DOWNTOWN LA — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has a new leader. At today’s reorganization meeting, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath (District 3) was elected chair, and immediately assumed her responsibilities, opening and facilitating today’s meeting. Her term as chair will run through next December.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger (District 5) was elected chair pro-tempore, who will take over Horvath’s chair duties when she is unable to.
Horvath was elected to the Board last November, a year later, she is the youngest person to chair the Board at 41-years-old. The Board of Supervisors manages one of the largest governments in the country, LA County, with a budget and population bigger than most states. As chair, Horvath holds the responsibility of leading the Board through the many decisions they make that affect people countywide.
Before the Board went over the scheduled agenda, the supervisors gave thanks to Supervisor Janice Hahn (District 4) for serving as this year’s chair. Several references were made to Hahn’s father (Kenneth Hahn) who also served as a supervisor for 40 years.
Horvath served as chair pro-tempore under Hahn her first year as supervisor and personally thanked her. “Any success I have this year as chair will come from the lessons I learned from your example,” said Horvath.
Horvath represents the Third Supervisorial District, which stretches from the city of San Fernando, to Santa Monica, and Westlake Village; the district includes unincorporated areas of West Hills and Lake Manor; and many communities in the city of LA such as Brentwood, Pacoima, and Canoga Park. Prior to becoming a supervisor, she served as a council member for West Hollywood, including twice as mayor.
The LA County Board of Supervisors oversee a budget of $46.7 billion for 2023-24 fiscal year and represent about 10 million constituents countywide (each supervisor represents about two million people). The supervisors oversee departments that administer a variety of programs and essential services that many of us have probably used at some points such as the LA County Fire Department, Parks and Recreation, and Public Social Services, and county hospitals.
The Board chair serves a one year term and is selected on a rotating basis in order of seniority. One of the chair’s main responsibilities is to facilitate the Board’s regular meetings and public hearings held at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration. The chair ensures that attendees are given appropriate time to make public comments, and can remove someone from the Board room if they consider them disruptive.