Amanda Mattos takes the oath of office Aug. 25, beginning her service on the Biggs City Council. She will become eligible for reelection in 2028.

BIGGS, CA (MPG) – Amanda Mattos was sworn in Aug. 25 as the newest member of the Biggs City Council, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of longtime public servant Doug Arnold.

The council appointed Mattos at a special meeting on Aug. 17 to fill the vacant seat. Arnold resigned July 29 after moving outside the city limits.

Mattos, a paralegal and 28-year Biggs resident, has extensive experience working within local government and the legal system, including working with county departments. She is also active in the Biggs community and said she wanted to use her work knowledge and background to make informed, transparent decisions that serve the community’s best interests.

“Biggs is my home,” Mattos said.

Mattos’ appointment was followed two days later by action that effectively settled the city’s November council races without an election.

Because the number of candidates seeking City Council seats did not exceed the number of offices available, the council appointed the unopposed candidates rather than hold the Nov. 3 election, saving the city about $10,000 officials said.

Mayor James “Bo” Sheppard, Councilmember Zach Brown and Vice Mayor Jerome Squires were appointed to four-year terms.

Mattos’ term will expire in 2028, along with Councilmember Anita Wilks’ term. The terms of Sheppard, Brown and Squires will run through 2030.

With Mattos joining the council, members also reorganized assignments to the commissions, boards and committees on which they represent the city. Some positions were appointed directly by the mayor, while others were filled by a vote of the council.

Mattos was assigned as an alternate for police, fire and emergency services and Electric/NCPA. She also became the primary representative for parks and an alternate for the school liaison and League of California Cities assignments.

Other changes shifted several assignments formerly held by Arnold. Brown became the primary representative for public works, while Wilks became the primary representative for employee relations.

The council also placed Wilks as the primary representative to both the Air Quality Management District and Butte County Association of Governments, with Brown serving as alternate for both. Squires remained the primary school liaison and became alternate for parks. Wilks remained the primary League of California Cities representative, with Mattos as alternate.

Sheppard remained the primary representative to the Sutter-Butte Flood Control Agency Joint Powers Authority, with Brown as alternate, and the Lodi Energy Center Participant Committee, with the city administrator as alternate. Sheppard also remained primary on the Butte Subbasin Advisory Board, followed by the city administrator and Brown as alternates.

Squires remained the city’s primary representative to the Butte Countywide Homeless Continuum of Care.

City Administrator Nicholas Gauthier was assigned as primary for the Butte County Emergency Operations Center, while Brown became the primary representative for Butte County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement with the city administrator as alternate.

The council approved the non-mayoral committee assignments without opposition and plans to revisit the appointments during its reorganization in December.