Teixeira's Board of Supervisors seat may not be filled for months

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Paul Teixeira's death creates a vacancy on the five-member Board of Supervisors, which per state law will be filled by appointment by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The appointee will serve the remainder of Teixeira’s term, which ends in 2014.

The county Board of Supervisors is nonpartisan, but Teixeira was a registered Republican who described himself as conservative during the election. His absence creates a temporary split among the remaining supervisors, two of whom — Supervisors Adam Hill and Bruce Gibson — are more liberal-leaning.

Supervisors Frank Mecham and Debbie Arnold veer to the right on many issues.

Whomever Brown, a Democrat, decides to appoint will impact how the board acts on numerous issues, from the county’s financial health to how the county manages its natural resources and plans for growth.

Teixeira represented the 4th District, which includes a southern portion of San Luis Obispo, and all of Arroyo Grande, Oceano and Nipomo.

County Counsel Rita Neal said her office is researching the appointment process, but after speaking to officials in other counties, she believes the process could take several months. Generally, the governor’s office accepts applications from those interested in filling the seat.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and live in the district.

Gibson will serve as chairman of the Board of Supervisors until an appointment is made; however, Gibson is out of the state until next week, and until he returns, Hill will fill in as the chairman.

The board’s next regular meeting is July 9.

This story was originally published June 28, 2013 at 12:57 AM with the headline "Teixeira's Board of Supervisors seat may not be filled for months."