LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday experienced one of the most significant changes in its membership in decades with the retirement of a five-term supervisor who helped lead the county through numerous wildland fires, floods and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supervisor Rob Brown marked his last official meeting on Tuesday, receiving an outpouring of warm and heartfelt congratulatory messages from local, state and federal leaders.

Standing on the porch of his “COVID project” – a new home he is building in Kelseyville – Brown was joined by his children, grandchildren and mother, as well as his fiancee, attorney Angela Carter, for his final meeting.

Tuesday’s meeting brought an official end to Brown’s five terms on the Board of Supervisors, with his successor, Jessica Pyska of Cobb, sworn in during the meeting.

Incoming Board Chair Bruno Sabatier said that it’s impossible to talk about Lake County without talking about Brown.

A Lake County native, Brown previously had served on the Kelseyville Unified School District Board before running for supervisor.

Brown, a Republican, would run a highly competitive race for California Assembly in 2002, getting within striking distance on the predominantly Democratic North Coast but ultimately being edged out narrowly by Democrat Patty Berg.

He chose not to run again for state office and instead focused his attention at home, working on endless community projects, including an interview center for children at the Lake County District Attorney’s Office, building a new wrestling facility at Kelseyville High School and a new skate and BMX park at Kelseyville Community Park, the Main Street Kelseyville lighting project, the new Kelseyville Post Office and the conversation of the old post office ot the Kelseyville Senior Center, and the Ely Stage Stop and Country Museum.

He also supported the purchase of the more than 1,500 acres on top of Mount Konocti which today is a county park and the purchase of the Lucerne Hotel in 2010.

By early 2015, Brown had resolved not to seek a fifth term.

Then, in September of that year, the Valley fire hit, devastating southern Lake County.

In a video message presented at the Tuesday board meeting, Congressman Mike Thompson said he had encouraged Brown to run again because the county needed him to do so.

Brown did just that. He was active in the county’s response and recovery not just to the Valley fire but a litany of others – the Rocky, Jerusalem, Clayton, Sulphur, Mendocino Complex and the August Complex, among others.

With his experience in heavy equipment operations, he wasn’t afraid to get out on the firelines.

State Sen. Mike McGuire recounted Tuesday how he and several others – including now-retired Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman – were behind fire lines in Lower Lake several years ago when the fire started moving toward them. McGuire said Brown hotwired a backhoe at an evacuated home and used it to build a fire line, saving three homes.

To try to prevent a devastating fire in the communities that ring Mount Konocti, in 2018 Brown created a successful benefit zone initiative and brought hundreds of volunteers together to clean up fire fuels with the “1,000 Hands Project” in 2019.

During the LNU Lightning Complex in the summer of 2020, Brown again was on the fire lines, this time in his Caterpillar, helping build lines between the fire and south Lake County communities.

More recently, Brown has worked to support businesses hit hard by the pandemic, including developing plans for distribution of $1.3 million in CARES Act funding to Lake County businesses in need.

On Tuesday, in addition to congratulatory messages from Thompson and McGuire, Brown received best wishes from his colleagues on the board, Sabatier, EJ Crandell, Tina Scott and Moke Simon – along with Pyska, County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingon, County Counsel Anita Grant, Sheriff Brian Martin, Auditor-Controller/County Clerk Cathy Saderlund, (who went to high school with Brown), former District 1 Supervisor Ed Robey, Lake County Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Melissa Fulton, Public Works/Water Resources/Community Development Director Scott De Leon, Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez, Public Services Director Lars Ewing, incoming District 5 Planning Commissioner Lance Williams, Deputy Public Services Director Kati Galvani, Jake Reinke – a county IT staffer who has become a key staffer in working the board’s Zoom meetings – and Lake County Farm Bureau Executive Director Brenna Sullivan.

‘We’ve been through a lot together’

Brown said he could spend another 20 years thanking everyone, but offered particular recognition to county employees and department heads – including retired County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox and retired Public Services Director Kim Clymire – with whom he’d created strong bonds over the years.

He emphasized that while relationships are key, there is nothing more important than friendships.

Special thanks also were offered to the constituents who put their trust in him and entrusted him through five elections.

“I didn’t always get it right but I didn’t always get it wrong, either, so I’m proud of that,” Brown said.

Beyond the county, Brown pointed to the friendships he’d built with officials in state and federal government, including Thompson, Thompson’s district representative Brad Onorato and McGuire.

“We’ve been through a lot together,” he said.

While things are tough right now, Brown said the board and county are in good hands. He praised Pyska, saying he was proud of her. “I think she’s going to bring a lot to the board that we haven’t had.”

Most importantly, he thanked his family who sacrificed more than he had during his service.

“Thank you all, and we’ll be seeing you,” he said, tipping his white cowboy hat to the camera.

Simon, the outgoing board chair, read a proclamation to Brown and told him he was honored to have served with him.

Sabatier said he enjoyed working with Brown over the past two years, and appreciated his friendship, their conversations and Brown’s perspective.

“I have so appreciated our conversations over the years,” said Pyska, thanking Brown for stepping up for a fifth term. She said the county had needed him and the consistency he brought because of the Valley fire.

McGuire said he and Assemblywoman Cecelia Aguiar-Curry were presenting Brown with the highest honor from the California Legislature for his service.

He said Brown has stepped up time and again to help the county. “The county is stronger because of you.”

“It's been both a pleasure and an honor to work with you over these years,” Thompson said in his video message, noting that Brown’s love for Lake County and its people is obvious.

Thompson said Brown is recognized for his compassion and for being a great family man. “And we all love your sense of humor – sometimes.”

Sheriff Martin said Brown “set the bar very high for anybody who wants to hold office, particularly in Lake County.”

Robey said Brown was the hardest working and most dedicated of the elected officials he’d worked with and he was impressed by how Brown had grown into the job.

Valadez thanked Brown for being a supporter for her and the elections office, and for always rooting for them.

Brown, noting he couldn’t thank everyone enough, said he wanted to let them get to work and let Pyska get going and he signed off from the meeting.

It was just under an hour into the meeting that Valadez administered the oath of office to Pyska, as well as to Scott and Simon, who were reelected in last year’s primary.

The board then elected Sabatier as chair and Crandell as vice chair.

At Tuesday night’s Lakeport City Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Stacey Mattina commended Brown, noting he was usually to be found working in the middle of the chaos.

Brown did a lot behind the scenes that no one ever saw and was a big reason that Mattina said she decided to run for the city council.

Lakeport Mayor Kenny Parlet said he agreed wholeheartedly with Mattina’s sentiments.

“He’s taken slings and arrows from everyone at some time or another,” Parlet said of Brown, who he called an incredible public servant.

“He’s a great man,” Parlet said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.