New slate of officers for Sonoma County Board of Supervisors selected after swearing-in ceremony

Three Sonoma County supervisors, including Rebecca Hermosillo, the newest member of the Board of Supervisors and the first Latina to ever serve on the County board, were sworn in to office today before a standing-room only crowd of friends, family and well-wishers. Hermosillo, who was elected to succeed retiring District 1 Supervisor Susan Gorin, and Supervisors Lynda Hopkins and Chris Coursey, were all joined by family members as they took the oath of office during a ceremony to mark the board’s new term.

The board then selected Supervisor Hopkins, as chair and Supervisor Hermosillo as vice chair for coming year. Supervisor James Gore was elected Chair Pro-Tem. Chair Hopkins, who was sworn in by her three children, ages 12, 9 and 5, before accepting the gavel from outgoing Chair David Rabbitt, pledged to work hard to uphold the community’s values.

“When I look at government, I see people who went into public service for a reason, to make the community a better place, to patch potholes, to improve public safety, to plan effective communities, to create new parks, to craft better policy, to make sure taxpayer dollars are being spent effectively, to protect our environment, to support small businesses,”  Hopkins said. “So, as chair, my biggest goal is to prove that government works. This year let’s double down on my favorite phrase, ‘community engagement.’ Let’s make government the best that it can be. Let’s show people that we have their backs and that we will work, not only for them, but with them to make their communities a better place.”

Supervisor Hermosillo, a former district aide to Rep. Mike Thompson, was sworn in by her mother in Spanish and her two adult sons in English before receiving a standing ovation from the overflow crowd in the board chambers. She said that she was honored to represent the First District, which includes east Santa Rosa and the Sonoma Valley.

“It’s a really exciting day to be here,” Hermosillo said. “I know we have a lot of really good work to do, and I’m excited to do that with my District 1 team and my colleagues and the whole County family.”

Supervisor Coursey, who was elected to his second four-year term, was sworn in by two of his grandsons, ages 8 and 7.

“Our focus is steady,” Coursey said. “We are here to take care of the health and safety of everyone who lives in this county. It doesn’t matter where they are from, what language they speak, what god they pray to, who they love, or who they voted for. That is my pledge for the next four years.”

The next meeting will be the Board of Supervisors’ special agenda-setting session. That meeting will be Friday, Jan. 10 starting at 9 a.m. at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Photos of the swearing-in ceremonies as well as a group photo of the Board of Supervisors are available upon request.

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