It's been a busy week for San Mateo County's supervisors.
After of District 4, on Monday, the supervisors bid farewell to 14-year board veteran Rose Jacobs-Gibson, and then immediately picked their new president and vice-president during a meeting in Pacifica Tuesday evening.
Don Horsely will serve as the board's president for 2013, alongside Dave Pine as vice-president.
After being selected, Horsely gave a speech thanking the board and touching upon his priorities as president in 2013.
"This evening my comments are about hope for the future, but tempered by a dose of reality," Horsely began. "It’s not enough to suggest that because San Mateo County has one of the most resilient economies in California, that we are out of the woods."
Horsely said he felt encouraged by the passage of Measure A in the Nov. 6th election, and that he thought it would go a long way toward making much-needed improvements in county services over the next 10 years.
"Believe me when I say that voters will see results and improvements in everything from health and human services to parks," Horsely said. "The quality of life in San Mateo County will continue to grow."
Horsely also said he is committed to exploring issues of safety in the wake of the school shooting in Newtown, Conn. in December.
"Together with local stakeholders and San Mateo County Superintendent of Education Anne Campbell, [the Board of Supervisors] will be developing a plan to explore the effectiveness of our mental health programs, our safety in schools programs and how well our local gun regulation and registration policies are implemented," he explained. "We are not going to usurp any state or national directives, but we are not going to ignore local possibilities."
Horsely also said he would be offering his full support to fellow Supervisor Carole Groom and her efforts with the Peninsula Policy Leadership Council, to help ensure all children in San Mateo County - even those in under-performing schools - are able to read at-level by the third grade.
"We know that goal is an indicator of a child’s future life-long success. Together, we can do this," he said.
Horsely also cited agriculture and help for farmers along the county's coastline as one of his priorities in the coming year.
Which issues would you like to see Horsely and the Board of Supervisors concentrate more on in 2013? Tell us in the comments below.
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