About

The Board of Supervisors has the overall responsibility for the function of county government. They are the legislative and executive body of county government. The Board serves as the governing board of the County Free Library and of many special districts such as Parks & Open Space District, Redevelopment Agency, Transit District, and the Housing Authority. The Board passes all ordinances governing the county and is responsible for seeing that mandated functions are properly discharged. They adopt the budget; set employee salaries; direct a wide variety of services to county residents, including public works, roads, voter registration, health and welfare programs, courts, district attorney, public defender, jail facilities, recording of official documents, as well as municipal-type services in the unincorporated area of the county, such as fire and police protection, planning, zoning, land use regulation, traffic regulation, and parks and recreation.

One supervisor is elected from each of five supervisorial districts. Terms are 4 years. Supervisors are elected by district by Marin County voters residing in that Supervisorial District.

Marin County belongs to and has Supervisor representation on four regional or multi-county special districts: Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District, California Regional Water Quality Control District (San Francisco Bay Region), and the San Francisco Bay Conservation & Development Commission.

The following three regional agencies, which have Supervisor representation, exercise control over Marin County: Metropolitan Transportation Commission, North Central Coastal Region Commission, and Association of Bay Area Governments.

Marin residents are encouraged to attend meetings and consider volunteering to serve on a citizen's board, committee or commission.