New Trustees Sworn In to Alameda County Board of Education

HAYWARD – Four trustees were sworn in as the Alameda County Board of Education also bid adieu to its longest serving member.

The newest trustees – Conchita Tucker and Ken Berrick – were elected in June to seats vacated by Dennis Chaconas and Gay Cobb, who was first elected to the board in 1998.

Tucker, who represents Area 2 (Alameda and portions of Oakland that include West Oakland, East Oakland, Elmhurst, and Millsmont south to Sheffield Village), was sworn in by Oakland City Councilmember Desley Brooks.

Ken Berrick, who represents Area 3 (Oakland hills from Claremont south to Fruitvale and East Oakland in the south), was sworn in by former Redwood Road in the northeast, to portions of Chinatown Central, San Antonio, Assemblymember Dion Aroner.

Two other trustees – Fred Sims and Eileen McDonald – ran uncontested in their re-election bids, and were also sworn in on Tuesday, July 8. Sims represents Area 5 (Hayward, Union City, and the unincorporated area of Mt. Eden and Hayward Acres) and McDonald represents Area 6 (Newark and the northern and western portion of Fremont).
 
The board and several other elected officials presented Cobb with certificates of appreciation for her more than two decades of service on the board. Among those honoring her were Congresswoman Barbara Lee; Assemblyman Sandré Swanson; and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson.

In other board business, trustees selected new officers to one year terms. The president is Jacki Fox Ruby, who represents Area 1 (Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and portions of Oakland that include North Oakland and Chinatown/Central), and McDonald is the vice president.