If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that it matters who is in government making the decisions that impact so many of our lives. A lot of our focus this year has been directed at elected officials, the decisions they make and our role in shaping who gets to hold office. And while that's incredibly important, there are also a lot of decisions that get made within the bureaucracy of government that can have a huge impact on our lives.
Right now, Sacramento County has a number of important vacant positions available so we wanted to get into the nitty gritty of local government to talk about what's at stake. And hopefully a little sunlight helps ensure we get the best people in these positions reflecting the values of the community.
So, here's a list of the roles in Sacramento County that need to be filled:
• Assistant County Executive
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Director of Office of Emergency Services
• Deputy County Executive
• Director of Health Services
• Jail Medical Director
• Director of Department of Human Assistance
And most importantly, the role of Chief Executive Officer is in limbo. The County's current CEO, Navdeep Gill, is on administrative leave pending investigation after the Board of Supervisors issued a vote of "no confidence" in his ability to appropriately manage the County government.
Each of these positions can impact thousands of lives administering County programs on everything from disaster response to managing food assistance programs for low-income residents. And how these positions are filled, matters.
This is an opportunity for the County to
• prioritize transparency;
• recognize the real need to hit the refresh button on leadership; and
• assemble a search committee for these roles that prioritizes equitable representation and values-based leadership.
So stay tuned social justice warriors. Shining a light on these issues is the first step and we'll keep you posted on opportunities to make your voice heard on what leadership in Sacramento looks like moving forward