Kern County Board of Supervisors

Kern County Board of Supervisors
Name	Kern County Board of Supervisors
Caption	Kern County Administration Building, Bakersfield
Established	1866
Jurisdiction	Kern County, California
Type	County legislative body
Leader	Chair

Kern County Board of Supervisors is the five-member elected commission that serves as the governing authority for Kern County, California and exercises policymaking, fiscal oversight, and administrative control over county services. The board interacts with a wide array of state and federal entities, including the California State Legislature, Governor of California, United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Homeland Security, and regional agencies in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Members coordinate with municipal governments such as the City of Bakersfield, City of Delano, City of Ridgecrest, and tribal governments like the Tejon Indian Tribe.

History

Kern County was formed from parts of Los Angeles County, Tulare County, and San Bernardino County in 1866, creating the institutional context for a county supervisory body similar to boards in San Diego County, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and Orange County Board of Supervisors. Early county affairs involved conflicts tied to the California Gold Rush, the expansion of the Southern Pacific Railroad, and land disputes involving families like the Carrs (California pioneers) and enterprises such as Kern County Land Company. Throughout the 20th century the board responded to economic transformations driven by Petroleum industry in California, the rise of Kern County oil fields, federal projects including the Kern River, and federal programs like the New Deal which funded infrastructure. The board’s modern institutional evolution parallels reforms seen after disasters such as the 1971 Sylmar earthquake and regulatory shifts following legislation like the California Environmental Quality Act and federal statutes including the National Environmental Policy Act.

Composition and Districts

The board consists of five supervisors representing geographically numbered districts, analogous to district systems in Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Santa Barbara County. District boundaries have been redrawn in decennial cycles using criteria reflected in rulings like Reynolds v. Sims and implementation practices used by California Citizens Redistricting Commission. Demographically, districts include diverse communities: the urban core of Bakersfield, agricultural valleys around Shafter, California and Arvin, California, the high desert near Mojave, California and California City, and rural outposts such as Tehachapi, California and Lake Isabella, California. Supervisors have included local officials with backgrounds in the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Kern County Fire Department, Kern High School District governance, and private sector leaders from companies like Berry Petroleum, Aera Energy, and Chevron USA.

Powers and Responsibilities

The board exercises fiscal authority analogous to other California county boards, setting the annual budget and adopting ordinances impacting Kern County Department of Public Health, Kern County Sheriff, Kern County Fire Department, Kern Medical Center, and the Kern County Public Works Department. It administers land-use decisions intersecting with state agencies such as the California Public Utilities Commission, California Department of Transportation, and federal regulators including the Environmental Protection Agency. The board appoints heads of county departments, oversees law enforcement contracts with cities like Ridgecrest and Wasco, California, and represents the county in intergovernmental bodies like the California State Association of Counties and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Powers also include disaster response coordination with Federal Emergency Management Agency, public health emergency actions in concert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and oversight of social service programs linked to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Meetings and Procedures

Board meetings follow requirements set by state law and practices common to bodies such as the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Agendas are prepared by the Kern County Administrative Office and published in accordance with the Brown Act (California), allowing public comment from advocates associated with organizations like ACLU of Northern California, California Farm Bureau Federation, United Food and Commercial Workers, Sierra Club, and local media such as the Bakersfield Californian. Proceedings include consent calendars, public hearings on projects like wind farm proposals and solar energy projects, and closed sessions for personnel and litigation matters referenced under statutes like the California Government Code.

Budget and Administration

The board adopts an annual budget that allocates funding across departments including Kern County Library, Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Kern County Human Services, and the county-administered Kern Medical Center. Revenue sources include property taxes influenced by Proposition 13, state subventions from the California State Budget, federal grants through agencies such as the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and fees from land-use permits reviewed with input from entities like the Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department. Fiscal oversight involves interaction with auditors and treasurers akin to offices in Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller and counties using independent audit firms, and budgetary debates have referenced bond measures, pension obligations tied to California Public Employees’ Retirement System, and infrastructure financing similar to Redevelopment Agency models (prior to statewide dissolution).

Elections and Political Dynamics

Supervisorial seats are elected in countywide staggered terms under California’s local election statutes, with contests featuring candidates from party organizations such as the Republican Party (United States), Democratic Party (United States), and local movements like the California Grassroots Party affiliates. Campaigns have drawn endorsements from statewide figures including past California Governors and members of the California State Senate and United States House of Representatives, as well as local celebrities tied to institutions like the California State University, Bakersfield and sports teams like the Bakersfield Condors. Political dynamics reflect countywide debates over oil production regulations, agricultural labor issues involving United Farm Workers, water rights disputes referencing the California Water Commission, and land-use conflicts influenced by environmental groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Notable Actions and Controversies

The board has taken high-profile positions on drilling permits in the San Joaquin Basin, enacted ordinances responding to public health emergencies during outbreaks linked to entities like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and engaged in litigation with state agencies over California Environmental Quality Act review processes. Controversies have involved interactions with law enforcement policies of the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, disputes over homeless services in conjunction with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, debates about greenhouse gas regulation relevant to the California Air Resources Board, and high-profile personnel matters that attracted coverage from outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and Associated Press. The board’s land-use approvals for projects near federally managed lands like Sequoia National Forest have prompted involvement from conservation organizations including The Nature Conservancy and litigation in state courts.

Category:Kern County, California Category:County boards of supervisors in California