The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday selected Thomas Geiger to be the next county counsel.
His formal appointment will be approved at the April 4 board meeting.
Geiger will serve as legal advisor for the county, including the Board of Supervisors and county officers, departments, boards and commissions, and certain special districts.
Geiger has worked at the county counsel’s office since 2001, serving as chief assistant county counsel since August 2022.
The county said in a statement that Geiger has significant legal experience in the areas of land use, code enforcement, real estate, public works, elections, emergency medical services, and Delta and water issues.
He also advised the Board of Supervisors, the county health officer, and other departments on legal issues around the county’s COVID-19 response.
“It’s a privilege to serve Contra Costa County in this role and to lead such an incredible team in the county counsel’s office,” Geiger said in a statement. “I am deeply honored to be selected as county counsel and for the opportunity to help the board of supervisors carry out its vision of delivering quality public services that make a difference in the lives of people throughout our county.”
Geiger succeeds Mary Ann Mason, who retired in November. Geiger will lead a legal team of 55 attorneys and staff who advise the county on civil legal matters and defend the county in litigation filed against it.
“Tom has a long history of public service in Contra Costa and has skillfully guided our county through complicated legal issues involving disaster response, land use and other significant community matters,” said board chair John Gioia. “We are grateful for his strong leadership, commitment to equity and transparency, and his ability to implement the board’s priorities on the public’s behalf.”
Geiger holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford University and a law degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law.
He provided legal advise on legal issues surrounding Covid … He should not be hired. Any lawyer that stood by those mandates, I do not want on a government payroll.