentin Medina was reappointed mayor, while Eddie Saldaña also was reappointed as mayor pro tem.

Although this year's election was canceled because Martinez, Raya and Saldaña ran unopposed, they still are considered elected.

Councilmember Gilberto Reyna nominated Medina and praised his performance as mayor since August, saying, "He's done a great job, and I think he'll continue to do so."

Medina expressed gratitude for his reappointment: "Tonight, I want to thank our council members for the continued support and appointment to continue as mayor. I'd also like to congratulate Eddie Saldaña, who will continue as mayor pro tem. Being mayor isn't about I but about we and what we all can continue to do together-it's a shared commitment to advancing our community. We have a strong council and an even stronger staff that puts in the work day in and day out. We've accomplished a lot over these last couple of years thanks to all the hard work and dedication of our staff, council, and community partners, and we will continue the progress while laying the foundation for a brighter and better Wasco. We have a lot of positive momentum, and I look forward to a year of continued progress and successes for our city and, more importantly, our residents."

Mayor Pro Tem Saldaña reflected on his service: "It's been an amazing two years having the honor and privilege of serving my community, and I plan to continue doing my due diligence and best effort in serving our wonderful city of Wasco. I hope to continue working as a team with the people, organizations and the city of Wasco to grow together."

The swearing-in ceremony was a special occasion attended by family members and friends. Councilmember Martinez was joined by his wife, Samantha. "It is an honor to be sworn in for my second term. We accomplished a lot during the first term, but there is still a lot of work ahead of us. I am confident that with our current city council, we will accomplish a lot of improvements to our beautiful city."

Councilmember Miguel Raya, who joined the council in mid-September, shared his excitement: "I'm looking forward to working with city staff and hopefully making changes to improve Wasco, making it a better place for our residents to enjoy and live. I'm just thankful to be able to serve the community of Wasco that I love so much."