To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Executive’s Office; Human Resources Department
Staff Name and Phone Number: M. Christina Rivera, 707-565-2048; Janell Crane, 707-565-2885
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Appointment of County Counsel
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution appointing Joshua A. Myers as County Counsel, commencing January 27, 2026, through January 27, 2030, at the “C” step of the position’s salary range and with other County benefits and compensation in accordance with Salary Resolution 95-0926.
end
Executive Summary:
After a nationwide recruitment and extensive selection process, the Board of Supervisors selected Joshua A. Myers to be the new County Counsel. Staff requests the Board adopt the resolution to appoint Mr. Myers as County Counsel for a term of four years as designated by California Government code sections 27640 and 27641. Mr. Myers will be sworn into the position by the County’s Clerk-Recorder-Assessor on January 27, 2026. This appointment places Mr. Myers at the “C” step of the salary range for the job classification, and he will be eligible for other County benefits in accordance with Salary Resolution 95-0926.
Discussion:
California Government Code Sections 27640-27648 specify basic terms and conditions of the employment relationship between the position of County Counsel and California counties. Section 27640 specifies that the County Counsel shall serve four-year terms of office.
The Sonoma County Counsel’s Office is the primary provider of legal services to County departments and special districts, including the Board of Supervisors, Grand Jury, Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Water Agency, Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), and the Sonoma County Transportation Authority. County Counsel either directly handles or coordinates outside counsel in the defense of all claims filed against the County and proactively works to minimize risk and assist in policy development and implementation within the legal services area. The County Counsel leads a staffing complement of 41.25 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees with a current fiscal year (FY) budget of approximately $15.4 million.
Upon the announcement of the current County Counsel, Robert Pittman’s retirement, the County hired an executive search firm specializing in public sector recruitment, to conduct an extensive nationwide search to assist in filling the position. Applicants who best demonstrated possession of the ideal candidate characteristics identified for the position were invited to interview with subject matter experts and County department heads. At the conclusion of the process, the Board of Supervisors selected Joshua A. Myers as the new County Counsel.
Mr. Myers is a Sonoma County-native and a seasoned attorney with more than two decades of experience, including 16 years with the County of Sonoma. Before joining the Sonoma County Counsel’s Office, Mr. Myers worked as an associate attorney in private practice firms in California and New Mexico. Most recently, he served as Chief Deputy County Counsel for the County of Sonoma since 2020. Mr. Myer’s experience includes managing and leading the Sonoma County Counsel’s Office’s Litigation, Labor and Justice Practice Group, overseeing the coordination of all litigation involving the County and sister agencies. He has also served on the Sonoma County Bar Association’s Board of Directors, including past roles of Section Chair of the Public Law Section and Chair of the Education Committee, and was one of the founding members of the Bar Association’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Section.
Mr. Myers has a Juris Doctorate from the University of New Mexico, a Master’s Degree in Latin American Studies from University of New Mexico, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities and Spanish from Pacific University in Forest Gove, Oregon.
Unlike most department or agency Director appointments mechanized with a Personal Services Agreement, consistent with California Government Code sections 27640-27648, the attached Resolution appoints Mr. Myers as County Counsel with an effective term of January 27, 2026, through January 27, 2030, at the “C” step of the salary range, which is $303,092 annually. It includes all other benefits and compensation as prescribed in the County’s Salary Resolution 95-0926. As County Counsel, Mr. Myers must be sworn in prior to taking office. The County’s Clerk Recorder Assessor, Deva Proto, will administer the Oath of Office on January 27, 2026, after the Board of Supervisors adopts the Resolution on January 13, 2026.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
None.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$333,834 |
$503,863 |
$518,979 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$333,834 |
$503,863 |
$518,979 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$333,834 |
$503,863 |
$518,979 |
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$333,834 |
$503,863 |
$518,979 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The salary and benefit costs of the County Counsel are already included in the adopted departmental budget. The FY 25-26 cost includes estimated salaries and benefits of $222,556 for Mr. Myers for the remainder of the fiscal year, plus $111,278 of additional position overlap costs for an assumed dual-fill period of 2.5 months needed for transition of this key position. The FY 26-27 Projected cost includes salaries and benefits costs for a full 12-month period based on forecasted rates being used for budgeting, and the FY 27-28 Projected costs assumes a 3% inflator.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
Resolution appointing Joshua A. Myers as County Counsel
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.