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Why is the SLO County Grand jury investigating Los Osos?

May 8, 2016

Los ososOpinion by TOM SALMON

Currently, the Los Osos Community Services District is under investigation by the San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury. As an outsider looking in, I can only speculate as to why.

The investigation is common knowledge, because there are recent legal bills, reflected by the district’s legal counsel. District legal counsel Michael Sietz is charging money while communicating with the grand jury. For mistakes he made; great, screw-up and get paid for it.

Coincidentally and appropriately, grand jurors were in attendance at the recent district board meeting.

This is very serious for Los Osos and the the district’s board of directors. Both civil and criminal charges maybe coming forward soon. Fantastic, now that a government body is after this government body, guess who pays these fines and costs, at both ends. Yes sir, Los Osos.

District directors Michael Wright and Marshall Ochinski have allowed claims against us by four, count ’em, four, governmental legal claims departments. You can’t make this tragedy up.

These guys, Wright and Ochylski, have hired four consecutive failures for the district’s general manager position, costing Los Osos millions of dollars. But these “fellas” want you to vote to keep them in office this year. Are you really that stupid?

News of the district’s “disclaimer of opinion” audit, hit the front page last fall and the subsequent termination without prosecution of its general manager, could be among the multitude of reasons for an investigation. Improper booking keeping, non-payment to the government, misrepresenting the truth and possible falsification of records also are involved. Don’ forget conspiracy. All with penalties paid by the community of Los Osos.

What astounds me is that over the course of the prior general manager’s, Kathy Kivley, tenure at the district, three, count ’em, three attorney’s, Ochinski, Erik-Storm and Seitz didn’t stop her. Don’t forget to include two college professors — one with two PhD’s, an insurance salesman, a scientist and an environmental planner all have served on the board.

Wouldn’t we hoped they were “brighter” than this?

These “guys” have allowed and promoted the incompetence of this manager, and the three previous, to continue and set the district up for these investigations and fines. What poor quality of legal minds, Ochinski, Eric-Storm and Sietz are! Who would hire them to litigate a dog bite, not me, nor anyone in there right mind.

Now it appears the current board has hired a part time manager at a full time price, $100,000 for a 20 hour work week. This guy has yet to produce the work product necessary to support his bid, but is now requesting a $20,000 annual raise and a year-long commitment. After just three months.

All of these board members should know better, yet they still can’t seem to get it right. The community has informed Wright and Ochinski about proper procedure, yet they don’t seem to have the ability to understand. This is being done by malice and forethought, with the intention of destroying the community. Elimination is the solution, what a complete failure by Wright and Ochinski.


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Why did the chicken cross the road?


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To get a better view of the Doo Dah parade as it passed by. It didn’t want to miss the synchronized shovel queens, the waltzing wrecklamators, the bankruptcy bimbos, the high stepping step-stegs, or jungle Joey at the end of the parade with his broom and dust pan.


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Maybe the Grand Jury will find out who got our Los Osos Pool Fund money that sorta faded away.


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Please keep in mind who was a driving force in the association, was also a director on the LOCSD. Just a clue…..follow the clue to where it leads you. That’s called “follow” the money….


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Tom writes:


“Currently, the Los Osos Community Services District is under investigation by the San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury. As an outsider looking in, I can only speculate as to why.”


If that’s the case, then I’m going to have some fun here and enter my guess: Oh, pleeeeease, let it be because of the blow-your-hair-back-amazing story of how “more than 4,000” Los Osos property owners are stuck funding the 2000 LOCSD’s fraud until the year 2033/34, as I first exposed at this link:


http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2013/05/junk-bonds-twice-year-fleecing-of-los.html


… with fun/meaty follow-ups at this link:


http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2013/11/los-osos-makes-property-tax-history.html


… this link:


http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2016/04/mail-fraud-question-for-story-please.html


… this link:


http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2016/04/los-osos-sewerphotos-from-vault-idea.html


… and, just recently, this link:


http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2016/05/does-fppc-consider-los-osos-csd.html


jonhartz writes (below):


“… when they (the Grand Jury) do turn up evidence of a crime they must turn it over to the District Attorney to handle. ”


In a normal county, that would be the process. Unfortunately, in this county, that would be a complete waste of time, at least in this case. And the reason that would be a complete waste of time in this case is because DA Dan Dow is not only “friends” with the people that committed the 2000 LOCSD fraud (that has “more than 4,000” Los Osos property owners stuck funding that fraud until the year 2033/34), but he actually goes over to their homes to raise campaign money, as I exposed at this link:


http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2016/01/pandora-nash-karner-friends-questions.html


Sooooo, uh, you know — I really don’t see Dan Dow prosecuting his “friends” for fraud, when his “friends” give him (at least some) of that fraud-money to get him elected in the first place.


