District supervision held a closed meeting on the position of chief administrative officer

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors convened Monday in a closed-door meeting about the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) position, but did not provide any further details.

Monday’s public employment meeting at the County Hall was the first of three scheduled for this week. The rest of the sessions are scheduled for 13:00 on Tuesday and 9:15 on Wednesday.

After 25 years in San Diego County government, Chief Executive Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer announced her retirement last October. She left the date of departure open so that county officials would have time to find a successor.

CAO since 2012, Robbins-Meyer did not attend the meeting, which included a brief public comment period before the closed session. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Roemer was also absent.

The CAO is responsible for implementing board directives and managing day-to-day government operations and functions, including the annual budget.

A spokesperson for chairman Nora Vargas’ office said that because the meetings are closed, he could not provide any information.

After leaving the private sector, Robbins-Meyer began her career with the San Diego County government as Deputy Chief Administrative Officer.

She was later promoted to assistant CAO and then to a senior management position.

In a news release last year, Vargas praised Robbins-Meyer for embracing new ideas and moving forward “while never losing sight of the individual lives of the people we serve … She has worked tirelessly to create a government that works for all, and she passes on the shining torch to the next generation of leaders.”

During Robbins-Meyer’s tenure as CAO, the district opened eight new libraries; 55 miles of trails laid; helped more than 1 million residents access social safety net programs like Cal Fresh; merged the volunteer fire departments into a professional agency; and made new investments in mental health programs, including crisis response and homeless groups.