Butte County to swear in 3 elected representatives
OROVILLE » Three supervisors will be sworn in during a ceremony at the Butte County Board of Supervisors chambers on Monday, Jan. 4, at 9 a.m., marking the start of a new era on the board.
Newly- elected District 4 Supervisor Tod Kimmelshue will join District 1 Supervisor Bill Connelly and District 5 Supervisor Doug Teeter — both incumbents — during the swearing-in ceremony after each claimed victory in the March primary election.
Kimmelshue will replace the recently retired Steve Lambert, who had served on the board since 2009. Kimmelshue defeated Sue Hilderbrand in the March election for District 4, which includes much of Butte County’s farmland from the south end of the county to the southeast portion of Chico. In a statement, Kimmelshue highlighted his agricultural background, being part of a fifth-generation family of farmers.
“The future of our agricultural industry is directly connected to the availability of water and the wise use of this precious natural resource,” Kimmelshue said in a county press release. “As the only farmer on the Board of Supervisors, I will work shoulder to shoulder with farmers and producers of all sizes to make sure our agricultural industry is successful and thriving. I’m looking forward to fulfilling the commitments that I made to the voters in my district.”
Also in the March election, incumbents Connelly and Teeter won their districts by substantial margins over challengers Ian Greene and Henry Schleiger, respectively.
Connelly is the longest tenured of the five supervisors, as he first began serving in 2005. He enters his fifth term while continuing to represent his constituents who were impacted by the North Complex fires, which devastated several communities in his district including Berry Creek and Feather Falls. In the release, Connelly also pointed to the expansion of Highway 70 as a recent accomplishment he was proud of.
“I’m also proud of the many large strides we have taken in terms of recovery, from the Camp Fire and the North Complex (fires),” Connelly said. “In my upcoming term I look forward to continuing to serve as a representative of the people, and continuing to help wherever possible.”
Teeter enters his third term as District 5 supervisor serving through a challenging few years for the county, including the Camp Fire, which he and his family survived, in addition to COVID-19 and the North Complex.
“Working with each of the fifth district’s diverse communities has been the greatest accomplishment. The past few years have been challenging for many Butte County residents, between the Camp Fire, North Complex (fires) and now COVID-19,” Teeter said. “I feel honored to have been in a position to be able to help during such a difficult time in our county’s history. I am looking forward to continuing to be a part of rebuilding our communities and continuing to be the voice for residents during their time of need.”
The three will work alongside District 2 Supervisor Debra Lucero and District 3 Supervisor Tami Ritter, both of whom are halfway into their first terms that began in January 2019.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Butte County Clerk- Recorder Candace Grubbs will swear in each of the three supervisors individually. Though the pandemic will prevent friends and family from gathering in the chambers for the ceremony, it will be livestreamed on the county’s website at www.buttecounty. net/clerkoftheboard/boardmeetings.