Government of Stanislaus County, California facts for kids
The Government of Stanislaus County helps run things in Stanislaus County, California. It's like the local government for the whole county. They follow rules from the California Constitution and state laws.
The county government provides many important services for everyone. These include things like:
- Making sure elections happen and people can register to vote.
- Law enforcement (police services) and running jails.
- Keeping important records like birth certificates and property deeds.
- Collecting taxes.
- Providing public health services and social help for families.
For areas that aren't part of a city (called "unincorporated areas"), the county government acts as their local government. Cities like Modesto and Turlock have their own police, libraries, and parks. Sometimes, cities ask the county to provide some of these services for them.
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How Stanislaus County Government Works
The Board of Supervisors
The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors (often called the BOS) is a group of five people. They are elected by the people of Stanislaus County. These five people are like the county's main lawmakers.
They have three main jobs:
- Making Rules: They create rules, called ordinances, for the county. These rules are especially for areas not inside a city.
- Managing Departments: They oversee the different county departments. They decide what these departments should do and how they should do it.
- Hearing Appeals: If someone disagrees with a local planning decision, the Board is the final place to appeal.
As of January 2017, the members of the Board of Supervisors were:
- Kristin Olsen—District 1
- Vito Chiesa—District 2, who was the Chairman
- Terry Withrow—District 3
- Dick Monteith—District 4
- Jim DeMartini—District 5, who was the Vice-Chairman
Other Elected Leaders
Besides the Board of Supervisors, there are other important leaders elected by the people of Stanislaus County. These roles are required by California's laws.
- The Stanislaus County Sheriff-Coroner is in charge of law enforcement. They provide police services for areas not in cities. They also help cities that ask for their services.
- The Stanislaus County District Attorney is a lawyer who works for the county. Their job is to bring legal cases against people accused of crimes in Stanislaus County.
- Other elected officers include the Assessor, Auditor-Controller, Treasurer-Tax Collector, and Clerk-Recorder. They handle important county finances and records.
County Departments
The county government has many departments that provide services:
- The Community Services Agency (CSA) helps families with important programs. These include health care (like Medi-Cal), food assistance (like CalFresh), and financial help for families (like CalWORKs).
- The Stanislaus County Library is the public library system for the entire county.
Other Governments in Stanislaus County
California State Courts
The Superior Court of Stanislaus County is the main trial court for the county. It handles many legal cases. However, this court is actually part of the state government, not the county government. The county helps with courthouse security.
Modesto City Government
The City of Modesto has its own government. It includes a Mayor and a City Council. They oversee departments like the Modesto Police Department and Modesto Fire Department.
As of January 2017, the Mayor of Modesto was Ted Brandvold. The City Council members were:
- Mani Grewal—District 1
- Tony Madrigal—District 2
- Kristi Ah You—District 3
- Bill Zoslocki—District 4
- Jenny Kenoyer—District 5
- Doug Ridenour Sr.—District 6
School Districts
Stanislaus County is home to many school districts. These districts manage local public schools. The Yosemite Community College District also serves the area, providing higher education.
