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Contra Costa supervisors sworn in; chair and new member outline public-safety, housing and equity priorities
Summary
At a board meeting, Contra Costa County supervisors Candice Anderson and Diane Burgess were sworn in to leadership roles while Chanel Scales Preston took the District 5 seat. Chair Anderson and other supervisors emphasized public safety, community warning systems, housing and services for vulnerable residents.
Contra Costa County supervisors Candice Anderson, Diane Burgess and newly elected Chanel Scales Preston were sworn in during a Board of Supervisors meeting, with Anderson beginning a fourth term as chair and Burgess serving as vice chair. The supervisors used their introductory remarks to outline priorities including public safety, homelessness and mental-health services.
The swearing-in capped a ceremony that included an honor guard, the U.S. national anthem and brief remarks by the three supervisors. Supervisor Candice Anderson said she will focus “on helping our most vulnerable as we break cycles of poverty, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse.”
That focus, Anderson told the board, also includes improving the county’s community warning system and advancing infrastructure and economic development projects. “High on my mind even before last week is our community warning system,” she said, adding that the county needs better ways to communicate emergency information to residents.
Diane Burgess, sworn in as vice chair, listed fire protection, economic development and environmental protection among her top priorities and emphasized individual preparedness. “What are you doing to make your home harder to burn down?” she asked, urging residents to take steps to reduce wildfire risk.
Chanel Scales Preston, sworn in as the District 5 supervisor, described personal reasons for prioritizing mental-health and substance-abuse services. “That’s one of the issues that I will make sure I’ll tackle as a county supervisor, to make sure that we bring down those stigmas when it comes to mental health and substance abuse,” she said, recounting family experience that shaped her priorities.
Other supervisors used their remarks to highlight recent county accomplishments and plans. Supervisor Ken Carlson noted housing and health-care initiatives, including a $5 million youth center in District 4, and praised staff work on the county’s general plan and climate action efforts. Supervisor John Gioia emphasized the breadth of county services and warned about the county’s dependence on federal funding for many health programs.
The board adjourned the ceremonial portion of the morning to a reorganization luncheon and then proceeded to regular business including a consent calendar and committee assignments. Public comment at the meeting included congratulations to the newly sworn supervisors and requests for continued attention to emergency preparedness and local public-health programs. The board said it will return later in the year for more detailed discussion of some of the items mentioned.
The meeting then moved into the board’s business agenda; the county indicated the community warning system and committee assignments would be discussed further in subsequent meetings.
