The supervisor of San Mateo County for District Four, Warren Slocum, became the new president of the Board of Supervisors for 2024 with a vision of evaluation and change, stating that: ?Just because something works doesn't mean it can't be improved.?
At the same meeting, the Board also selected District 5 Supervisor David Canepa as Vice President and thanked outgoing District 1 President Dave Pine for his leadership during 2023.
The presidency is Slocum's third since taking office in 2013 and his last due to term limits. His district includes the cities of Redwood City and East Palo Alto and areas within the city of Menlo Park east of El Camino Real and including Belle Haven and the unincorporated community of North Fair Oaks.
During his remarks, Slocum noted that the county of 10 years ago is quite different than today.
“The reality is that we are more diverse, more people are struggling to support their families, food insecurity is prevalent, and we are still recovering from a global pandemic,” he said. “Our public life has sometimes become more confrontational, our dialogue more acute, and our challenges much more complex.”
In response, Slocum said change is inevitable and necessary, and questioned the county's organizational structure, including the need for 26 separate departments. He also called for amplifying public voices and strengthening the county's equity work, including passing an ordinance codifying the county's commitment and ?recalibration? from the Office of Equity and Social Justice. He said the county must invest in data collection to improve goal-setting and decision-making, and in technology, including artificial intelligence.
Slocum said former Supervisor Don Horsley, who died in November, taught him that the Board presidency is more about setting a tone and vision than creating a to-do list.
In February 2023, the Board of Supervisors was tasked at a retreat with collectively crafting a headline for three years into the future that summarized their work. Slocum, in closing his remarks, said the aspirational quote chosen says it all: “San Mateo County leads the nation in best practices in the areas of homelessness, equity and affordable housing.”
As Slocum looked to the future, Pine took time to reflect on his final year as president and the work the Board tackles in 2023.
?After welcoming two new supervisors, we begin the 2023 calendar year with unprecedented storms and flooding, quickly followed by the tragic deadly shooting in Half Moon Bay,? Pine said. ?While these events set a somber tone for the year and exposed some inequalities that were not previously well known, they also presented an opportunity for this county to do what we do best: pool our resources, with neighbor helping neighbor, to provide what is necessary. services to the most vulnerable among us?
Pine's colleagues took turns praising him for his performance as president during such a busy year. ?His steady hand made a big difference,? Slocum said.
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