County Service Celebrated at CSAC Annual Meeting
December 12, 2019
More than 750 county officials and private-sector partners attended a week’s worth of activities during the 125th CSAC Annual Meeting held last week in San Francisco City/County. Activities began on Monday with the Women’s Leadership Forum Workshop and wrapped up on Friday morning with the final meetings held by CSAC’s affiliate associations.
A highlight of the conference was the election of CSAC’s officers for the coming year:
- President – Lisa Bartlett, Orange County Supervisor
- First Vice President – James Gore, Sonoma County Supervisor
- Second Vice President – Ed Valenzuela, Siskiyou County Supervisor
- Immediate Past President – Virginia Bass, Humboldt County Supervisor
“California’s counties are as diverse as the many programs and services we provide,” said CSAC’s new President, Supervisor Bartlett. “Yet, there is always so much more that unites us. It is a true honor and privilege for me to lead the organization on behalf of all 58 counties during this historic anniversary year. It is CSAC’s time and I am ready to lead, along with my fellow officers to continue our success and deliver for our member counties and the 40 million residents we serve.”
“2019 was a challenging, yet successful year for CSAC and 2020 likely holds more of the same. Thanks to the vast experience and talent of our officers, I am excited that they will lead our Association through the challenges that lie ahead,” said CSAC Executive Director Graham Knaus. “As we celebrate 125 years as an Association dedicated to County government, I look forward to supporting and working together with our officers to connect California’s communities.”
The 2020 CSAC Executive Committee was also elected by the membership. Representing the Association’s Urban Caucus are: Keith Carson, Alameda; Greg Cox, San Diego; Carole Groom, San Mateo; Kelly Long, Ventura; Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles; Chuck Washington, Riverside; and Bob Elliott, San Joaquin (alternative). Suburban Caucus representatives are Luis Alejo, Monterey; Diane Dillon, Napa; Leonard Moty, Shasta; and Erin Hannigan, Solano (alternative). Representing the Rural Caucus are Jeff Griffiths, Inyo; Terry Woodrow, Alpine; and Craig Pedersen, Kings (alternate).
Participants engaged with members of Gavin Newsom’s Administration, including California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burk Harris, on issues of county importance, such as childhood trauma, wildfire resiliency, homelessness, housing and more. Other general session speakers included best-selling author Wes Moore and organizational psychologist Nick Tasler, while workshops on unconscious bias, child welfare and the foster system, emergency communication, litigation in county jails, the 2020 census and more informed and educated attendees.
The conference provided county officials with a chance to recap legislative victories in 2019 and get a head start on 2020 priorities. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara spoke at the CSAC board meeting on needed updates to California’s FAIR plan and an extension of the wildfire-related non-renewal moratorium. Maria Cohen, Chair of the California State Board of Equalization, spoke on spoke on modernizing the property tax system and the split roll ballot initiative that may be on the November 2020 ballot at the Government Finance and Administration policy committee meeting. Each of CSAC’s five policy committees and board of directors all met during the conference.
Throughout the conference, the Association celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced a service project that will continue throughout 2020. Learn more about the anniversary and service project challenge here.
