County supervisors-elect from all around California have come together today and tomorrow in Riverside County to participate in the CSAC New Supervisors Institute. This is the first session of a certificated three-part curriculum conducted by the CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government and CSU Sacramento Center for California studies. Overall, the new supervisors will participate in more than 30 hours of coursework covering issues ranging from the county budget process and labor relations to working with your county administrator and county counsel. The goal is help prepare these new local officials for the difficult and challenging job ahead.

The incoming class of county supervisors is as diverse as the counties they represent. They come from a variety of backgrounds: Attorney, grape grower, nuclear physicist, waitress, CPA, Navy pilot, salesman, architect, contractor, educator, professional motocross rider. The list goes on and on.

While their backgrounds vary, the supervisors-elect all have one thing in common: they are committed to public service and the citizens they will serve. They know the job ahead won’t be easy, but their optimism is high. In the opening introductions this morning, many of the supervisors-elect used similar phrases: “It can be done.” “We can make things happen.” “There’s a lot of good in government.” And, “It’s about the people.”

CSAC is looking forward to working closely with our new members of the county family. We agree that there is a lot of good in government, especially county government. And working together, we can make a difference.