Reorganization of Sonoma County bureacracy approved by supervisors

The move shifts Sonoma County's government from a county administrator model, streamlining more day-to-day agency operations under a county executive model.

photo credit: County of Sonoma
M.Christina Rivera, current county administrator, will
continue in the new county executive leadership role.

The board’s request for a report on a controversial factory farming ban ballot measure wasn’t the only noteworthy decision from a full agenda on Tuesday, April 16.

County supervisors fully approved the reorganization of executive leadership within the county government.

It's shifting from a county administrator model to an executive model.

Now a re-christened "county executive" will have daily oversight of the Agricultural Commissioner and the head of the county's Economic Development Board.

Same goes for the directors of Health services, Public Infrastructure, Office of Equity and Regional Parks.

Christina Rivera is the current county administrator with oversight of eight departments already. She will take on the new county executive title.

"I see myself as more of a orchestra conductor than a triage or you know, filter," Rivera said. "So that when needs arise, but resources are limited, I can help prioritize where we can start in sequence the next efforts for."

The county executive will also handle hiring and firing of each of the additional department heads minus the Ag Commissioner.

Supervisor Chris Coursey said the move is intended to make the county government run more smoothly.

"With the board of supervisors being the place where the buck stops and the direction starts," Coursey said. "And going through the county administrator to all of the other department heads."

Only Supervisor Lynda Hopkins opposed the move.

"Philosophically, I agree with this," Hopkins said. "But I am concerned that as proposed without adequate staffing, we will not have the resources that we need and that we will actually serve to further dis-empower our unincorporated communities."

Authority over county legal counsel, the IOLERO Director, and the general managers of Sonoma Water and Ag & Open Space remains with the Board of Supervisors.