Sex and the Los Osos sewer

June 17, 2011

Paavo Ogren

By KAREN VELIE

A vehicle crash into a San Luis Obispo creek has revealed the extent of a personal relationship between a top county official and a Los Osos Community Services District board member—raising allegations of a possible conflict of interest.

Accusations that Paavo Ogren, San Luis Obispo County Public Works Director and Maria Kelly, vice president of the Los Osos Community Services District, have been conspiring to help push through a $200 million sewer project have surfaced because the couples’ teenage children, from former marriages, drove a car down a 20-foot embankment into San Luis Creek on June 14.

“In the context of the waste water project for the community, Ms. Kelly has been a proxy for Paavo Ogren,” said Jeff Edwards, a 30-year resident of Los Osos.

Thursday, as suspicions grew that Kelly had been staying in San Luis Obispo with Ogren rather than living in the district she represents as required to serve on the board, Kelly abruptly stepped down from her position as vice president of the district.

“Unfortunately, as I evaluate my current situation and the needs of my children, I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that I must immediately step down, since I do not believe I can provide the commitment and attention that the Board of Directors requires and that the community of Los Osos deserves,” Kelly said in her letter of resignation.

Maria Kelly

Ogren’s son is presently facing a felony drunk driving charge after driving Kelly’s son and two other teens into the creek. Police said the teens resided in San Luis Obispo and Atascadero. None provided Los Osos as their place of residence.

Ogren and Kelly began spending time together about two to three years ago, around the time Kelly was elected to the board. Over the years, the couple was observed discussing strategy prior to meetings causing some to question if a conflict of interest existed.

In 2010, Kelly left her husband, transferred her children to San Luis Obispo schools and moved in with Ogren. Every other week, she would spend a few days with her children at her former home in Los Osos.

Kelly and her ex-husband are attempting to sell their former residence.

For years, Kelly has advocated in favor of Ogren’s vision for the Los Osos sewer plant – a $200 million controversial sewage system slated to serve about 12,500 people.

“I’m happy to be here and I’m happy to be here in support of the county — and I’m happy to be in support of county staff. I’ve been a broken record on that they’ve been extremely professional, helpful, diligent and very responsive to the community,” Kelly said during a September 2009 San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting.

“I already had to take one job due to budget cuts at Cal Poly. I’m willing to take another. I love Los Osos that much. I’m willing to do what I have to do to keep my family there and raise my children,” Kelly added at the time.

Meanwhile, CalCoastNews has learned Ogren’s home is allegedly a frequent after school “party house ” where teens go to smoke and drink. One parent of a teen who was in the accident, said they have found the teens partying after school at Ogren’s home on several occasions.

Ogren and Kelly did not return requests for comment.


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Aren’t elected officials required to report ex parte communications with other parties involved in an issue? Aren’t they supposed to declare publicly any personal relationships with same? If I’m reading this correctly, Maria Kelly has been fraudulently representing her constituency, and in fact may have been representing her lover Paavo Ogren’s personal and professional interests. Kelly should resign her LOCSD seat, and not just step down from the VP’s chair.


The same goes for Paavo Ogren. He should resign his position for the same reasons. This charade must end!


Hill, Patterson, Gibson, Mecham, Teixeira, here’s your opportunity to continue cleaning the house that Edge built.


Sorry R. H., but Mrs. Kelly has already resigned and the LOCSD ceased having any significant input into the outcome of the County managed LOWWP after AB2701, the EIR, and other events maturing since 2008. CSD meetings have been very sedate as of late, quite boring really.


So much so that this story needed a “Sex” hook in it’s title.


There is plenty of room for criticism of the county and some of that is presented occasionally at the board of supervisors. Unfortunately blog based sewer Commentary has taken on a life of its own, and is driven by the needs of people who have invested much of their lives as self promoter Sewer war advocates, and rumor mongers. Beyond the larger issues, and legitimate critics, the SEWER has provided much entertainment to a small group of individuals, and the rumors that will keep this story going were hatched years ago. Several virtual “political reformers” no longer even live in this county. Why should they not comment on the rumors they themselves started, and write themselves a greater role in the revisioning of Sewer History.


