On Tuesday, my colleagues selected me as Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors for 2007. I am humbled by their support, excited about the challenges that lie ahead and eager to get started.

Orange County. Our Orange County.

From the sunny shores of Surf City to snow dusted Santiago Peak, from La Habra to San Clemente, it is so many different things to each one of its 3 million people.

Orange County is a grad student bicycling to Cal State Fullerton and a commuter on the Santa Ana Freeway. It is an adobe mission at San Juan Capistrano and the glass towers of Irvine. To many Americans, it is the Angels, the Ducks, Mickey Mouse, the boysenberry and prime time TV shows.

To the 18,000 of us who work for the County of Orange, it is a public trust to protect and serve this place we call home. To we who serve on the Board of Supervisors, it is our responsibility to improve public policies and annually allocate $5 billion tax dollars.

In all of my colleagues, I see their rich experiences, talents and perspectives.

I see a businessman whose success at providing fast, tasty and healthy food led to a second career as a respected state and local legislator—Bill Campbell. I see a private accountant whose courageous and lonely warning, if heeded, would have averted our 1994 bankruptcy—John Moorlach. I see a former social worker turned family businesswoman who guided her community to cityhood, served us in Sacramento, then won the longest most expensive race in OC political history—Pat Bates.

This Board brings both institutional memory and dynamic new ideas. We will need them both in the coming year.

We will need to judge our programs by their results, not just their intentions. We will need to spend only the tax dollars we really need, not all we can get. And we will need to evaluate our actions on how they affect the next generation, not just the next election.

I thank my Board colleagues for the trust they’ve placed in me. I thank our entire OC family of 18,000 employees for their dedicated efforts. I ask for your help in facing the challenges and opportunities we face together.

There are exciting new things happening in and around the Civic Center that promise to bring us all closer together and to help us serve the public better:

Share with the Chair: Share with the Chair offers all employees and the general public a weekly opportunity to meet one-on-one with me; Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Chris Norby. Every Tuesday, 7:30 a.m., Starbuck’s; Broadway & Fourth St., Santa Ana.

Civic Center Fellowship: Civic Center Fellowship is a weekly opportunity for all to meet casually for mutual emotional support. Bring your own lunch. 12:15-1:00 p.m.; every Thursday; First Presbyterian Church; Santa Ana Blvd. & Sycamore St. (just east of Old Court House)

Washington’s Birthday Party: The Chairman’s Washington’s Birthday Party is open to all OC employees. Come join us for complimentary sandwiches and cherry pie. February 22, Noon; Cafeteria, Building 12, 3rd Floor.

Civic Center Signage Improvements: Ever had to give directions for people trying to find various civic center buildings? The OC Civic Center will soon be marked with uniform, and easily readable signage, clearly marking all buildings as to address and function. The Board of Supervisors will soon be considering a comprehensive new identification and directional signage for all county buildings.