San Benito supervisors adopt revised rules, including Rosenberg’s Rules of Order

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors voted 3–2 on Jan. 28 to adopt amended board rules and procedures, including adoption of Rosenberg’s Rules of Order, tighter limits on announcements and a requirement that certain out‑of‑state travel be approved in advance.

Chair Colin Kosmicki and two fellow supervisors supported the motion; Supervisors Rosanna Sotelo and Supervisor (first name in transcript) Curl opposed the change and said the public needed more time to review attachments, including a specific version of Rosenberg’s rules and the board administrative policy manual.

Supporters said the changes are intended to streamline meetings and make them more transparent, for example by encouraging roll‑call votes on major matters and locating department‑head announcements on the regular agenda so the public can participate. Kosmicki told the board he would direct staff to publish the Rosenberg’s reference materials and the board administrative manual on the county website.

Opponents and multiple members of the public urged caution. Public speaker Rob Bernowski said the draft did not make explicit the board’s compliance with the Brown Act and raised concerns about perceived concentration of authority in the chair. Several county department heads and members of the public asked that proclamations and recognitions remain visible on agendas; the chair said those items would not be eliminated, only reorganized.

The roll call for the motion recorded votes as follows: Yes — Colin Kosmicki, Supervisor Zanger, Supervisor Velasquez; No — Supervisor Sotelo, Supervisor Curl. The motion carried 3–2.

Ending: Supervisors said they will monitor how the new rules work in practice and return to revise them if needed; staff agreed to post the referenced Rosenberg’s rules and the administrative manual online.