PLACERVILLE, Calif. — El Dorado County Planning and Building Department Director Karen Garner has been named a 2025 California On Location Award recipient in the Public County Employee category, county officials announced this week.
The statewide honor recognizes Garner’s leadership in preserving the El Dorado County Film Commission Office earlier this year, a move credited with protecting a vital resource for the region’s creative economy and local businesses.
In February 2025, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors confronted a series of difficult budget decisions that initially slated the Film Commission for elimination. As deliberations intensified, Garner intervened, arguing that the office’s economic return far exceeded its operating costs.
Facing a tight timeline before the board’s final vote, Garner assembled a data-driven proposal detailing how film and television productions inject revenue into local lodging, restaurants, fuel stations, equipment suppliers and traffic control services. She also emphasized the importance of professional film permitting in El Dorado County’s diverse and often challenging terrain.
“The Film Commission is not a luxury — it’s an economic engine,”
Garner said in a county statement announcing the award. “Our goal was to protect a program that supports local jobs, showcases our communities and makes El Dorado County competitive for future productions.”
Garner proposed absorbing the Film Commission into the Planning and Building Department’s budget, ensuring its survival without requiring additional county funding. The plan gained support from community members and industry stakeholders, who testified to the office’s importance during public hearings.
The Film Commission has supported productions including “The Lost Heiress of Kingston High,” and continues to serve as a bridge between property owners, location managers and production companies seeking to film in the county. Since the reorganization, Garner has continued efforts to streamline permitting and promote El Dorado County as a film-friendly destination.
County officials said the California On Location Award, often referred to as the COLA Award, honors public employees whose innovation and advocacy strengthen California’s film and television industry.
“Karen’s actions turned a potential loss into a lasting win for El Dorado County,”
the county said in its announcement.
“Her leadership ensured that an important economic and cultural asset remains available to our communities.”
