REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 7, 2025
FROM
JOE BACA, JR., Vice Chair and Fifth District Supervisor, Board of Supervisors
CURT HAGMAN, Fourth District Supervisor, Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
Employment Contract for County Counsel
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Employment Contract with Laura Feingold to provide services to the County Counsel’s
Office as County Counsel, for a total estimated annual cost of $497,790 (Salary - $346,528, Benefits - $151,262), for a period of four years, effective October 4, 2025 through October 3, 2029.
(Presenter: Joe Baca, Jr., Vice Chair and Fifth District Supervisor, 387-4565)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this recommendation will not require the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Funding for the position of County Counsel has been included within the County Counsel 2025-26 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
County Counsel provides legal services to the Board of Supervisors (Board) and County departments pursuant to Government Code sections 26526 and 27640 et seq. and County Code sections 12.1901 et seq. The current County Counsel is anticipated to retire on October 7, 2025 and the Board, as the appointing authority, has completed a recruitment process to fill the position on a permanent basis. The Board appointed Laura Feingold as County Counsel at the September 23, 2025 Board meeting. This employment contract will be effective October 4, 2025, with Ms. Feingold beginning her official duties as County Counsel on October 8, 2025. The County Counsel serves a four-year term of office pursuant to Government Code section 27641. The County Counsel’s Office has more than 60 lawyers within the department and provides support to County departments and various agencies.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Chief Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 2, 2025; Human Resources (Sandra Wakcher, Division Chief, 387-9676) on October 2, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Penelope Chang, Principal Administrative Analyst, 387-4886) on September 29, 2025.