Fletcher named board chair for second consecutive year

Gig Conaughton

County of San Diego Communications Office

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday, Jan. 11, to select Supervisor Nathan Fletcher to serve as chair of the board for the second consecutive year.

Fletcher thanked his fellow supervisors, and San Diegans for their trust and for their toughness in working through the challenging times of the pandemic and economic hardship. Fletcher added that he was inspired by County employees who “get up every single day with the sole purpose of serving the public.”

“It’s with tremendous gratitude and appreciation to my colleagues that I accept the gavel and the chair, and we will continue to work together,” Fletcher said. “I know I can count on all of you to keep pushing for progress in the County.”

The chair acts as the official voice of the board, outlines the county’s goals for the coming year in the annual State of the County address and presides over board meetings. The chair also appoints other supervisors to various committees and fields requests from other supervisors to place items on the Board’s agenda.

During the Jan. 11 virtual organizational meeting, in addition to naming Fletcher chair, the board also selected Supervisor Nora Vargas to continue in her role as vice chair and to have Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer serve as chair pro tempore.

Fletcher said the County’s vision in 2022 must be to work every day to make life better for all San Diegans in every possible way, to be a “county you can count on.”

Fletcher said the county has worked hard to address key concerns and would continue investments to improve mental health and drug treatment, and to address poverty. He said that would mean fighting for good wages, pushing for high-wage industries, creating affordable housing, child care, and keeping public safety as a foundational focus.