Editorial: Judy Arnold had knack for knowing when change was needed
Judy Arnold, whose last regular meeting as a county supervisor is Tuesday, can look back on four terms of hard work and accomplishments.
Since her election to the board in 2006, she has represented Novato and the county, with dedication and experience drawn from decades of public service.
She’s been a stalwart representative of her district, its residents and businesses. And she has been a strong voice for the county in her work as one of Marin’s representatives on the Golden Gate Bridge District board and during her years as an early representative and leader of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit train.
She brought to the board years of working for veteran political leaders – the late Supervisor Gary Giacomini and former state Sen. John Burton – and two years on the Novato City Council.
Among her first accomplishments was creating a new county economic panel, a partnership with the private sector, to provide a stronger focus on the health and future of Marin’s business community.
When the state and Marin and Sonoma counties embarked on the long overdue widening of the “Novato Narrows” stretch of Highway 101, she made sure the first phase took place in Novato. Widening 101 to north of Novato improved the time-consuming commute for homebound Novato motorists.
She was an early opponent of the SMART train and bike path, but after its approval by voters, she became one of its leaders – strong leadership that proved vital in getting the rail system built and running.
The redesign of Novato’s downtown transportation hub also got approved and built, in large part, due to her strong leadership.
Arnold led with a combination of a strong heart and a desire to do what is best for her constituents.
She was a respected leader, both inside and outside of the Civic Center. She was a gentler and more patient politician than some who have served under the Civic Center’s blue rotunda.
She was also a stalwart champion for her Novato district, sometimes breaking ranks with the other supervisors and advocating for the concerns and needs of her constituents. She made sure her constituents were heard.
In some cases, she even changed her mind, reflecting her open-minded approach and attitude in fulfilling her responsibility.
Her success was evident in her ability to hold on to a 5th District office, even amid tough challenges and one that had seen, prior to her election, a lot of turnover in recent decades compared to the other districts.
Arnold knew her way around the Civic Center. She knew the county government, when it was working and when it needed change.
She led efforts to revamp the county’s “community services” funding, which was criticized for having become supervisors’ political handouts to local charities and community projects. She brought greater public review and access to the program, while also limiting its scope.
She understood both the importance of the funding to local projects and programs and the need for transparency and development of a more formal public process.
Arnold also understood the hard work and time that goes with the job. She served on numerous countywide and regional boards, not only representing the county, but also keeping her calendar full with meetings and events, day and night.
It’s a hard job filled with difficult decisions that often affect the lives of a lot of people.
Judy Arnold never lost that sense and responsibility over her four terms as the 5th District’s supervisor.
She set a fine example for veteran Novato Councilmember Eric Lucan, who was elected with a strong majority to succeed Arnold.
Novato and the county benefited from Judy Arnold’s genuine leadership and heartfelt caring and dedication that guided her service to our county.