After serving 11 years on the CHCCS Board of Education, Rani Dasi resigned from her role on August 21. On Tuesday, August 25, she began her new role as an Orange County Commissioner at the board’s business meeting.
Joined at the podium by members of her family, she was sworn in by District Judge Joal Hall Broun, who similarly served on the CHCCS board before her appointment to her current position. Dasi began her first comments as a new commissioner by honoring Bedford, whose funeral was held on Saturday, August 22.
“I want to start, as I normally do, with gratitude, very mindful of the folks who’ve paved the way for me to be here,” Dasi said. “I also want to recognize former Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford for her leadership and service and her examples that continue to guide the community. I’m extremely grateful for her life and legacy she left with us. She set a standard that reminds us to lead with courage and compassion.”
Dasi was one of six people who threw their hats in the ring for the District 1 position, and was ultimately selected by the board to serve out the rest of Bedford’s term. She was also selected by the Orange County Democratic Party to run on its ticket in November, where she is likely to win a full four-year term since Bedford was unopposed in the general race.
“To the sitting board members, thank you for your welcome and your willingness to help me learn,” Dasi said. “And most importantly, I’m grateful to join a board that has a moral center that reflects a commitment to focusing on what’s best for our communities.”
In her initial Facebook post announcing her intention to seek the position, Dasi said that her experience would be useful to the Orange County Board of Commissioners, given her background in finance. She is the Vice President of Operations Finance at RTI International, an independent scientific research institute. Board Chair Jean Hamilton spoke to Dasi’s experience in public office in her own remarks.
“I served with her on the Capital Needs Work Group, which I cannot underline enough the work she did in order to understand the capital needs of our schools,” Hamilton said, referencing the group that was formed by the CHCCS board in 2021 to address school infrastructure needs across the county. “That really was foundational and getting recommendations that led to having a consultant who would have an objective view of the needs and then to the bond.”
The chair ended her remarks by personally welcoming Dasi to the board.
“So I am ecstatic, in my low key way, of having Commissioner Rani Dasi join us, with her skills, with her experience and her background,” said Hamilton. “We are very fortunate and you will have to work hard.”
“I’m getting that sense,” Dasi responded.
As for the rest of the meeting, the board heard the tax collector’s annual settlement for fiscal year 2025-26, discussed an updated process for the sale of Orange County-owned real property, and more. As of August 26, the CHCCS board has not announced its process for replacing Dasi.
Featured image via the Orange County Board of Commissioners livestream.
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