This November, voters in the 3rd District, Santa Barbara County’s largest and most diverse, will elect a new supervisor to replace retiring Supervisor Doreen Farr. Joan Hartmann has all of the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to replace her. She has the knowledge, based on her many years in public policy work; the experience, based on her work with public and private coalitions solving problems of water use, land use, and environmental issues; and the passion to propose creative solutions in the areas of mental health, public safety, urban growth boundaries, and much more.
We sometimes forget that citizens living outside a city boundary, and there are many of us in the 3rd District, rely on our supervisor as the ombudsman for issues affecting us. These can be as mundane as a fallen tree and as crucial as mental health services. Our supervisor’s office is often the first phone call we in unincorporated areas make when we have questions about land use, roadway safety, or needed infrastructure improvements. Joan Hartmann has committed to answer every phone call or email from her constituents within 24 hours. That is a commitment based on a passion to serve, a respect for citizens and an abiding belief in the necessity of good governance.
Doreen Farr has enthusiastically endorsed Joan to fill the seat she vacates. I and many others stand with her in that endorsement. Joan Hartmann is the real deal.