Board removes supervisor from committee assignments amid ongoing investigations

Supervisor Katrina Foley pulled agenda item 1 to make a public motion to reassign committee appointments for a colleague who is under public scrutiny. She said the board’s authority permits reassignment of committee and commission appointments but not removal from elected office itself. "This is the item to not just make appointments, but to remove Andrew Doe from all of the committee assignments," Foley said, urging a public discussion.

Board members debated statutory limits and whether the board could remove the supervisor from the Orange County Transportation Authority seat; Chair Wagner said consultations with OCTA and counsel led the board to include OCTA in the amended motion. Vice Chair Doug Chaffee and Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said the move was necessary to preserve public confidence during concurrent investigations. Sarmiento described the reassignment as a difficult but necessary act "to make sure that we show transparency."

The board amended the motion to remove the supervisor from commission assignments and to move him to alternate status; after further clarification the board removed him as the fourth alternate as well. County counsel and the county’s outside advice on statutory authority were discussed during the item. The motion as amended carried unanimously.

Board members noted that removal from office would require action by the attorney general or a resignation and that a separate censure item (item 22d) was continued to the Sept. 24 meeting for fuller public consideration. The board said these personnel actions were in the public interest while investigations proceed.

The action recorded in the meeting minutes was limited to committee and board appointments and did not alter the supervisor’s elected status.