In an effort to increase the public's understanding of the services available through County government, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a new visual identity for the County and its various agencies, departments, and divisions.

    "Having a consistent visual identity will help residents know which services are provided by County agencies and know that the County is responsible for making sure those services are provided competently and efficiently," said Board of Supervisors Chair Janice Rutherford.

    Until now, County government has been represented for the most part by an arrowhead-shaped seal containing depictions of the county's resources and geography.  Over time, each of the County's more than 50 agencies, departments, and divisions have adopted their own separate visual identities, sometimes making it unclear that these entities are all part of the same County organization.

    Earlier this year, the Board of Supervisors publicly adopted goals and objectives for the County, including a call for consistent messaging for the organization and elimination of barriers between departments in order to foster collaboration.

    The new visual identity - consisting of a logo, color scheme, and typography - maintains use of the historic arrowhead as a recognizable symbol of the county.  It will represent County government on letterhead, websites, social media, vehicles, uniforms, business cards, and buildings.  It was created by County staff and its use will be phased in to avoid incurring additional costs.

    The historic County seal will remain in use only as the County's legal insignia to be stamped on official documents.