“Evidence of a crime?” Meet Dan Dow’s paper shredder.


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This Salmon has no knowledge of what the Grand Jury is investigating unless he or a Grand Juror has violated the law. All Grand Jury business is strictly confidential, and Jurors are sworn in court to secrecy. A Juror cannot even discuss GJ issues with a spouse. Criminal sanctions can be applied to violators. So, Salmon, how did you learn this, if it is true? Who violated State Law?


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Jon Hartz, did you read the title of the editorial? Did you read the billing statements charged to the LOCSD from Seitz? This investigation is public knowledge. I stated that I ascertained from information gleaned from the last two years about discrepancies in the LOSCD. There has been no charges against anyone, that wasn’t the point, did you not read that? It is the investigation, period, I was explaining with many possibilities and was informing people about that. If and when the Grand Jury has completed the process then can we definitely understand. Like so many investigations, some never get released or are delayed. You may take this information and do with it what you will, learn from it or use it in the bottom of a bird cage. Your decision, but this is how the needs of the community are discussed. My name is in print, yours isn’t, if you are not happy with my opinion, just write a editorial explaining your counter points. I’m open for discussion, are you?


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The county stepped in and forced the sewer to be built, an act that Bruce Gibson claimed credit for during the last time he was up for re-election. A continual joke of loser and crooks now run the puppet CSD in Los Osos. Where are you now Bruce Gibson? Your complete lack of action or comment indicates you’re somehow benefiting from the pain felt by the good people of Los Osos. Time to show some leadership; this is not funny anymore.


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No, no no..Bruce was NOT responsible for the county taking over the sewer project. The RECALL board was 100% responsible for the county having to step in and build the sewer.

They failed the Los Osos citizens, the regulators, the contractors, and the taxpayers.

It never has been funny.


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CAN YOU SAY “JULIE TACKER” The Tackenator!


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The people of Los Osos voted in the “RECALL” board, so the blame goes onto the people of Los Osos. But wait, their vote was based on many many years of lies and corruption, particularly by individuals trying to profit from any and every aspect of the sewer. It took about 25 years to have a sewage plant planned right smack in the middle of town. Great leadership.


But of course, anything I don’t like in the SLO county I simply blame on either Adam Hill or Julie Tacker. I guess if I say it enough times maybe it will actually be true.


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Mr. Holly, I do agree about the toothless Grand Jury. This story isn’t really about their perception on Los Osos, as much as the continuing bloodletting in Los Osos. The GJ investigation is to just to acknowledge the obvious malfeasance in town, that finally even this GJ has to admit is occurring. For this GJ to investigate says volumes, like the proverbial ostrich, pulling your head out of the hole. My position is to continually expose the misdeeds of Wright, Ochinski and now Erick-Strom…. Two attorneys and a used car salesman.


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The Grand Jury SHOULD have begun their investigation in 2005 following the recall election!


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I agree, the former Caltrans employees were horrible. Like a scratch in a old 45, just repeating the same ol’ song to dance too….


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The local Grand Jury has no teeth. There needs to have a local Grand Jury that actually hears criminal matters and start prosecuting some of our locals who have gone astray.


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Under California law all county Grand Juries are civil, not criminal. They are prevented from any criminal investigation, and when they do turn up evidence of a crime they must turn it over to the District Attorney to handle. Do want to make a difference in your county? Volunteer for the Grand Jury.


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Jon Hartz, that is the point. There has never been proper oversight with the LOCSD. If evidence is found and presented to DOW, criminally, he would need to move forward. With a lack of transparency or worse, intentional mishandling of funds at any level requires further digging. We must remember ARB, one of the primary collection system contractors still has a $20,000,000.00 lawsuit against the county and ultimately LOS OSOS. The losses to our community must be exposed, rather civilly or criminally or both. Thank you for participating n the dialogue….


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And the beat goes on, La De Da De De, La De Da De Dumb.


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