Calaveras Supervisors Saluted At Final Meeting
San Andreas, CA — The changing of the guard was evident at today’s Calaveras County Board of Supervisors meeting.
The four outgoing Supervisors received special proclamations during their final regularly scheduled meeting. County voters indicated last month that they wanted a change, as Supervisors Cliff Edson and Steve Kearney were victims during the November election. Edson lost to former supervisor Gary Tofanelli and Kearney was recalled and replaced by Clyde Clapp. Two other supervisors, Debbie Ponte and Chris Wright, chose not to seek re-election.
The lone holdover from the board next year will be Michael Oliveira. As the proclamations were issued at today’s meeting, Oliveira stated, “We’ve faced in two short years what counties never even come close to facing. It wasn’t small things, it was one after another, ongoing, which will be ongoing for a long time. These board of supervisor members, Supervisor Ponte, Supervisor Wright, Supervisor Kearney and Supervisor Edson, were the hardest working board of supervisors that I have ever seen.”
During the past couple of years the Supervisors have dealt with the Butte Fire, tree mortality and controversial marijuana rules and regulations.
A handful of residents came up and offered praise to Ponte and Wright, in which the supervisors responded by expressing gratitude.
Ponte will be replaced next month by Dennis Mills and Wright by John Garamendi Jr.
It is noted that both Edson and Kearney were absent from today’s meeting.
The board also bid farewell today to outgoing CAO Shirley Ryan who is retiring after 26 years with the county. She is being replaced over the short-term by interim CAO Manuel Lopez.
