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Illegal groundwater ordinance proposed

March 4, 2015
Allen Duckworth

Allen Duckworth

OPINION By ALLEN DUCKWORTH

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors passed an urgency ordinance in Aug. 2013 to protect the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin from further depletion, however loopholes in that ordinance allowed for even greater vineyard planting and water usage.

That temporary ordinance cannot legally extend beyond the two year maximum and can only be replaced by a permanent ordinance. In spite of major opposition from county residents, three of our county supervisors have asked the county staff to prepare an ordinance with the same wording as the original temporary ordinance and include a sunset clause.  That makes it another temporary ordinance or an extension of the existing ordinance.

Either way, it violates California law.

Supervisor Frank Mecham seems to be working on his own agenda to protect the city of Paso Robles and their right to pump as much water as they like no matter how it affects the surrounding community.

Frank has been ignoring the majority of his District 1 constituents.  He needs to be communicating with the people of his district and working with District 5 Supervisor Debbie Arnold to come up with a better proposal that is equitable, legal and serves the best interest of the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin.

Allen Duckworth is a small landowner dependent on the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin to provide domestic water for his family.


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County Counsel is at the meetings to keep the proceedings LEGAL. This is the second time in recent weeks that our County Counsel has been asleep at the wheel. First, when Gibson violated the Brown Act and this time when the proposel passed was illegal. In fact, from what I heard, she admitted that the proposal was illegal after the meeting and then told the person that if they didn’t like it, then they could sue the county.


If she can’t do her job, then she has to be replaced by someone who can. That’s all there is to it. What is her problem?


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Hearsay is not always accurate…….


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True, but the person relating the story of talking to County Counsel identified herself on KPRL. Even if it’s not true, it does appear that County Counsel did not protect the BOS from voting on something illegal. So, I stand by my position that she is incompetent and needs to be replaced.


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Let me clarify my statement. County Counsel (she) is incompetent and needs to be replaced


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Government officials breaking the law. What a surprise.


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