New Board of Supervisors takes form
January 7, 2013
Following the swearing in of San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Debbie Arnold for her first term and Supervisor Adam Hill for his second, the board voted 3-1 to make Teixeira chair and Gibson vice chair. The vote sets up Gibson to assume the chairmanship in a year in which he is up for reelection.
Arnold took her oath of office Monday and immediately cast a vote against the board majority decision to position Paul Teixeira as board chairman and Bruce Gibson as vice chair
Arnold said that Supervisor Franck Mecham, who was absent, should assume the current vice chair position because it is the turn of the first district supervisor to do so. None of the other three supervisors present commented on the matter, and they voted in favor of the new alignment as motioned by Hill.
From the year 2000 on, the board has loosely followed a five-year rotation of chairmanship outlined by Arnold. The board has, though, repeatedly elected supervisors to become chairmen in years they are up for reelection.
Outgoing Supervisor Jim Patterson, who conducted the beginning of the meeting as chairman, held the position last year during his unsuccessful reelection bid against Arnold. If the 2014 board chooses to keep the tradition of replacing the chair with the vice chair, Gibson, too, will assume leadership of the board in a year he is up for reelection.
Two speakers during public comment said the board should not reward Gibson with a leadership position following his affair with his legislative aide.
Prior to the swearing in of Arnold and Hill, Patterson made his final remarks from behind the dais. Patterson said he had served “a rather tumultuous eight years” as a supervisor and that he had worked hard “to enhance the social, economic and environmental quality of life” in the county.
After their swearing in, both Arnold and Hill commented as well. Arnold thanked her supporters, who packed the supervisors chamber and gave her a loud applause. Hill, who was sporting a beard, promised “greater tranquility and patience” in his second term.
“Hopefully, you’ve taken notice of my pacifying beard,” Hill said.
Gibson welcomed Arnold by saying, “I hope you find this job as satisfying as I do.”
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