San Benito County Supervisor Richard Scagliotti was selected as
the new chairman for the Council of Governments (COG) at their
meeting Thursday, Jan. 15.
After serving on COG for years, as well as on the Board of
Supervisors, his background and extensive knowledge about
transportation issues will assist him in leading the Council, said
COG member Pauline Valdivia.
San Benito County Supervisor Richard Scagliotti was selected as the new chairman for the Council of Governments (COG) at their meeting Thursday, Jan. 15.
After serving on COG for years, as well as on the Board of Supervisors, his background and extensive knowledge about transportation issues will assist him in leading the Council, said COG member Pauline Valdivia.
“Usually when you’ve been a member of a certain committee your knowledge strengthens every year,” Valdivia said. “COG is very complex… I’ve never had any questions about his knowledge or leadership.”
With the controversy surrounding the Highway 156 widening project that COG is involved with, it is extremely important to have strong leadership right now, said City Council member Brian Conroy.
Conroy served as a member of COG with Scagliotti last year.
“I think at this time, with all that local governments are faced with, there’s probably no better person to be in that situation,” Conroy said. “He knows the issues intricately… There’s a lot to being on COG, and he’ll make a very good chair.”
Scagliotti, who was vice-chairman last year, was selected to take over for the previous chair George Rowe Jr., who is currently the mayor of San Juan Bautista.
Because of Scagliotti’s discernment concerning county and transportation issues, Rowe has used him as a source for information several times in his tenure on COG, he said.
“His only weakness would be city issues, especially San Juan Bautista,” Rowe said. “He’ll ask me my opinion on different (city) issues, which I can see because my weakness is county issues.”
The balance of strengths and weaknesses within the Council creates a harmonious blend of ideas the members use to benefit county residents, Valdivia said.
“That’s what we strive for – to put the community in the forefront,” she said. “We need to work together as a team even though we may have different opinions.”
While the members may not always agree, the chair doesn’t necessarily have more pull when it comes to approving or disapproving issues, Valdivia said.
“We all have one voice,” she said, “we all have a vote.”
Although Scagliotti has announced that he will not be running for re-election for the Board of Supervisors in March, he will still serve as COG chair throughout the year, said Supervisor Pat Loe.
When such important issues are at stake concerning all aspects of transportation within San Benito County, including but not restricted to the Highway 156 project, it is important to have a strong leader at all times, Loe said.
“He runs a very good meeting,” Loe said. “He has a great background and he’s very concerned about the community.”
Scagliotti did not return phone calls.