If you have a commitment to positive change and influencing to return to government by the people, you are in the wrong area, and talking to the wrong people. If you want Calcoast to be more than a yellow virtual sheet, have them vet their “Sources”.


Besides slamming citizens who discuss public issues on internet venues that are not officially sanctioned by John Wallace, and besides attempting to defend Ms. Kelly by dragging in tattered strawman arguments and red herrings, is there a point to your post?


If you think citizens are going to think, “Well, as long as Kelly already resigned, then there’s nothing to this story,” you are wrong.


Her resignation was published on 6/16/2011 (SLOTribuneOnline) and 6/17/2011 (KVEC). Her term in office ran until 2012. Gosh, you don’t think she resigned because the nookie is out of the bag, and Ogren looks like a horse’s patoot now, do you?


She was a member of the Los Osos board through a very significant period of time of the WWT saga. She voted on major decisions. She used her position on the Los Osos board to witness to the SLOCo BOS and audience members about the wonderfullness of the SLOCo BOS and all it does.


Since she was–literally–in bed with one of the supervisors, don’t you think the Los Osos board’s decisions made during that time should be reviewed?


How many of those votes was she the deciding one, pro SLOCo BOS desires?


MaryMalone, Don’t forget, Kelly was “in bed with Paavo” long before she left her husband Shawn… She’s obviously NOT just “been in bed” with SLO County, but Paavo Ogren as well, just shows you the kind of ethics & morals these two have…it’s no wonder their kids are punks. Too bad they’re part of the purported children ” of the so-called “ELITE” OF SLO County and/or Los Osos, because then the entire story of the “teen’s drunk driving car wreck” would not suddenly get “hushed up”. A few years back, a young son of a friend of mine was involved in a “non drinking” accident in Los Osos & THAT was spread all over all the print media, just because HE WAS NOT PART OF THE “LOS OSOS ELITE SOCIETY”…The “townies” even got the kid fired from his job that he had at the time. He’s got the last laugh on all these BOZO’s now, because he’s gone on to really EXCELL in a management position & is quite happy being out of SLO County…


And the self righteous get a free pass to post whatever bile first comes to their brains, especially the real juicy stuff that involves character assassination, broad generalization, assumption and hearsay. Bravo CCN!!!


Tell that to the 12,500 residents in Los Osos who are about to get saddled with a $2,000,000 sewer.


What’s an error of two digits among friends? 200 Mil and climbing.


LOL, and to think I make my living managing other people’s numbers!


I think the problem is that 200mil just sounds so egregious that I don’t believe it. How frustrating for the LO residents, after all these years and all the energy they expended. I think the LOCSD township had the wildest meeting’s I’ve ever heard of and I’ve seen some good ones. I recall my neighbor going to a meeting because he was afraid that his good friend (LO resident) was going to knock somebody out that night!


Cindy you write,”I’ve seen some good ones. I recall my neighbor going to a meeting because he was afraid that his good friend (LO resident) was going to knock somebody out that night!”


THAT WAS ME!


I will pay for the sewer when I win the lottery for 100 mil. It will be my pleasure. I lived in L.O. for about 10 years and even though I lived in the area that didn’t have to pay for the sewer I will do it anyway. I feel sorry for those poor people. In fact let’s all contribute to the payment. We will be anyway. God Bless.


Attacking members of the public discussing the absence of ethics of a local elected official won’t work here. We recognize the “blame-the-messenger” tactic, because defenders of other corrupt politicians have used it so frequently against us.


If there are “juicy” things to discuss, in this instance, Maria Kelly and Pavvo Ogren provided the juice. Absence their corruptness, their lack of ethics and morality, there would be no story to discuss.


If you don’t like reading it being discussed, then don’t read it. If you want to cast blame for it being discussed, then trot yourself right on over to Maria Kelly and Pavvo Ogren and complain to them about it. They are the source of yet another scandal of corrupt political officials screwing over the public to benefit themselves.


I think I just heard the door hit MakersMark in the ass on the way out!


Actually, I came back to read more of the childish postings of folks such as you. It’s entertaining in the highest degree. And the article isn’t anything more than yellow journalism at its finest . It’s attracting small minded folks who have small minds who take pleasure in acting like kids in the school yard. I can’t get enough of the yokels posting here.


