Published:  May 13, 2020

Public Service Recognition Week is celebrated annually during the first week of May. This national recognition week encourages government at all levels to promote government employees and careers, educate the public about the value of public servants and the services they provide, recognize excellence in public service, and promote the spirit of public service.    

In normal times, we would have been celebrating our 23rd annual Public Service Recognition Week with a lunch this week for all employees at the Santa Rosa Veteran’s Building. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic has required us to postpone this event. What should not be postponed is the recognition of County of Sonoma employees for your perseverance, strength, and passion for serving your community during this last year.   

We have persevered through the floods in March 2019, Kincaid Fires in October 2019, power-shut offs, and we are now in the midst of the county-wide response to COVID-19. This year marks the third consecutive year of disasters.  Throughout all of these emergencies, County employees have continued to work in essential and disaster work through various positions. Because of you, the County has been able to provide what our community needs.  Our employees are the backbone of this organization.    

We also recognize the challenges that our employees and their families are facing as a result of the pandemic as we see our family and loved ones lose jobs, struggle with uncertainty, parents and children cope with the loss of childcare and remote learning, and the list goes on.  Even with all of this, our employees have done an incredible job adjusting, keeping essential services going, adapting to remote working, all while balancing your family needs and your roles with the County.   

We look forward to the day we can celebrate Public Service Recognition Week together. Please take care of yourselves and stay healthy.  We are still stronger together and continue to be #SonomaStrong.  Thank you so much for all that you do.

Warmest regards,
Sincerely,      

Susan Gorin
Chair, Board of Supervisors