(January 8) Now that he has assumed county office, Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman has made it two for two, appointing a second staff member who had served in the capacity of one of his field representatives when he was state assemblyman to the position of district director.
Hagman, assemblyman in the 55th District from 2008 to 2014, successfully vied against Congressman Gloria Negrete-McCleod last November to replace Gary Ovitt as San Bernardino County supervisor in the Fourth District.
Immediately, Hagman moved to hire Mike Spence, who had served as his chief of staff during his tenure as assemblyman, as his chief of staff in the Fourth District. This week, the board of supervisors approved his hiring of Ed Graham as the Fourth District director.
Hagman, Spence and Graham are Republicans. Spence and Graham are currently serving city council members, Spence in West Covina and Graham in Chino Hills. Graham and Hagman served together on the Chino Hills City Council from 2003 to 2008. Hagman shook off criticisms of his having chosen institutional government employees as staff members.
“The particular person we are talking about worked outside government for thirty years in addition to being an educator and administrator, so he has long time experience in the private sector as well. He covered constituent services on my assembly staff and he is well connected to the district as an elected official in one of its cities, where he puts in voluntary service as an elected official that far exceeds the $600 a month he makes in that capacity. He is a good fit for the position.”
Spence has been a fixture in Sacramento for two decades as a consultant and legislative staff member, including a spell as the chief of staff for then-assemblyman Joel Anderson (R- El Cajon), and lobbyist. Graham was a high school teacher for a portion of his professional career.
The district director position pays $71,480 in annual salary, with an additional $39,111 in benefits for a total annual cost of $110,591.
Hagman noted that “Staff services to members of the board of supervisors are provided through contractual arrangement, as required by the county charter. Approval of this item will authorize an employment contract with Edward Graham to provide support services to the Fourth District Supervisor as a district director.”