But how can we miss you if you won’t go away?


r0y, do you think there will be any discussion regarding the Ogren/Kelly conflict of interest AFFAIR at tomorrows BOS meeting? As I recall, didn’t Paavo & Bruce Gibson “appoint” Maria Kelly to the TAC? Those “members” were supposed to sort out which wastewater treatment project would be “best” for Los Osos…Of course, this was “supposed to be un-biased”, but we all know better now…Talk about STACKING THE DECK…


IMaybe the authorities should “Hooch” test the teen driver given their reputations at the “safe-house” in Los Osos…


I am a personal friend of Maria and Paavo, and given all the falsehoods in the story, the comments and the Congalton radio show, it should only be a matter of time before the readers of CCN are asked to have another legal defense fund for Karen Velie. Is Velie pronounced Vee-lee or WE LIE? This is not journalism.


It’s always funny when that one “personal friend” shows up to say how wrong everyone and the story is… only to disappear weeks or months later when the story and comments are proven true…


I’m detecting a pattern here…


Walk just may be right. But I don’t think so.


From the fat little shit Gearhead (hey gearhead, I’m waiting for you!) (big shot, person [crook] of the year in A town) to a multitude of others who have been ‘maligned’ here and on the Congalton show, who threatened lawsuits and then slunk away with their tails between their legs I feel the subjects of this story will have the same fate.

What about that, Walk?


If you actually offered anything to refute what KV published, then you might be taken seriously.


For all we know, you may also have benefited from the Kelly/Ogren political, ethical and moral corruption.


If you are a friend of Kelly’s, then you might want to advise her to stop posting on public message boards. It never works out well for the official accused of sexual and political impropriety.


I care less about who was in her pants than I do her using her position on the SLOCSD board to further the interests of a County employee’s “vision” for the sewer plant.


She didn’t recuse herself from the votes in which she and her lover had a vested interest. She used her position as VP to praise the “county”‘s vision for the sewer.


(And, really, nothing says True Love like praise for a sewer, does it?)


And so it goes…

11 down votes in one hour, Hot topic. What do you think?

more virtual votes than flesh and blood readers?


“Untied” and unravelled, when you do something for your community, I’ll salute you.


Yeah, Alon. It seems that you’re stuff is dis-jointed and I do picture you sitting home writing with a big buzz goin’.No?


I suspect that he got those immediate thumbs down because of the personal attacks about their physical appearance.

Gotta go, the Congalton Show is getting interesting, lot’s of dirty dealings with Ogren and Kelly coming out from the listeners calling in.


Who cares about the thumbs down? Are we all 12 years old here, or what?


Alon_Perlman says: “more virtual votes than flesh and blood readers?”


No. Only flesh and blood can vote, in fact any reader can vote.


Lets see, hmm when did Ms Kelly resign, when she recognized the conflict of interest in living with Pavvo…..no it wasn’t then…..hmmm when she stopped living in Los Osos, a requirement for the position she held…..no it wasn’t then…..hmmm when her boyfriends drunk son endangered her daughter and others in a vehicle accident and it made the news that she was compromised, just 2 days ago……yes i believe it was then. Would she have resigned for ethical or legal violations, Hmmmm not likely.


and when exactly did Kelly resign….was it when she realized she was commiting a violation by not living in Los Osos anymore….no it wasnt then…..was it when she realized she had not disclosed her relationship with Ogren and the obvious conflict of interests involved….no it wasnt then either….was it when she realized that she did not possess the ethical character required for the position…..no it wasnt then either….or was it 2 days ago after her boyfriends drunk son endangered her daughter and many others in an automobile accident that led to the story being released to the public……yes i believe it was then…..Would she have resigned otherwise hell no why would she jump off the gravy train voluntarily.


SSS, you are one of my most favorites, you didn’t write this but I read between the lines.


BOYFRIEND’S SON ENDANGERS MAMA’S LITTLE GIRL, ANGER , FIGHT, RESIGNATION!


