The Kern County Supervisors presented the 12th annual State of the County Address to a near capacity crowd of community leaders on Jan. 20.

Ray Watson, chairman of the Kern County Board of Supervisors, was optimistic about the upcoming 2010 fiscal year.

“In many respects, we don’t know what the future holds for our nation and our state. But we do know that much of the heritage of Kern County rose out of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl,” he said. “At our core, we are survivors, hard workers, innovators, entrepreneurs, competitors and compassionate.”

Watson went through the cuts Kern County has had to suffer in the past fiscal year, but was quick to also point out that government and citizens alike will prevail despite difficult economic times and tough state budget issues.

“Regardless of state budget outcomes, I can assure you that your county government will continue to press forward with initiatives to improve efficiency and complete projects for which funding has been identified,” said Watson. “We are continuing to explore ways to reorganize departments and functions, not just to reduce costs, but also to improve results.”

Watson included many accomplishments Kern County has endured in 2009 such as a 70 percent reduction in gang activity, breaking ground of a new library in Frazier Park and reported that Kern Medical Center finished the year better than expected.

“I am pleased to report that after having lost $66 million over the past nine years, KMC closed the 2009 fiscal year more than $9 million in the black,” said Watson. “Also, the nurse training programs that our board agreed to support at Cal State Bakersfield and Bakersfield College accomplished exactly what we had hoped they would.”

Watson finished the presentation with a look ahead to 2010 with plans to build new fire stations in Pine Mountain Club and Northwest Bakersfield, construction of a new hydrogen generating plant and is still hopeful for a high-speed rail through Bakersfield.

“Our board is committed to making the best of the resources available to us,” he commented. “We will not just survive. Our goal is superior performance and achievement.”