To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Executive’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jennie Brown (707) 565-2241
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Recommended Action:
Title
Approve the Reappointment of Sarah Laggos to the Sonoma County Library Commission as the joint City of Santa Rosa / Sonoma County Board of Supervisors representative for a four-year term beginning August 1, 2026 and ending July 31, 2030. (Countywide)
End
Executive Summary:
Approve the Reappointment of Sarah Laggos to the Sonoma County Library Commission as the joint City of Santa Rosa / Sonoma County Board of Supervisors representative for a four-year term beginning August 1, 2026, and ending July 31, 2030. (Countywide)
Discussion:
The Sonoma County Library First Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement (Amended JPA) and the formation of the new Library Commission went in effect on August 1, 2014. The Amended JPA requires that each jurisdiction have one seat on the newly formed Library Commission, with an additional seat to be shared between the County of Sonoma and City of Santa Rosa. The Joint Powers Agreement states “In addition, the County of Sonoma and the City of Santa Rosa shall also be entitled to jointly appoint one additional representative to sit on the Commission as a voting member. When a vacancy for said joint appointment occurs, the City of Santa Rosa and the County of Sonoma will advertise the vacancy, accept applications, review the applications, and forward them to the City of Santa Rosa Mayor and Chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors for consideration. Interviews will be held if deemed appropriate. The Mayor and Chair shall jointly recommend one Commissioner candidate to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the Santa Rosa City Council, who shall approve the recommended candidate, which said approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.” The initial terms of Commission appointments are staggered between two- and four-year terms so that there will never be full turnover of the Commission at one time. The joint appointment with the City of Santa Rosa is a four-year term, Sarah Laggos current term of service ends July 31, 2026. This item recommends the reappointment of Sarah Laggos for a term of four years.
In advance of Sarah’s current term end date the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors publicly noticed the expected vacancy on the Board of Supervisors Boards and Commissions website <https://sonoma-county.granicus.com/boards/w/808bd6e42edf8e0f>. Applications were forwarded to the Chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the Mayor of the City of Santa Rosa for consideration.
Staff received a total of four applications from interested parties to be considered for two seats, the joint City/County seat and the City of Santa Rosa seat. The Santa Rosa Mayor and the Chair of the Board discussed joint selection of the candidate to recommend to the Santa Rosa City Council and Board of Supervisors according to the Joint Powers Agreement.
Sarah Laggos has served on the Library Commission as the joint City of Santa Rosa / Sonoma County Board of Supervisors representative since October 2022. Sarah has more than twenty years’ experience working with public institutions, as the Executive Director, Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation and District External Relations since her May 2025 appointment. She has served as Santa Rosa Library Advisory Board Chair from December 2017 to present. Library Advisory Boards are outlined in the Joint Powers Agreement with members appointed by the Library Commission. She holds a master's degree in public service management and a bachelor's in psychology. Sarah is seeking reappointment to continue her service to the Library Commission.
The Santa Rosa City Council approved the reappointment of Sarah Laggos as the joint City/County representative on June 16, 2026. Per the Joint Powers Agreement, should such candidate not be approved then the Mayor and Chair shall jointly recommend subsequent candidate(s) until such time as a candidate is approved by the City Council and Board of Supervisors.
Prior Board Actions:
October 4, 2022 - BOS Appointment of Sarah Laggos, City of Santa Rosa / Sonoma County Board of Supervisors representative, October 4, 2022 - July 31, 2026.
Fiscal Summary
None
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
None
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Sarah Laggos Resume
Applications not Recommended
JPA Sonoma County Library (Joint Powers Agreement)
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board: