New leadership for County Commissioners

With the newly-elected (and newly-districted) members of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) sworn in, they have followed their annual tradition of selecting a new chair and vice-chair of the group. This is a leadership structure that is quite different from other elected bodies in the county in that the chair has similar responsibilities as a Mayor would have in a municipality, but the seat rotates among the members in a very egalitarian fashion so that every commissioner in recent memory has served at least one year at the helm.

What I found especially interesting is that this year's chair will be Valerie Foushee (an African-American woman) and the vice-chair will be Mike Nelson (a gay man). I point our the demographics not because they are sole qualifications - both are bold, smart, and experienced leaders - but because I actually wonder if both might be historical firsts. Also, I'm proud that their "minority" status is such a non-issue that voters and their colleagues on the board have recognized their leadership status without a fuss.

I still remember folks saying in 2006 that some parts of the county would never go for a gay candidate. I'm so glad we are taking steps toward putting those cowardly politics behind us.