Supes bid Egan a fond adieu

Smiles and good wishes abounded as the Lassen County Board of Supervisors and the community celebrated the service of Lassen County Administrative Officer Richard Egan at his last supervisors meeting Tuesday, Dec. 17.

According to a proclamation read by Aaron Albaugh, chair of the board of supervisors, Egan began his 30-year career with Lassen County in May 1994 as a developmental specialist for the Planning and Community Development Department. In 1997 he was promoted to budget analysist in the county administrator’s office. In 1998 Eagan was elected as the county’s treasurer/tax collector. He was reelected in 2002, 2006 and 2010. He served several times as acting CAO, and was appointed CAO by the board of supervisors in 2014.

Egan thanked his many supporters over the years, especially three groups — the people of Lassen County, his team (the department heads and county employees) and the various boards of supervisors he’s worked with.

“Everybody ought to run for office once,” Egan quipped, “and anybody who does it twice ought to have their head examined. I believe that’s true. And it’s also true of working with a board … It’s been a privilege and an honor to work for all the boards I’ve worked for and the people, and I hope I’m leaving the county in good hands, I think I am. Thank you all very much.”

Egan also said he had one very important person he had to thank.

“This person’s been with me through it all,” Egan said. “This morning when I got up and put my sport jacket on, and it was ripped. And (I said how am I going to go to my last board meeting with my ripped sport coat, and my lovely wife Holly pulled out her needle and thread and fixed it like she’s been doing for the last 33 years. So I just wanted to acknowledge somebody who’s been in the background during my career the entire time. And thank you.”

District 2 Supervisor Gary Bridges said as he meets with other elected officials who praise Egan.

“When I go to a meeting where all 58 counties are at, every time I go I hear one to two dozen people say you’ve got the best CAO in the state of California,” Bridges said.

District 1 Supervisor Chris Gallagher thanked Egan for his professionalism.

“I’ve really had a great experience with Richard, and I think he’s done a very professional job over the years, and I thank you very much for that 30 years of service.”

District 3 Supervisor Tom Neely thanked Egan for all his years of hard work.

Several former board members including Brian Dahle, Jim Chapman and Jack Hanson attended the meeting.

Chapman thanked Egan for he’s done with his career and life. He said when he started his political career 50 years ago, he had the pleasure of knowing Egan’s mother and father when Richard was about 3 years old. He said Egan’s parents would have been extremely proud of what their son accomplished in life and brought to Lassen County.

Planning and Building Department Director Maury Anderson quipped, “Richard, out of all the people in this room, you’re certainly one of them. I just want to say on behalf of the department heads, we really appreciate your leadership over the years. It’s been solid and consistent over the years, and that really matters because we came out of kind of a bumpy time when you took over and you certainly provide stability. I know you’re going to be even more busy in your retirement, and that gives me some kind of comfort. Adios ..,. as you ride off into the sunset.”|