El Dorado County supervisors elect Turnbull chair after contentious start to new board
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Summary
After public comment and multiple competing motions, the Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 to name Supervisor George Turnbull chair for 2025, with Brooke Lane as first vice chair and Lori Parlin as second vice chair.
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors elected Supervisor George Turnbull as chair for 2025 after a prolonged discussion and public comment that included competing nominations from board members and appeals from residents.
The decision followed more than an hour of internal debate about continuity, experience and how to avoid early-year friction on the five-member board. Several supervisors proposed preserving a rotation of leadership; others argued for a chair with recent, active county experience. After the board considered three competing motions, the motion to appoint Supervisor George Turnbull as chair, Supervisor Brooke Lane as first vice chair and Supervisor Lori Parlin as second vice chair carried by a 4–1 vote, with Parlin recorded as the dissenting vote.
Why it matters: The chair sets meeting agendas, presides over hearings and is a frequent public face for county policy. Early disagreement among supervisors and vigorous public comments — multiple speakers urged the board to follow a traditional rotation and to give Turnbull the chairmanship — made the selection a focal point of the first regular meeting of the year.
Board debate and public comment: Board members proposed different leadership lineups. One early motion would have appointed Supervisor Brian Bierkamp as chair; a later competing motion sought to appoint Parlin chair with Bierkamp and Turnbull as vice chairs. Public commenters from several communities repeatedly urged the board to give Turnbull a turn at the chairmanship, saying he was “due” under a rotation tradition and that the board needed to avoid starting the year with rancor.
Vote and formal action: After the third motion was moved and seconded, the board voted 4–1 to approve the Turnbull–Lane–Parlin leadership slate. Supervisor Lori Parlin was recorded as the lone nay.
Context and next steps: Following the vote the board took a short recess to allow supervisors to change seats and take official photos. Chair Turnbull opened his first meeting by thanking staff and saying he expected a productive year. The board proceeded to adopt the agenda and move into regular business for the day.