The Colusa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday said goodbye to longtime District 5 Supervisor Denise Carter.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Carter to fill a vacant seat on the board in November 2008.
Since then, Carter was reelected three times, and worked tirelessly advocating for local farmers and agriculture, and helped secure federal and state funding for flood protection studies and projects, officials said.
“Carter has devoted much of her time focusing on rural community flood protection in the Sacramento Valley by leading efforts to establish a countywide groundwater sustainability agency,” said Colusa County Chief Administrative Officer Wendy Tyler, who read a proclamation honoring Carter in the absence of Board Chairman Merced Corona. “She has actively participated in numerous boards, committees, and commissions – such as California State Association of Counties and Rural County Representatives of California – to ensure that rural county issues are addressed and heard by state legislators.”
While Tuesday’s recognition occurred on Carter’s last board meeting, the four-term supervisor, who did not seek reelection in the June 7 primary, will remain an elected official until Jan. 2.
During her tenure on the board, Carter has devoted much of her energy on groundwater issues in response to the historic passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in 2014, which set forth a statewide framework to help protect groundwater resources from overdraft by bringing groundwater basins into balanced levels of pumping and recharge.
Carter has also served on the Colusa County Transportation Commission, LAFCo, and many other local boards, committees, and commissions.
Carter navigated the challenges brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic while serving as Board Chair in 2020, working to ensure the safety of the citizens and employees of Colusa County and the survival of local businesses, Tyler said.
In the past few months, Carter has received numerous recognitions from agencies and legislators throughout the North State.
Assemblyman James Gallagher and Sen. Jim Nielsen presented Carter with a joint resolution from the California State Legislature at the board meeting on Oct. 25.
“Long before she got on the Board of Supervisors, Denise was already serving the community in so many great ways,” Gallagher said. “She has always just been a champion of the region, for agriculture, for our resources, on water and flood control. It truly is an honor to recognize her for her many years of service to this community.”
Carter was also recently presented with a joint resolution from the Board of Trustees of Reclamation District 108 and the Board of Commissioners for the Sacramento Westside Levee District.
“Supervisor Carter was instrumental in promoting the significant value working lands provide for wildlife, and how working lands can be used to protect and enhance the fishery, waterfowl, wildlife, and other environmental resources of Colusa County and the Sacramento Valley,” the resolution states. “Supervisor Carter has, during her tenure as a county supervisor, given unselfishly of her time, creativity, and expertise, resulting in countless benefits to Colusa County and the Sacramento Valley region as a whole.”
The board and Colusa County staff who recognized Carter on Tuesday, said she may be retiring, but everyone knows that she will still do more than the average person.
Supervisors Kent Boes and Daurice Kalfsbeck-Smith said Carter has been a good role model and mentor for newer members of the board, and that she would be a tough act to follow.
“Your’s are pretty big shoes to fill,” Boes said.
In a tearful response to the accolades, Carter said stepping down from the board after 14 years and saying goodbye was far harder than she thought it would be.
“Going into this job you really have no idea what you are getting yourself into,” Carter said. “But you soon realize that the county is such an important asset to all of its residents, and we have an incredible staff that does really amazing things for all of our constituents.”
In addition to serving on the Board of Supervisors, Carter and her husband Ben have co-owned Benden Farms since 1993, growing a diversified set of conventional and organic crops, where Carter’s responsibilities have included finances and marketing, regulatory compliance, and organic operation certification.
Recognizing that flood protection, reliable water supply, and sustainable groundwater are key to the future of Colusa County, Carter has been a member of the Mid & Upper Sacramento Regional Flood Management Plan for nearly a decade. She also served as director and second vice president of the Colusa County Farm Bureau, as well as North Valley Chapter president of California Certified Organic Farmers. ■