Andreas Borgeas sworn in as Fresno County supervisor

Fresno County Board of Supervisors' outgoing chairwoman Debbie Poochigian, left, new incoming chairman Henry Perea, center, and new Supervisor Andreas Borgeas, far right, shuffle their name plates after new officers were sworn in Tuesday morning Jan. 8, 2013 at the Fresno County Plaza Ballroom in downtown Fresno.

Fresno County Supervisor Andreas Borgeas was sworn into office Tuesday, pledging to put his experience with the city of Fresno to work for the interests of the county.

“The City Council hat is no longer on my head,” he told a crowd of about 200 people gathered for ceremonies at the Fresno County Plaza Ballroom. “I just put on the county hat.”

Borgeas, 38, joins the Board of Supervisors after four years on the council where he was known as a conservative, yet pragmatic leader.

He replaces retiring Supervisor Susan Anderson, representing north Fresno and parts of Clovis in the District 2 seat.

In his inaugural remarks, Borgeas listed his new priorities as public safety and economic development, two areas that the county has long struggled with. Fresno County has among the highest rates of crime and poverty in the state.

Retired federal Judge Oliver Wanger administered the oath of office to the new supervisor. Borgeas, who was joined by wife Anna and their two young children, ages 2 and 3 months, fumbled briefly with his lines but recovered nicely.

“I was terrified that my 2-year-old just ran out of candy cane,” he explained.

Incumbents Henry Perea and Debbie Poochigian also were sworn in to new terms on the five-member board.

Both acknowledged that the recession had been particularly hard on Fresno County during their last four-year terms but said the board had weathered tight budgets and a smaller work force the best it could.

Perea will serve as chair of the board this year, a position that helps set the supervisors’ agenda.

“I know there’s a lot of great things that happen in Fresno County, but we need to do more,” he said.

By Kurtis Alexander