Meeting Recap for August 19, 2013
Multi-billion-dollar enterprises aren’t all that common in our region, but Rotary Club of Sacramento’s guest speaker Monday is the chief executive officer of a $3.5 billion organization. And as interesting as Brad Hudson was as keynote speaker, it was distracting trying to figure out what celebrity the Sacramento County Executive looks like.
So let’s have a contest: Brad Hudson is a celebrity in his own right (he’s led Sacramento County government to two consecutive $30 million surplus years). But who does he look like? We can probably eliminate Michael Jackson, Janis Joplin, Harve Presnell, Hal Shipley, Robert Goulet, George Takei and Hallie Barrie. First person to get the answer gets my unbounded admiration.(I know; not much of a prize. Oh well.)
Anyway, Hudson, introduced by Chair of the Day Steve Hammond, has been Sacramento County Exec for almost exactly two years. He came to us from Riverside, where he was City Manager of one of the few California cities not to operate at a deficit in 2011-12. And that makes him unusual on a number of counts, including the fact few people have ever been city manager of a major city and executive officer of a major county.
Which is better? “It depends on where you’re working at the moment,” was Hudson’s definitive answer. “They tend to be very different. “County boards of supervisors tend to be more decorous,” he said. “The meetings tend to be more sober—probably because they are usually held in the morning. “City council meetings tend to be more raucous, probably because they tend to meet in the evening and there are pubs nearby.”
That notwithstanding, “raucous” would be a good word to describe the county government environment into which Hudson ventured two years ago: Correctional realignment, the Affordable Care Act, pension reform, an aging population, enterprise zones and redevelopment agencies—no lack of challenges in county government these days.
As for those $30 million surpluses, Hudson said they were based on cost-avoidance, not new revenues (the County has gone from 14,000 employees down to 10,000). “The revenues from the ‘real estate boom’ have yet to appear,” said Hudson, “but they eventually will—as will your supplemental tax bills.”
Since arriving, Hudson has been heavily focused on streamlining operations and making county government more user-friendly. In additional to lots of new technology, he’s established one-stop service centers, has just launched a newsletter and is making government more proactive on economic development.
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Past President Fred Teichert was honored with his seventh Paul Harris Fellow pin. Past President Ken Noack Jr. received his fourth Eddie Mulligan fellowship and Susan Drack her second. Noack later contributed $250 during the Roast, Boast and Toast session for his role in the big Rancho Murieta land deal.
Among the other “contributors” lassoed by President Thom Gilbert were Frank Poelman, also a part of the Rancho Murieta deal and proud founder of the YIP program, contributed ($500) and Bobby Cobbs ($100; celebrating his first grandchild).
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Rotary Youth Exchange participant Diane Lim, just back from Taiwan, shared stories of her time abroad and thanked RCOS for making it possible. She was accompanied by her mom, Sandy.
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As part of President Thom’s new “get acquainted” program, President Elect Susan Sherian reintroduced Ron Crane to the club and Crane likewise reintroduced Sheridan.
President Thom also noted that three club members are on the “injured list;” Mike Miklaus (softball injury), Leonard Simpson (cycling accident) and Jim Relles (hip replacement replacement).
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Tanya Kravchuk made a presentation on Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento thanks to an anonymous donor who paid to make CRHS the meeting sponsor. Kellie Dockendorf, also of CRHS was seated at the head table with Tanya. CRHS was founded by Rotary in 1944.
Meanwhile President Thom and event chair Rick Osen announced that Golf for Kids was a great success on Monday with 104 golfers participating.
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Committee announcements included:
Paul Kucharski, who said that the Membership Committee retention strategy includes asking people who sponsored inactive members to try to get them more active.
Jim Phillips, who has been leading treks to Yosemite for 20 years and will do it again this coming weekend.
Gary Bazlen, who revealed that there will be a family camping event the third weekend of September at Sly Park.
Todd Andrews, who asked members to participate in the Sept. 10 New Member reception at Rio City Grill in Old Sacramento.
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Gene Pendergast sponsored the pre-meeting wine reception, during which Elfrena Foord provided piano music. Dick Osen led the club in singing “God Bless America” to help open the meeting and son Rick, pinch-hitting for Jim Craig, provided the final thought.