Damage control: In light of Steve Bridge’s felony charges, Lompoc considers censuring him

Nearly a year after Lompoc City Councilmember Steve Bridge was charged with felonies including forgery, identity theft, and misusing city funds, the Lompoc City Council has taken its first formal step toward censuring him — a move that would be unprecedented in the city's history.

During its Aug. 18 meeting, the council voted 3-1 to agendize a censure hearing, with Bridge abstaining and Councilmember Dirk Starbuck dissenting, the Santa Maria Sun reported. Councilmember Jeremy Ball, who first pushed for disciplinary action back in December 2025 only to fail to get a second on his motion, volunteered to draft the censure resolution. The hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15.

For Santa Maria residents who follow regional government, the story is a cautionary tale about oversight of local rebate programs — and a test of what a city council can, and cannot, do when one of its own faces criminal charges.

What the charges allege

According to court documents cited by the Sun, Bridge admitted to a Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office investigator that he used a contractor's license number he found on the internet to qualify for more than $10,000 in city rebate applications in 2024 and 2025. The license number belonged to an Escondido-based contractor, Turner & Associate, and had expired in 1994.

"They needed a receipt to document the work that was done, so I ginned that thing up," Bridge told the investigator, according to the documents. The rebate applications were tied to repair projects at properties across Lompoc completed by Bridge and his son, Scott Turner — "neither of whom is a licensed contractor," Senior Deputy District Attorney Brian Cota wrote in court filings.

"Bridge knew that the work needed to be performed by a licensed contractor, and he knew that had not occurred," Cota stated, adding that Bridge acknowledged "maybe that's fraud" and that it was "probably a little shady."

The prosecutor's filing drew a sharp line about the conflict of interest at the heart of the case: Bridge "was a member of the legislative body that created, funded, and exercised ultimate authority over the rebate program from which he stole," Cota wrote.

Bridge has pled not guilty to the charges. He declined to comment to the Sun about the censure hearing or his ongoing court appearances. His next court conference hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9 before Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Juan Higuera.

Why the council acted now

Ball's December 2025 motion for disciplinary action died without a second, two days before Bridge's arraignment, after Bridge showed no sign of resigning. Nine months later, the political calculus shifted.

"I think the public's been pushing for something, and inaction is becoming more and more awkward for certain leaders," Ball told the Sun. He credited consistent outcry from public speakers at successive council meetings with making a formal censure "harder and harder to avoid."

"The public showed up, and they continue to show up. They've cared enough to make sure not to let this go away or be swept under the rug," Ball said.

Public pressure was on full display at the Aug. 18 meeting. Lompoc resident Carl Jones told the council its slow pace toward a censure discussion had damaged its credibility. "To sit back for this long of a time and do nothing is not OK. Multiple people will probably lose their seats this November because of it," Jones said. "He might be innocent, he might be guilty, but the public doesn't trust you. … The council as a whole has lost the trust of the people."

A first in Lompoc's history

If the council approves Ball's draft resolution in mid-September, it would mark the first time a Lompoc mayor or council member has ever been formally censured, according to Lompoc Community Relations Manager and Public Information Officer Emily Prueitt.

A censure is a formal public reprimand, not a removal from office — Bridge would retain his seat, and his term runs through 2028, as does Ball's. But Ball argued the timing matters: he wants the censure to happen ahead of any trial or verdict precisely because of Bridge's own recorded statements about the rebate applications.

"Every single time we're talking about something important, how we push money around as a city, as a council, we're sitting next to someone that is charged with misusing funds," Ball said. He emphasized the matter isn't personal: "I don't have anything personal against Mr. Bridge. I just know that if I was in the same boat … the other side — whoever that may be — would be trying to show me the exits."

As of Aug. 20, Ball was still drafting the resolution, which will go to City Attorney Jeff Malawy for staff input. The Sept. 15 hearing will give Bridge the opportunity to refute any allegations.

What's next

The censure hearing comes amid a broader political reset in Lompoc. Mayor Jim Mosby and Councilmembers Victor Vega and Dirk Starbuck all have terms expiring at the end of 2026. Vega is running against Sharlameigne Segovia for his 2nd District seat, while Starbuck did not file for reelection in the 3rd District, where voters will choose between Sarah Anne Read and Nick Gonzales.

Meanwhile, Bridge's criminal case continues in Santa Barbara County Superior Court, with the Sept. 9 conference preceding the censure hearing by less than a week.

For residents across the 805, the episode underscores how small-city rebate programs — often administered with minimal oversight — can become flashpoints for accountability. In Lompoc, a city of roughly 40,000 in northern Santa Barbara County, the question now is whether a formal reprimand will be enough to restore public trust, or whether voters will deliver their own verdict in November.