OR SHE DIDN’T JUMP SHE IS BEING PUSHED, IT’S EITHER HE OR SHE, HOPEFULLY


BOTH GET THE ROPE!


Almost identical to Julie Tacker/Jeff Edwards. Kelly & Tacker, two housemaids who get swept away from their hearth, home and family to bond with their new hero figures with who they shall both become modern crusaders for rightness ……or some such idiocy. Paavo has been lying his way through the sewer saga from the start and Kelly is only concerned with being on the side of the sewer saga that will put her further up the food chain @ the county.

These four (Although Julie has some redeeming factors) do not have the truth in them. Both of these “ladies” actually bailed on their kids to shack with guys they met while performing community dis-service.


So let’s create another controversy to try and stop the sewer. When will it ever end? I laugh at Jeff Edwards (who has had many “controversial” developments) commenting on this relationship as he and Julie Tacker lived or are living together at this time. The sewer is larger than one public works director and one VP of the Los Osos CSD. If you are so dead set against the sewer, then move or put an outhouse in your front yard. Enough is enough! The opponents of this project have cost the rest of us millions of extra dollars. And yes, the state of California and Water Quality Control Board will make sure a sewer is built. The question is, how many extra millions are you willing to cost the rest of us for your cause which is a dead end?


You are reframing the argument.


Prudence dictates concern over Kelly’s obvious support for Everything SLOCo BOS.


At the very least, the decisions on which she voted that involved the WWT issue should be reviewed for conflicts of interest.


She’s been living with him…isn’t she required to recuse herself from votes and discussion about issues involving this conflict of interest?


We were trying to not get ripped off for what turns out to be 50-60 millions bucks, we failed. What would you have done?

Talk to Paavo, Kelly & others if yer pi$$ed about paying double. They doubled the price, not the “anti-sewer” people. Anti-sewer was a misnomer all along, we were anti-twice the price sewer.

Where were you during the debate?


What would I have done? Isn’t that obvious… If you had let them build the sewer it would be up and running by now for MUCH LESS than we will be paying today. This isn’t rocket science, just common sense which isn’t overly abundant with some people. So now we’ll get a sewer that costs more and much of the clean treated water will NOT re-enter our aquafer because of its location. So add to our existing problem a very expensive de-sal system 15-20 years from now. By then everyone will be begging the Chumash to take the whole sand dune back!


Yes, as you are pointing out, the ussue IS cost……and what was the multi-year issue the “anti-sewer” types were concerned with?? Cost.

So we didn’t get the price or sewer needed, so it’s our fault? Like I said, talk to Kely and Ogren.

People like you slay me. You sat by while others worked hard for a better, cheaper project, we got scammed by many, including the two mentioned above and lost the fight……..now we finally hear from guys like you and what have you got, the blame game.


Armchair warriors like you never got anywhere with anything.


Before you stood on your street corner for weeks waving signs, perhaps you should have seen what the Water Quality Control Board would accept as a sewer system. It was obvious to the majority of us “armchair warriors” that the only system they would accept was the standard, proven sewer plant. Even if there was a “cheaper” alternative you don’t stop a project after a contract has been signed, incurring multiple fines from the WQCB and lawsuits while stopping the project in its tracts.


Who should we thank every year when we see that extra item on our property tax bill for a site in the middle of town that is useless? As far as “finally hearing from guys like me”, I went to many of the CSD meetings just to hear the same group take over the meeting, waving their banners and extolling their ideas to the delight of the new CSD. Did you practice or cororeograph your statements with the CSD before the meeting? Sure sounded contrived to me.


Please for once, tell it like it is. Your group of anti-government NEVER WANTED A SEWER PLANT TO BEGIN WITH! Please take your “causes” somewhere else and let us get on with life.


Well, the fact that Ogren and Kelly allowed the Wallace Group to be involved in the project shows how willing they were to saddle the people of Los Osos with costs inflated due to overbilling, hidden charges, etc.


This is just a little dream of mine–unrealistic as it may be–that, right now, the GJ is investigating speciifically John Wallace/Wallace Group’s role in the sewer project.


