Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Carole Groom, District 2
Supervisor Warren Slocum, District 4
Subject: Extension of Term for San Mateo County Poet Laureate Aileen Cassinetto
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution extending the term of Aileen Cassinetto to the honorary post of San Mateo County Poet Laureate for an additional six months from January 1, 2022 through June 30, 2022.
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BACKGROUND:
The tradition of naming a Poet Laureate began in 17th century England when John Dryden was first named to the post. The United States Library of Congress appointed an official Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1937. In 1985, an Act of Congress changed the name of the position to Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.
California was the first state to name a Poet Laureate informally and the position was established by the Legislature in 2001. A number of California counties and cities have followed suit and established the position of Poet Laureate, including the Bay Area counties of San Francisco, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo.
In April 2013, the Board of Supervisors approved a resolution establishing the honorary post of San Mateo County Poet Laureate for the purpose of elevating poetry into the consciousness of San Mateo County residents and highlighting and celebrating the literary arts within our County.
On October 8, 2013, the Board of Supervisors approved a resolution naming Caroline Goodwin as our County's first Poet Laureate. Since that time, Lisa Rosenberg and Aileen Cassinetto have each been appointed successively to serve two-year terms as Poet Laureate. Aileen Cassinetto's term as the County's third Poet Laureate was approved by the Board of Supervisors to end on December 31, 2020. Subsequently, a one-year extension of term was approved by the Board to run from January 1, 2021 to De...
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