“This time is not as dismal as 2003 in terms of the state budget money and worries about having to lay off people. Now we can be more encouraging and focused,” Jacobs Gibson said just one day before taking over from Jerry Hill as president of the Board of Supervisors.

Gibson’s position is not cemented until the board votes Tuesday morning but based on chronology and seniority, the longtime supervisor is considered a shoo-in.

Gibson, 59, was appointed to the board in 1999 to replace Ruben Barrales as the representative of East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City and the unincorporated areas of North Fair Oaks and Oak Knoll. She made history with her first turn at the gavel as the board’s first black president. This time around, she may also find herself in a unique situation if Supervisor Adrienne Tissier is named vice president. Although women have served on the board previously, rarely do two hold court together or fill the top two slots.

If so, Jacobs Gibson said she is excited and looks forward to the unique perspective although she’s reserving most of her enthusiasm for 2007 for continuing with issues already in the works. Rather than head into the year with a slate of new ideas, Jacobs Gibson wants to take existing areas such as childhood obesity and follow through on at least one potential action plan. Without actually doing something with recently generated reports on substance abuse and childhood linguistics, the county might not look like it’s making inroads, Jacobs Gibson said.

“Some could get the impression we don’t do anything,” Jacobs Gibson said.

To tackle constituent education even further, Jacobs Gibson is planning an outdoor event highlighting available county services. The details are still a work in progress but a key ingredient is being “festive,” she said.

The partnership needed to host such an event is a theme running through many of Jacobs Gibson’s plans. While state mandates on school wellness focus on districts, Jacobs Gibson believes the county must play a role.

Much like universal health care, the county can’t wait around for the state or federal government to take the lead in pertinent local issues, she said.

“What I regret is that too often they are so costly we need help from the state paying to get it done,” Jacobs Gibson said.

Although Jacobs Gibson wants to continue tackling broad problems like affordable housing and health care, she admits the unique needs of her district might keep her from giving as much face time at events. The problem isn’t that she isn’t involved, she said. It’s just that places like East Palo Alto and North Fair Oaks often call on her to help out in school and parental issues, she said.

Jacobs Gibson cut her political teeth in the fourth district, serving on the East Palo Alto City Council from 1992 to 1999, including stints as mayor in 1995 and 1996. The experience taught her working together and politeness accomplishes more than contentiousness. The time also gave her unique perspective on issues now raising their head on a wider scale, such as Romic Environmental Technologies, a hazardous material processing plant which some residents blame for environmental and health problems. Jacobs Gibson remembers the plant before the city was incorporated and before the current call for it to be shut down. Before taking any draconian steps, Jacobs Gibson sought input from county health experts and said there is still much information to be culled. Regardless, Jacobs Gibson believes residents deserve timely answers.

“There are legitimate reasons to be concerned,” she said.

Jacobs Gibson takes a similar tact when it comes to crime in her district, an unfortunate definition of East Palo Alto in particular. Rather than only focusing on gang prevention or the symptoms of violence, Jacobs Gibson wants to know how people are getting the guns so prevalent in the area. Considering the idea violent video games or the media contributes to the problem, Jacobs Gibson breaks from her calm demeanor to emphasize her frustration.

“Video games aren’t killing people. Guns are killing people,” she said, later adding that she doesn’t yet have an answer to the root problem but isn’t ready to concede it as a lost cause.

The forward thinking also propelled Jacobs Gibson to already think about her final term if she wins re-election. Some opportunities, such as economic development in North Fair Oaks, will take longer than this term and she wants to see them to fruition.

Otherwise, Jacobs Gibson said her mind is open to possibilities beyond the Board of Supervisors.

“Just because you are elected doesn’t mean you have to remain in the field,” she said.

Just like the chance to join the Board of Supervisors presented itself unexpectedly, Jacobs Gibson believes future options will likewise come her way. Until then, she said she just wants to focus on the job at hand.

“I know I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing now,” Jacobs Gibson said.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.

Info box: The Board of Supervisors meets 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9 in Board Chambers, 400 County Government Center, Redwood City.