Wrll OsosGrande ; Guess Tacker knew somethin nobody else wanted to know.Re; Oceano, no room in the den for another fox.Legal Ramifications; Ya ‘ll are sounding like ur new to this neck a the woods. J.G. sheriff, District Attorney, A.G. Them’s just title’s, the action an power in Happy Land is Water / sewer/ sanitation. Sherwood is full of merry bandits an there is no Robinhood.


Okay merdoc, I will put an outhouse in my front yard, hell that company is starving anyway, why don’t you rich people dry up and go back to where you came from, we need a stupid sewer like alkeda needs a nuclear bomb.


Here’s the bottom line for all the bottom feeders who want the poor people out of los osos, if you had tried this in Guadalupe you could be full of stab wounds or lead, our country is bankrupted, in the middle of two wars if not a third coming soon, and all you rich people want, IS TO BUILD ON YOUR VACANT LOT’S,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT’S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT THE RICH GETTING RICHER NO ONE BUT THE SURFERS AND THE TRUE WILDLIFE LOVERS CARE ABOUT THE MURKY BAY ANYWAY!


i WILL PAY FOR MY OUT HOUSE AND TRUCK IN MY WATER, MAYBE EVEN GIVE SOME TO MY NEIGHBORS, YOU DAM WELL DON’T LIVE HERE! SOMEBODY RESEARCH AND SEE IF THIS IS AN OPTION, I’M NOT SHITTING YOU I WILL DO THIS AND HAVE ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT IT,


AND DIDN’T JEFF EDWARDS AND HIS MATE ALREADY DO THIS AT THE TOP OF ONCE WAS BEAUTIFUL MONTANA DE ORO, NOW IT’S A GRAFFITI WALL. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, MONEY IS WHAT IT’S ALWAYS ABOUT


cheseburger. even if you truck in ur water, an get an outhouse. you will still rec. a water/sewer bill. you will be charged for X amount of units even if you dont use them. If you refuse to pay for what you dont use. The county can llen your property. The health dept. will condem your house as uninhabitable as you will be considered a health an safety hazard, without running water an sewer.The formula is a no win.That’s why the Pavos and the wallaces of the world are necessary instruments of Government.Bet their not worried about flushing.Conservation is the biggest scam calif. an this countys got going. Ya pay if ya use an ya pay more if ya dont.


I used to live in my van where the cliffs hotel is now, when I was 17, working nights at Madonna Inn. Man besides hot water and a mirror, that was the best part of my life.

People keep coming here and buying the ground from under our feet that is what this whole sewer thing is rigged for, getting the poor out of Los Osos, prove me wrong?


The truth shall come out someday, just like this who’s doing who crap, I don’t care if they all have sex together as long as they do their jobs right, which obviously has not been the case!


One more thing for the citizens of SLO county to stand back and watch the county shove this whole thing down the throat of an unincorporated city in the county is dead wrong, how can you stomach yourselves.


The “rich get richer” because we have a sewer. I have to pay for it with my tax bill the same way you have to pay for it. That doesn’t make me richer. Yea gads, you’ve been sitting in your outhouse too long. The fumes must be getting to your il-logical thinking. Where’s the match?


Medoc, I’ll dare you! DO YOU HAVE A VACANT LOT? Where’s the match for your house or is it an A hole shack.


Kudos to CCN for breaking this story.


I wonder whether the Trib or KSBY ever would have found it, and if so whether they would have printed it.


If you don’t believe Cal Coast News is filling a crucial need in our community, you are high.


Please support good journalism on the Central Coast by clicking the DONATE button now.


I don’t think it was an issue of the trib or KSBY “finding” the story.


It’s a question of CCN shaming them into finally publishing it.


RACKET ONE WORD, (DUMPSTER), YOU ARE SO RIGHT, oopsw sorry caps again I’ll simmer down now.


I hope that Adam Hill, as chair of the county board of supervisors, is as indignant about his employee Paavo Ogren, as he is about Andy Caldwell.


Unlikely, Ogren is part of the Family and must be protected. He knows too much about the others.


Ah men.


I agree Ogren is protected by his peers at the County, but I also know that politicians will throw one of their peers under the bus when the damage for his actions outweigh the benefits of his continued presence.


