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Public commenter supports evaluation of Sonoma County administrator as board approves agenda and moves to closed session
Summary
Public commenter Janice Carmen praised Maria Christina Rivera’s preparedness and urged support for her evaluation while raising concerns about administrative organization; the board approved the agenda unanimously with three members present and adjourned into closed session to consider items 1–9.
Public commenter Janice Carmen urged the Sonoma County Board to endorse the evaluation of Maria Christina Rivera, whom Carmen called the county’s administrator, praising Rivera’s readiness to answer questions and describing her as “very even emotionally” and “very…prepared to respond.” Carmen also raised organizational concerns, saying the county has “many agencies that have been tucked under” and using the metaphor of a “chicken tucking the baby chicks underneath” to argue the current structure may be ineffective.
Carmen said she had wanted more personal background about Rivera, telling the board, “As a child, I went into the library always, and I read autobiographies,” and later characterized some actions as reaching “a level of your incompetence,” language she directed at unspecified aspects of administration during her remarks. She also referenced “Mister Portman” in the context of questions to staff, calling him the “sitting in attorney.”
Before public comment, the board moved to approve the day’s agenda. A motion to approve the agenda was made and seconded on the record; the board chair called for the vote and recorded unanimous approval with the three board members present.
After the public comment period concluded, the chair said there were no further public comments and adjourned the public portion of the meeting into closed session to consider items numbered 1 through 9.
No formal votes on the closed session items were recorded in the public transcript. The meeting record notes that Supervisors Rabbit and Gore were absent from the public portion and were expected to join later, and that County Executive Rivera and County Council Pittman were present during roll call.
