3 days Ago By BY PETER SEGALL The Californian
BAKERSFIELD — The chamber of the Kern County Board of Supervisors was packed Tuesday morning, as several local representatives turned out for the swearing-in ceremony of former Bakersfield City Councilman Chris Parlier. “I never thought that I’d be blessed to be able to serve the public again but the constituents of District 2 have humbled me with that honor,” Parlier said following his swearing-in “No matter what part of the district you live in, I work for you and I will do my best to facilitate those needs that touch you through dedication and the capable hands of my staff.” District 2 covers a wide swath of Kern County, including parts of Bakersfield, and runs from Maricopa in the west, through Tehachapi and east toward desert communities, including California City.
Parlier said his priorities for office are public safety, road improvements and the oil and farm industries. “I’ll stand along your side in the fight against overregulation, the fight for our businesses and to keep criminals off the streets,” Parlier said. In the audience to celebrate Parlier’s taking office were several representatives from local cities and the state Legislature, including Assemblywoman Dr.
Jasmeet Bains, D-Delano, Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh and City Council members Andrae Gonzales, Manpreet Kaur, Eric Arias and Bob Smith, as well as council member-elect Larry Koman, who was to take his own oath of office for the city Wednesday. Parlier won a six-way race in the November election, emerging with 33.8% of the vote.
But Parlier’s term on the board is not a full one, as the previous supervisor resigned early, and runs only until 2026 when the original term wouldhave ended. Former District 2 Supervisor Zack Scrivner resigned Aug. 1, several months after he had stopped attending board meetings following an incident at his Tehachapi home in April.
Kern County Sheriff’s deputies were sent to Scrivner’s home April 24, following a phone call to Sheriff Donny Youngblood from Scrivner’s aunt, Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer. Zimmer had called Youngblood to report Scrivner was having a psychotic, possibly suicidal, episode and may be armed. At a subsequent news conference, Youngblood said Scrivner had been stabbed by one of his children, who allegedly was trying to protect another sibling from being sexually assaulted.
No charges have been filed and Scrivner’s lawyers have dismissed the allegations. The state Attorney General’s office agreed to take over the case in May but has not commented beyond saying it is under review. Scrivner’s attorney, H.
A. Sala, released a statement May 8 saying Scrivner was going on medical leave, his last public communication until his Aug. 1 resignation, several days before the candidate filing deadline.
At Tuesday’s meeting, other board members said it was good to have the seat filled again. “It’s great that District 2 now has a voice,” District 3 Supervisor Jeff Flores said. “I was very impressed with the community turnout, the cross-section of leadership.
The people that were in attendance is a testament to you, to your smarts, to your experience, to your service.” [email protected].
