Santa Barbara County Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson came into his first year on the board wanting to tackle some of the county’s most pressing issues, but between navigating the novel coronavirus pandemic and his role as chair, Nelson ended up feeling most accomplished in the relationships he built with his colleagues and his management of the board.

“I had some specific things that I wanted to do but I wasn’t able to accomplish just between COVID and being chairman; I didn’t have the bandwidth to do certain things,” Nelson told Noozhawk. “I think overall this first year has been somewhat successful in terms of the relationships I’ve built with my colleagues.”

Nelson was elected as Fourth District Supervisor after running unopposed in the March 2020 primary elections, replacing his former boss Peter Adam who chose not to seek a third term after serving eight years. Nelson worked as Adam’s chief of staff.

Because of the regular rotation for board chair, Nelson served his first year on the board as chairman, managing a board of differing political ideals and presiding over hours-long meetings filled with passionate public speakers.

Continue Reading at Noozhawk