Since Mark Dorosin announced he would step down from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners after serving for over eight years, four women have filed an application to be considered for the position.
The candidates, Rani Dasi, Marilyn Carter, Anna Richards and Penny Rich, all are registered Democrats in District 1, which is required by state law. BOCC members are typically elected by registered voters for four-year terms, but as there is an atypical mid-cycle opening, an appointment process is used to fill the vacancy.
The board will meet on September 2 to choose a candidate who will serve through November 2022. The candidate chosen to serve on the board will work alongside six members — Renee Price, Jamezetta Bedford, Amy Fowler, Sally Greene, Jean Hamilton and Earl McKee. A special election will be held next year for the final two years of Dorosin's term.
“The Board is a branch of local government chartered with ensuring basic human services and infrastructure across our community that maintains, protects and promotes the well-being of all county residents,” Carter said.
She also said the BOCC is responsible for creating community development policies, which ensure a thriving and equitable economy that has sustainable growth.
Rani Dasi
Dasi, the finance director at RTI International, said she will take a people-focused approach if selected for the board, and that her professional experience in corporate finance and strategy will help her excel at the role.
“I think a lot about how processes should work to be more efficient to deliver outcomes,” Dasi said. “That's a really foundational strength."
She said she contemplates how the county operates at a higher level, what the board's goals and priorities should be and how to efficiently base their actions on the needs of the people.
