El Dorado County supervisors elect Brooke as chair amid succession debate
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Summary
At its Jan. 6 meeting the Board of Supervisors elected Brooke as chair for 2026 after public comment and internal debate about succession planning; the Board also unanimously selected a first and second vice chair.
BROOKS, Calif. — The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors elected Brooke as chair for 2026 on Tuesday after a heated conversation about continuity and how the board should rotate leadership.
The board took public comment before nominations, drawing speakers who urged either a district-based rotation or leadership chosen for temperament and experience. After several floor motions, the Board elected Brooke as chair by a 4–1 vote. The Board then unanimously elected Craig Ferrero as first vice chair and DeBryan as second vice chair.
Why it matters: Supervisors said continuity in chairmanship matters for institutional memory and efficient agenda management. Several board members cited prior years when turnover left the chair and vice chair positions vacant and argued for different approaches — a district rotation versus merit-based selection.
How it happened: Chief Administrative Office staff read Item 1, the annual reorganization item, and supervisors debated whether to elect a slate or hold three separate votes. Public commentators — including longtime observers and district residents — urged transparency about the process and questioned a plan to take public comment before nominations. After public comment, board members made multiple motions; an initial motion to retain the incumbent chair failed 2–3, and the motion to elect Brooke passed 4–1. The first and second vice chair nominations passed unanimously (5–0).
Board reaction: Supporters praised the incoming chair and pledged to work collaboratively. Dissenting supervisors said the earlier turn of events left continuity questions unresolved and urged more succession planning.
What’s next: The new chair thanked colleagues and assumed the dais to preside over the rest of the meeting. The board will continue its standard committee assignments and scheduled business under the new leadership.
Votes and formal actions: The minutes record the chair vote (4–1 in favor), first vice chair (5–0), and second vice chair (5–0).