Titles Changed For San Mateo County Manager, County Counsel

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — San Mateo County’s county manager and county counsel are getting new titles, the county announced on Wednesday.

Mike Callagy, formerly known as the county manager, will now be referred to as the county executive officer. John Nibbelin, formerly known as the county counsel, is now the county attorney.

The titles changes are being made to “better reflect their roles,” the county said in a news release. The county will be the first office in California to use the “county attorney” title, though many counties across the state refer to their senior administrative officer as the “county executive.”

“County executive officer and county attorney are more modern titles which more clearly spell out to the public what role they play,” said Don Horsley, the president of the county’s board of supervisors. “While the change may seem mostly ceremonial, the Board wants residents to better understand how these two positions serve the community.”

Horsley, along with Supervisor Warren Slocum, sponsored an ordinance to change the names.

Callagy has served in the role in 2018, while Nibbelin recently was appointed to the role following the retirement of county counsel John Beiers this month.