To: Board of Supervisors
From: Monica Nino, County Administrator
Report Title: Resolution honoring Lara DeLaney on the occasion of her retirement.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT Resolution honoring Lara DeLaney for her many years of service and on the occasion of her retirement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
BACKGROUND:
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County, California
body
IN THE MATTER OF
Recognizing Lara DeLaney upon her retirement as Senior Deputy in the Contra Costa County Administrator’s Office.
WHEREAS, Lara’s career has been marked by a diverse and dynamic path and her unique name, inspired by "Doctor Zhivago," hints at the vibrant and engaging presence she brings to her professional endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Lara spent her childhood in a variety of locations ranging from Southern California to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Ashland, Oregon, thereby setting the stage for her adaptability and resilience; and
WHEREAS, Lara graduated with Honors in Literature from U.C. Santa Cruz and obtained a Master’s degree in Regulatory and Aggregate Policy at the Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Lara began her professional career with the San Joaquin Council of Governments in Stockton, California, as a Senior Regional Planner focused on transportation and land use policy; and
WHEREAS, in 1998, Lara joined Contra Costa County as a Senior Management Analyst in the County Administrator’s Office, where she has served for the past 26 years; and
WHEREAS, in her role in the County Administrator’s Office, Lara provided budgetary oversight and was the department liaison for numerous departments, including the Assessor, Auditor-Controller, Treasurer-Tax Collector, Building Inspection, Community Development, General Services, and Public Works; and
WHEREAS, Lara has served as the County’s Legislative Coordinator for the past two decades, staffing the Board of Supervisors’ Legislation Committee, performing legislative analysis and advocacy, and interacting with state and federal lobbyists and representatives on a wide range of policy subjects; and
WHEREAS, Lara established a Countywide legislative program centralizing the County’s priorities into a formal, principles-based platform, enabling effective advocacy; and
WHEREAS, Lara also established and led the County’s Office of Reentry & Justice, aiming to reduce recidivism and help formerly incarcerated citizens return to productive lives and, in this role, she led the creation of the County’s first equity plan; and
WHEREAS, Lara’s commitment to public service includes twenty years on the Martinez City Council and involvement with the Martinez Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, Boys and Girls Club, and as a founder of the Joe DiMaggio Hometown Hero Project; and
WHEREAS, Lara’s dedication to public service has enhanced public safety, infrastructure, economic vitality, environmental sustainability, equity, access to public services, cultural history, and fiscal solvency for Contra Costa County; and
WHEREAS, Lara-Loo’s professionalism, fearlessness, kindness, and unwavering friendship to her colleagues will leave a sense of loss and devastation behind her as she saunters off to a retirement filled with travel, tennis, yoga, live music, and adventure with her beloved husband Eric and dog Maynard;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County does hereby honor Lara DeLaney for her dedication to Contra Costa County and congratulate her on a well-deserved retirement.
end