January 6, 2015
  • Supervisor Carole Groom will serve as president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 2015. She was elected president by her four colleagues at a meeting Tuesday morning at the Board of Supervisors Chambers in Redwood City.

    Groom, in a brief speech, said that the Board will continue to work on special projects that will keep San Mateo County “prosperous and well-positioned for the future,” including sea rise and flooding issues, safe schools and enhanced mental health services especially for children, the revitalization and renaissance of the North Fair Oaks neighborhood and continuing the Big Lift with third grade reading initiatives.

    In the spirit of the New Year, Groom laid out some goals for San Mateo County government in 2015. They are:

    • continuing with Measure A funding and monitoring performance points
    • studying the potential for enacting a livable wage
    • setting the ground work for Community Choice Aggregation, a local energy model to green the grid
    • combatting elder abuse

    Maintaining a strong fiscal position, balanced budget and healthy reserves are also a priority, said Groom, who added that the Board’s overarching goals pretty much remain the same: “to keep San Mateo County safe and healthy, provide services for the most vulnerable population, and preserve and protect our precious open space and park lands.”

    She described San Mateo County as “collaborative, innovative and cooperative” and that “we do our job as one, partnering with cities, unincorporated neighborhoods, a wide range of  not-for-profits, state and federal agencies, boards and commissions, labor and faith groups, and our local delegation of elected officials are among the very best.”

    She offered a special salute to County employees, who “everyday they serve the varied needs of San Mateo County residents,” she said, and thanked everyone for asking her to serve as president this year, “my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors who I admire for their dedication and commitment to public service.”

    “What we do, we do together,” said Groom, “to continue to make San Mateo County the very best to live, work and raise a family.”

    Groom was elected to the Board of Supervisors in June 2010 and served one year as President of the Board in 2011. She represents District 2, which includes the cities of San Mateo, Foster City and most of Belmont (excluding southeast portion).