Swearing In of Placer County Board of Supervisors

(Placer County Superior Court Presiding Judge Alan Pineschi administers the oath of office today to three members of the Placer County Board of Supervisors who are starting new four-year terms: from the left,  Kirk Uhler, Jennifer Montgomery and Chairman Jim Holmes.)

The Placer County Board of Supervisors held its first meeting of the year today, selecting Jim Holmes to serve as chairman and naming Jack Duran vice chair for 2013.

The first order of business at today's meeting was administering the oath of office to three board members who are starting new four-year terms: Chairman Holmes, Jennifer Montgomery and Kirk Uhler. All three were elected to new terms during the June 5 primary election last year.

Placer County Superior Court Presiding Judge Alan Pineschi officiated during the oath-of-office ceremony. 

Vice Chair Duran and Supervisor Robert M. Weygandt are beginning the third year of four-year terms on the board.

For Supervisor Holmes, the first order of business as chairman was recognizing Supervisor Montgomery, who served as board chairwoman last year.

"It is my great honor and pleasure to present you this plaque recognizing your leadership on the Placer County Board of Supervisors this past year," Chairman Holmes told his predecessor. "You have done it with grace, clarity and dignity, and we appreciate it very much."

The chairman presides over board meetings, approves final agendas and often represents the county at community events, but generally has the same powers as other supervisors.

Supervisor Holmes is starting his third term on the board and also served as chairman during 2008. He represents the 3rd District, which includes much of North Auburn and Rocklin and the communities of Ophir, Newcastle and Loomis.

Supervisor Montgomery is beginning her second four-year term representing the 5th District, which stretches from Auburn to North Lake Tahoe.

Fourth District Supervisor Uhler has completed three terms on the board. He was only 25 years old when first elected to the board in 1992, becoming the second youngest supervisor in state history. He left the board after completing his four-year term in 1996, then returned in 2006 when the board selected him to fill a vacancy created when 4th District Supervisor Ted Gaines was elected to the State Assembly. After completing the remaining two years of his predecessor's term, Supervisor Uhler won re-election to a four-year term in 2008, running unopposed.     

The 4th District includes the community of Granite Bay and part of Roseville.

Supervisor Duran, a Roseville attorney, represents the 1st District on the five-member board. His district covers most of the city of Roseville and a stretch of unincorporated land that is west of Roseville and just north of the Placer-Sacramento County line.

Supervisor Weygandt has represented the 2nd District since 1995. His district covers most of western Placer County, including Lincoln, Sheridan, part of Rocklin and part of western Roseville.

In other business at today's meeting, board members honored 61 long-time employees during the county's annual Service Awards Ceremony. As a group, the employees represent 1,370 years of service to the county.

Service Awards were given to employees who completed 20, 25, 30 or 35 years of county service last year. Nellie Chenowith of the Health and Human Services Department was the only employee in the 35-year category and Kim Rose of Health and Human Services was the only recipient of a 30-year award.

Four elected officials and department heads were honored. Treasurer-Tax Collector Jenine Windeshausen was recognized for 25 years of county service, Assessor Kristen Spears and Chief Probation Officer Marshall Hopper were honored for 15 years and Public Works Director Ken Grehm was acknowledged for 10 years of service.  

Supervisor Montgomery saluted the award winners and their co-workers who crowded into the Board of Supervisors Chambers for the ceremony.

"I am impressed each and every day by what an incredible job you all do each and every day, and I really want to thank you for that," she said.