One of Mona Miyasato’s last acts leading the Santa Barbara County government was simple yet dramatic.
“Today I leave my badge on the table,” she said Tuesday, pulling her dangling ID over her head before placing it on the podium.
After a more than 12-year run as CEO, the retiring Miyasato received a stirring sendoff marked by two standing ovations as the Board of Supervisors returned to regular business after a summer break.
“It’s been an extraordinary honor,” said Miyasato, whose career in government spanned three decades; she joined the county in 2013 after serving as chief assistant county administrator in Marin County and deputy city administrator of Santa Monica.
“It’s difficult to say goodbye,” she said. “I will always be grateful.”
In a formal resolution, the supervisors acknowledged her “signature steadiness and clarity—guiding the county through fiscal pressures, disasters, and even a global pandemic, all while making the complex seem understandable and the impossible seem manageable.”
Added Board Chair Bob Nelson: “You’ve been coaching me for my entire career here at the county. In many ways you’ve helped me be a better representative and a better supervisor.”
Looking ahead, Miyasato plans to work as a government leadership job coach.
Jana Petersen, the outgoing administrator of Boulder County, Colo., will succeed Miyasato in overseeing the $1.66 billion dollar county organization, which has 23 departments and 4,700 employees. She’ll earn $380,000 a year.
County and Deputy Sheriff’s Association forge contract with overtime guardrails
Six months after the start of closed-door negotiations, elected officials have approved a memorandum of understanding establishing wages, hours and other employment conditions for more than 500 public safety workers.
The prior agreement between the county and Deputy Sheriff’s Association expired on June 21.
In a 5-0 vote, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday ratified a general, association-wide salary increase of 3% effective this week. Another 3% 2027 increase will follow.
Among its key elements, the contract provides for ballistic and stab-resistant equipment upgrades.
Curbing overtime
New overtime rules in the contract are intended to help the Sheriff’s Office save money.
The memorandum “revises the calculation of overtime by providing that paid sick leave and compensatory time used will no longer be treated as hours worked for purposes of determining overtime eligibility,” according to a county report.
Among other provisions the memorandum also caps annual overtime at 1,300 hours per employee, according to the county.
In June, a Santa Barbara County Grand Jury report criticized overtime spending at the Sheriff’s Office, calling it inefficient while encouraging time management and budget controls.
A more recent 12-month analysis reviewed by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday shows Sheriff’s Office overtime costs reached $17.6 million, or 17.7% of total Sheriff’s salary costs, in fiscal year 2025-26.
That latest figure represents a significant drop of $3.4 million, or 16.4%, from 2024-25. Personnel in 2025-26 worked 216,973 hours of overtime, equivalent to 104 full-time positions—a decrease of 58,188 overtime hours, or 21%, from 2024-25, according to the county.
“I just want to highlight the report,” First District Supervisor Roy Lee said, complimenting the Sheriff’s Office. “They are being effective… I just want to say great job.”
Arrest ‘absolutely’ result of overtime scrutiny
On Aug. 6, Sheriff Bill Brown announced the arrest of Sgt. Jeffry Koeller, who allegedly claimed and received more than $93,000 worth of compensation for time he did not work, authorities said.
The arrest came after the Sheriff’s Office in January arrested custody sergeant Segun Ogunleye, for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $175,000 in earnings through falsified timecards.
Officials say that initial arrest sparked extra scrutiny of timecard procedures. Asked by Second District Supervisor Laura Capps if that extra scrutiny led to the second arrest, Undersheriff Brad Welch told the board it did.
“Absolutely,” Welch said. “As soon as we implemented those policies and procedure changes, it immediately flagged.”
Andrew Firestone honored as Brooks Firestone returns
Officials honored emcee, auctioneer, philanthropist and nonprofit strategist Andrew Firestone Tuesday for nearly 20 years of service to more than 70 Central Coast organizations.
“With his signature blend of enthusiasm, humor and heartfelt storytelling, Andrew’s advocacy has helped raise tens of millions of dollars,” according to a resolution presented by the county Board of Supervisors.
Nobody volunteers with the expectation of recognition, Firestone said.
“I’m joined with some friends here and three generations of Firestones,” he told the board. “Volunteerism in our community is incredibly important to us… If we have one job here, it’s to make sure that we’re raising empathetic, curious and interesting children that are willing to do the work and get involved.”
Brooks Firestone, Andrew Firestone’s father, attended the meeting—returning to the Santa Barbara hearing room where he once served as an elected official.
The elder Firestone, a businessman and former state assemblyman, was Third District county supervisor from 2004 to 2008.
Vacant lot at gateway to Santa Ynez rezoned for ‘heavy commercial’ development
In a 5-0 vote, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday rezoned a vacant property adjacent to the Chumash Gas Station—paving the way for more than a dozen types of development projects previously unallowed at the site along Highway 246 near the town of Santa Ynez.
The rezone moves the 1.4-acre property at 3586 Mission St. from “retail commercial” typically applied to stores, shops and offices serving nearby residents to “general commercial,” which is applied to businesses that include wholesalers, manufacturers and fabricators.
The owner John Hagfors ”has identified a personal storage facility as a potential future use of the property,” according to a report by county planners, which stated no specific project has been submitted. “It’s a property that’s appropriate for more intense commercial uses.”
Supervisor Joan Hartmann, whose Third District includes the property, supported the rezone after reassurances that any future development would be reviewed by the county Board of Architectural Review.
Lavagnino takes aim at catalytic converter crimes
Calling state laws too weak, Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino has proposed new county rules that would give local law enforcement new powers to crack down on auto parts thieves.
The ordinance would prevent anyone who’s not a licensed recycler to possess a used catalytic converter detached from a vehicle, unless that person can prove ownership.
Designed to control emissions, catalytic converters first appeared on vehicles in the United States in 1975. Criminals target them because they’re easy to reach and contain valuable precious metals.
State law currently allows the possession of eight catalytic converters, which “serves no lawful purpose,” according to a report from Cory Bantilan, a top Lavagnino aide.
In a 5-0 vote, the Board of Supervisors scheduled a hearing on the proposed new law for Sept. 22.
A first offense would bring a $1,000 fine followed by a $3,000 and $5,000 fine for a second and third offense, respectively. Jail time is also on the table.
Upgrades to Santa Barbara Veterans Memorial Building approved
In a 5-0 vote, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday greenlit air system upgrades to a nearly 100-year-old Santa Barbara Waterfront landmark.
The more than $1.6 million project will bring needed changes to the Veterans Memorial Building built in 1927, officials say.
“The HVAC systems within the facility are reaching or beyond their useful life,” according to a county report. “The main ballroom does not have air conditioning, which limits the possible programming.”
In addition to performing air quality upgrades, contractor Mesa Energy Systems will evaluate roof columns, a beam and other structural elements for potential seismic upgrades as well as the electrical system for potential improvements.
New 100-foot communications tower approved for Cuyama Peak
Public safety communications will benefit from a new 100-foot radio tower planned for a rugged mountaintop 25 miles northeast of Santa Barbara, officials say.
In a 5-0 vote, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a more than $2.3 million contract with Normile Construction, an Atascadero-based contractor selected to help the county upgrade its radio communications network.
In addition to the tower, the county will install an 8-by-20-foot equipment shelter, a diesel generator and a solar array at the more than 5,800-foot-high site.
