Supervisor Mike Reagan to serve as the new chair of the board

Congrad's to Mike Reagan who also serves on Solano EDC's Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

Taking their seats in Solano

Full house welcomes new and returning officials at ceremony
By Erin Pursell/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
Article Launched:01/10/2007 06:36:57 AM PST
It was standing room only Tuesday during a lively swearing in ceremony of numerous officials and it helped kick off the new year for Solano County government.

Words of thanks to family members, friends and Solano's citizens were offered to 300 in attendance who were packed into the Board of Supervisors Chamber.

Those elected and appointed seized the opportunity to reflect on past experience and look enthusiastically to the future.

"I'm going to work very hard to earn their trust," said Supervisor Jim Spering, who replaces Duane Kromm as the newest member of the board, and was sworn in with his granddaughter at his side.

With 20 years of experience as mayor of Suisun City, Spering spoke briefly on the need for a collaborative effort between all of Solano's cities to work on challenges that range from transportation, to public safety, to defending the core values of the Orderly Growth Initiative.

An extension of that initiative, with revisions, was defeated in the Nov. 7 election.

"If we work together with the seven cities we can meet the challenges that Solano County faces," he said.

Kromm, meanwhile, offered a few final thoughts and words of encouragement to Spering.

"I know he'll serve you with a good heart and good intentions," Kromm said. "I think it's always good to think big and long-term and we've done a good job of that here in Solano County."

Sheriff and Coroner Gary Stanton, meanwhile, was among those who took an oath of office yet again.

"I've done one term already and I think by all measurements it was a good one," he said. "We're going to keep doing what we've been doing and we've got a lot of new ideas."

With the county's new staff in place, the supervisors proceeded to nominate and elect Supervisor Mike Reagan to serve as the new chair of the board, and Supervisor Mike Silva to serve as vice chair.

Reagan presented Supervisor John Vasquez with a plaque commemorating Vasquez's service as board chair.

"It's a difficult job," said an emotional Vasquez regarding public service. "I don't take it lightly and none of us up here do."

As Reagan took his seat as chair, he briefly outlined some of the challenges ahead for Solano County and called, first and foremost, for investment strategies to create more jobs.

"The swearing-in ceremonies we have just witnessed should be seen as more than the passing of title and conferring of honors " he said. "It is a profound responsibility."

Reagan has represented Solano's 5th District - including Dixon, Rio Vista and parts of Vacaville and Suisun City - since January 2005 and served as vice chair of the supervisors during 2006.

"I'm confident that we are up to the challenge and I'm equally confident that 2007 is going to be a very good year," he said. "Let's get to work."

Other officials sworn in include Marc Tonnesen, Assessor- Recorder; Simona Padilla-Scholtens, Auditor-Controller; David Paulson, District Attorney; and Charles Lomeli, Treasurer-Tax Collector/Clerk.

Erin Pursell can be reached at county@thereporter.com.