The Lodi City Council recently conducted a special session to select a new member to fill the vacant District 4 seat.
Ramon Yepez was chosen for the position after extensive interviews and deliberations with four candidates, which included Alexander Aliferis, Diego Maldonado, and former Lodi City Council member and mayor Joanne Mounce. Yepez was appointed to the seat previously held by Shakir Khan.
During the special session, Yepez was confirmed as the new council member with a 3-1 vote, marking him as the first Latino member of the Lodi City Council in its 117-year history. Councilmember Alan Nakanishi cast the lone opposing vote. The initial motion to appoint Yepez resulted in a 2-2 tie, but council member Cameron Bregman changed his vote, ultimately ensuring Yepez's position as the District 4 representative. Yepez had unsuccessfully run against Khan in the 2020 election.
Yepez highlighted his capabilities in researching, listening, and collaborating with others to develop effective solutions. The District 4 seat became vacant following Khan's arrest in February on charges related to election fraud during the 2020 election.
Despite his arrest, Khan and his attorney Allen Sawyer argue that his resignation was not valid and allege coercion in his removal from the city council. The city council resolved on March 7 to fill the District 4 seat by appointment for the remainder of the term, which lasts through 2024.
Khan has filed a lawsuit against the city of Lodi, Mayor Mikey Hothi, and other council members, claiming "unlawful conduct" concerning his removal from the city council. However, before the special session took place, a federal judge denied Khan's request for a restraining order that would have stopped the city council from appointing a new member to the seat.