The Year of our Lord 2006 was so busy for me, perhaps the busiest of my life. With fundraising, running a campaign, assisting a successor, transitioning out of one job and into another, hiring a new staff, being sworn in and hitting the ground running — 2006 was packed!
I have had many successes in 2006:
A hugely successful race for Orange County Supervisor garnering nearly 70% of the vote.
Assisted in a succession plan to ensure that the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office will be properly taken care of.
Hired an excellent staff to assist me in my new role as a County Supervisor.
Caught up on my periodical back-reading pile.
Caught up on my daily newspaper back-reading pile.
Completed the organization of my personal library.
For 2007 I want to do the following:
Find the right groove in the new job. I have gone from an administrative position to a legislative/executive position. The time demands are different. I have more meetings to attend in the new position. I have to utilize my staff wisely to be sure that I am properly prepared for every Orange County Board of Supervisors, Orange County Transportation Authority and Southern California Regional Airport Authority Board meeting. I have to do the same for every board, committee or commission that the incoming board chairman appoints me to, which could include the CalOptima, Transportation Corridor Agency, Orange County Employees Retirement System and Local Agency Formation Commission boards.
Address some of my major agendas in the areas of accountability, disclosure and oversight; public-defined benefit pension plan reform; improving our transportation system, with an emphasis of “lanes over trains;” the annexation of unincorporated county parcels into neighboring cities; the viability of our healthcare provision system; and evaluating the benefits of maintaining regional county parks throughout the county versus those cities within their sphere of control owning and operating them.
Build an electronic database where constituents with applicable expertise can be called upon for their input on board of supervisor’s agenda items via e-mail.
Improve on my daily priority and goal-setting strategies, allowing me to accomplish my daily appointments and tasks and to gradually catch up on those that I am behind on.
Catch up on mailing out belated birthday, anniversary, baby and sympathy cards.
Complete the archiving of my California Sesquicentennial Foundation records.
Methodically empty all of the boxes brought over from my old office to the new office and decide what to keep, what to give away and what to toss.
Photograph at least six of the last 63 California State Historical Landmarks that I have not photographed yet.
Continue to enjoy the best wife and three kids that any man could ever wish to have as my closest friends.
Enjoy watching my oldest boy, CJ, graduate from Vanguard University of Southern California.
And, finally, wrap up any lose campaign activities and begin building a war chest for my re-election efforts in 2010 (which will be here before we know it).
JOHN MOORLACH is the Orange County supervisor representing the second district, which includes Huntington Beach.
