The 3 Board Members are elected to a 4 year term by the electors of their respective supervisory districts. The current Board of Supervisors maintains an open office policy and encourages public comment, suggestions, inquiries and attendance at all board meetings. The Clerk of the Board takes minutes of all board meetings.

Duties
The Board of Supervisors must take all official actions during an open public meeting after being properly noticed on the agenda for the Board of Supervisors action.

Responsibilities
The Board of Supervisors is the governing body of Santa Cruz County. Its duties, by state law, are both legislative and executive. The board is responsible for the overall management of the county government operations.

The board appoints a County Manager, responsible for the day-to-day operation of the county. The County Manager supervises the work of appointed department directors and is responsible for the appointment of non-elected department directors, with concurrence of the board. In addition, the board appoints all members of the many boards and commissions that assist these programs.

County Finance
All department budgets, whether directed by an elected or appointed official, are set by the board. A tax rate for all taxing entities in our county is set by and adopted by the Board of Supervisors. All purchases and sales of county property, construction of county facilities, awards of bids for services and supplies and the appointments of all county personnel are but a few duties that fall within the responsibility of the Board of Supervisors.