CAO Message: I'm Giving Thanks for All That You Do

Message from Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer:

County colleagues,

Through your work, we touch San Diegans’ lives in countless ways. As we head into Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for every way that we are able to make a positive difference. 

I appreciate all the effort that goes into planning and carrying out our services. I’m especially grateful for the way you respond when things happen that we weren’t planning on. I want to mention just a few instances that really stand out to me this past year. 

Starting with the unexpected: The disruption on our Board was a first in anyone’s memory. County staff kept things running smoothly and made sure the district’s residents got what they needed. I’m so thankful to everyone who rolled with it and kept their focus on serving the public. 

Related to that, let me express my gratitude to the entire Registrar of Voters team. They cranked up the election machinery for a couple special elections that went off without a hitch. Especially as we head into a presidential election year, it’s reassuring to rely on this group’s dedication and professionalism. 

The County has stepped in to help with the influx of asylum seekers released in San Diego. Many employees have been called to pitch in at the temporary welcome center, working long hours and weekends. I’m proud of their resourcefulness and thankful to have that kind of support.

A tropical storm was a big surprise! We're all grateful it didn't deliver the damage we braced for, but I appreciate all the quick public safety and public works preparations to make sure we were ready.  

We know public health incidents occur, but it's always without warning. Recent responses to local E. coli and salmonella outbreaks made me grateful for all the staff watching out for our health. 

Turning to planned efforts, I'll single out a few recent highlights I'm thankful for. The opening of the Southeastern Live Well Center was the culmination of years of work to build a facility with the community, for the community.  

The Live Well Center is a premier example of how we're truly putting community engagement at the center of all we do. From our engagement portal to the outreach we do across all kinds of projects, we're deeply involving our residents in how we provide services. 

The CARE Act program gives us new options to address a critical area of mental health treatment, and I appreciate the cooperation and delicate balancing of interests that have gone into getting it running.  

I'm grateful for our efforts to promote understanding of neurodivergence, so we can create conditions for all our employees to flourish and be more attentive to the needs of people we serve.  

We continue to have staffing shortages, and I'm impressed by all the innovative steps we've taken to ramp up hiring. It is a challenge, and I'm very grateful for everyone's patience while we try to bring on the help you need.

I’m noting crises and big initiatives here because they tend to occupy my attention. But I know the types of skills and mindsets I see in those high-profile events are on display every day in every service we deliver. Flexibility, compassion, innovation, a customer focus – you bring these to the job as a matter of course. I’m incredibly grateful for that, because I don’t know how we’d ever work on the immense challenges facing us otherwise. 

I hope each of you enjoys the break from your hard work over this long Thanksgiving weekend. May your stomachs be full and your hearts fuller. And a big thanks to County staff providing essential services through the holiday.