Santa Barbara County’s CEO Leaves Her Post with a Heartfelt Farewell

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - The Santa Barbara County Chief Executive Officer has retired from the position she has held since 2013.

Mona Miyasato has been instrumental in changing the way Santa Barbara County manages its departments, finances and responds to emergencies.

During the time she held the post, she helped the county through budget hearings with severe financial issues. Miyasato also had to declared numerous emergencies due to weather and other related issues that opened the door to state and federal aid.

She has been a watchdog over county departments and the Board of Supervisors through some of the biggest events in history.

That included the COVID crisis.

Funding problems have never full gone away and each year she had to prepare a balanced budget.

She says the county is in much better shape today with the work the staff has done.

Miyasato said, "as I leave I have great confidence in this county, this county organization. There will always be difficult choices. There will never be enough resources there will always be issues but remember the public's trust has to be continually earned. This organization will do what it has to do, and what it has always done, which is respond, adjust, and renew."

Miyasato received two standing ovations during her farewell appearance to the county.

She ended by removing her special county badge and leaving it on the podium where she was speaking.

She is not completely stepping out of the work force.

She will be a professional coach for public sector executives.

(More details, video and photos will be added here later today.)

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