"I really look forward to the challenges ahead. There are some difficult times, but I really appreciate the vote of confidence," Constantine told the board.

He said he's "anxious to help the community and work with the board."

Supervisor Jon McQuiston noted Constantine's recent work to "educate and protect Kern County from H1N1 flu while moving forward on several other important initiatives."

Tejon Ranch is being honored with a flag and plaques for donating the 500 acres of land for the Bakersfield National Cemetary.

The supervisors' got one too.

Supervisor Maben noted that it was fitting the cemetary be located on Tejon Ranch land since Edward Beale, who fought in the Civil War, founded the ranch and the Civil War was what launched the national cemetary system.

Supervisors the new firefighter academy using only Firefighter 1 trained candidates Tuesday afternoon with a routine "consent agenda" vote.

Andrew Stuebbe won't be on that list.

Stuebbe, the 35th name on the firefighter eligability list, came to the board to put a face to the names of people who will be impacted by the county's decision to use only Firefighter 1 trained job candidates to fill an upcoming firefighter academy.

"I don't mean any disrespect to anybody," he said.

But he went through a tough hiring process and tied for 35th on the list. He said he was told the list would be good for two years and calculated he would be able to get a job with the Kern County Fire Department.

So Stubby, a former professional bull rider, quit the tour to come back to Kern County and get the firefighter job. Now he has been skipped over by the county's new hiring plan.

"I've put my life on hold for a year-and-a-half," he said. "I relied on the system and the word the county gave me that the list was going to be good for two years."

Supes are done for the day, but before they left they had an interesting discussion about a trash-covered desert lot that Engineering and Survey Services wants to clean up.

The item was continued a week because the owner of the property, who flew to Kern County from Sweden to protest the clean up order and accomanying tax lien, had gotten lost somewhere around I-5 and Highway 58 on her way into town.

Supervisors will take the item up next week. No word if the owner will stick around for the meeting.