At the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, Supervisor Bernie Norvell was chosen to be the new chair of the board, and Supervisor Ted Williams as vice chair.
Supervisor John Haschak nominated Norvell to be the chair and Williams to be the vice chair. Supervisor Madeline Cline seconded the nomination.
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors typically elects a chair and vice chair once a year at its organizational meeting in January. According to a county resolution called the “Rules of Procedure,” the board “observes a tradition of numerical rotation by district for the election of chair and vice chair, but a member shall not be elected to serve as chair unless he or she has been a member of the Board for the preceding calendar year.”
Norvell, who represents District 4, has served on the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors since Jan. 7, 2025. Born and raised on the coast, the former mayor of Fort Bragg and longtime politician has long been an advocate for his community. Norvell represents his hometown of Fort Bragg as well as Caspar, Westport, and Leggett.
“I am honored that the board has instilled their trust in me for the next year and my promise is to do my best, which includes looking out for constituents and the county as a whole,” Norvell said in a statement. “It is truly an honor that I do not take lightly.”
This story originally appeared in The Mendocino Voice.