Board unanimously re-elects Rowe as Chairman and elects Baca, Jr. as Vice Chair

*First District Supervisor Col. Paul Cook (Ret.), Chairman and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe, and Vice Chair and Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.*

On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors unanimously elected Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe as chairman for a second two-year term and Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr., as vice chair for a two-year term.

Following the board officer election, Rowe said, “I appreciate the vote of confidence, kind words and [Supervisor Cook’s] joint leadership over the last two years.” First District Supervisor Col. Paul Cook (Ret.), who served as vice chairman for the past two years, nominated Rowe for re-election and Baca, Jr. as vice chairman.

“Over the past year, Chaiman Rowe has done an incredible job keeping the board focused, productive and working as a team,” Cook said. “Her leadership has been steady and effective, and I’ve been really impressed with how she’s handled the challenges, like the fires last year and this year.

“Supervisor Baca, Jr. has shown great dedication to his district and the entire county. His thoughtful, collaborative approach has been key to helping us get things done by working across the aisle and bringing people together, which is exactly what we need,” Cook said.

Baca, Jr. said, “The one thing that’s great about this board is we don’t look into partisan politics. We look at doing whatever we can to best serve our residents.”

The board chair presides over the Board of Supervisors meetings, collaborates with the County Chief Executive Officer to approve the board’s meeting agendas, signs contracts approved by the board and acts as the board’s representative. The vice chair supports these responsibilities and assumes the chair’s duties in their absence.

Rowe and Baca, Jr. will continue serving alongside Cook, Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez and Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman to lead a diverse public service organization dedicated to serving San Bernardino County’s approximately 2.2 million residents and creating a complete county as outlined by the Countywide Vision.

Additional County Update News – Jan. 16, 2025