Supervisor Dianne Jacob was unanimously voted chairwoman of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for 2017 on Tuesday. Newly sworn-in Supervisor Kristin Gaspar will serve as Vice Chairwoman and Greg Cox as Chairman Pro Tem.
Jacob accepted the gavel from Supervisor Ron Roberts, who served as chairman in 2016.
Roberts called 2016 the busiest of his life. He outlined more than three dozen initiative and projects including the opening of a fleet services facility at the County Operations Center, a new City-County partnership to enhance firefighting resources in San Pasqual Valley, groundbreaking of a new crime lab, the continued partnership with SDG&E to use its heavy lift helicopter to battle blazes during fire season, and a new project aimed at getting the severely mentally ill homeless population off the streets and into treatment.
He gave recognition and praise to the County team for their efforts during the year.
“This board, this executive team and the County’s 17,000 employees are a credit to the public good,” Roberts said. “Thank you for all the support you have provided, and for the programs that you have assisted in originating and implementing that serve our county so well.”
Following tradition, the incoming chair presented the outgoing chair a gift. Jacob gave Roberts a framed photo and rendering of the County Operations Center, saying one of Roberts’ legacies will be his work on the campus and the development of Waterfront Park.
“We will never forget your leadership on these two very important projects,” Jacob said.
As new chairwoman, Jacob will outline the County’s 2017 goals at the annual State of the County address on Feb. 1 at the County Operations Center in Kearny Mesa.