Weinergate is a prime example. The Democratic Party had expended some effort grooming him for a leadersip position, and even supported him in the very beginning of his scandal, but when they took a good look at how close the 2012 elections are and the kind of dragged-out damage the continuing new episodes to Weinergate presented, they had no problem throwing him under the bus.


All the supervisors should be indignant, if only for the reason that allowing Ogren’s actions to continue makes them part of the cycle of corruption.


If they knew about it, they are culpable, as well.


It really is discouraging to realize that the politians in this county are so corrupt. At all levels in every community. I see it as the culmination of the destruction of moral values that started in the 60s. It is pathetic how we sit by complacently hoping somehow it will change. I am very angry with ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN, for reporting on events that promote socialism and ignoring the millions of angry Americans that are fed up.


Smartypants, As individuals we can’t do it all by ourselves and were never intended to, this is about a collective effort and you’re not alone . Please allow me to ask you to consider (think about) the following?


How do you eat an elephant?

Answer is maybe – One bite at a time……. Foolish(?)yeah, but possible(?) YES.


It starts with people managing their own communities. From there, the message is served. It set’s an example and hopefully that message resonates that we the lazy people of this great nation of the US of A have taken our control back. Start in your own community, send the message that we are untied.


Start in your own community, send the message that we are untied. . .


. . . and support the local investigative news media.


SLO County has always been known as THE MOST CORRUPT COUNTY in the State of California!


No wonder its the most unhappy city in the USA. “Elite” people as you so aptly call them are happy. But we want to replace them. All will come about with a little patience and care.

I wish you had been around when I needed help with my term papers in the late fifties and early sixties. I may have ended up an “elite”, no I love God too much to crook people out of what they have.


Actually, Los Angeles County is the most corrupt in the state of California. Antonio Villaraigosa runs the most corrupt city government in the United States, just behind Detroit and Washington DC. Slo Government is so far removed from such counties as those. In LA, Detroit and DC, the Unions run the politicians, and the cities are in serious decay because of it


Are you talking about moral values like promoting Peace and Love, instead of war?


Your irrational fear of ‘socialism’ (which is way better in theory than our capitalism) pretty much clouds your judgement. This article is not related to socialism or other dogmas but rather honesty and the rule of law-both of which seem to be lacking in the main players illuminated here.


the color of the kool aid in the ( water ) is $ green $. make’s for many strqnge bedfellow’s


Maybe Paavo Ogren “The $$$Cent of Money” should step down from his job as Public Works Director.


James Caruso would do wonderfully well in that position, should Ogren resign. Caruso is smart, effective, and he doesn’t take any crap from the BOS.


REALLY?


Just my experience working on a couple of projects with him. He’s a stand-up guy and, as I said, he doesn’t take any crap from the BOS.


mm. Ya thibk. He’s been being groomed for a long time. Ogren clone.


Rawhide, If Ogren resigned from HIS position that would certainly help, but the PROBLEM IS: the DAMAGE has already been done, imagine all the “confidential information” Kelly has been feeding him all this time, hoping for a nice County job as HER REWARD…


Sewers stink and so do unethical public officals and this county is filled with them.


I guess the happiest place in America is also one of the most corrupt.


Great reporting by Karen again. This relationship was rumored during my production of “The $cent of Money” for KCCN.tv, but sometimes it takes Lady Fate to help the truth into print. Also great parenting evident here, eh? I guess these sewers can take up a lot of a dad’s time.


Well the sewer is where Pavvo came from and where he will go along with my other of the welfare receipients that work for the county


That reminds me of a poem I learned when I was in elementary school…


“By the sewer he lived

By the sewer he died

They said it was murder

But it was sewer-side.”


Carry on.


this is a joke to you I LIVE HERE AND HAVE LIVED HERE SINCE 62


BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE SLIGHTLY SNIDE


I WILL NEVER COMMIT SEWER-SIDE


CARRY ON YOURSELF MARY


What a memory! I wrote that when I was in high school. Only poem I could think of at the time. Thanks for the nice compliment about my poem. Using it brought back fond memories.


Dan, story-karma is yours here. Enjoy it, compliments of Karen and CCN. Thank you both for your work in trying to keep investigative news alive during these dark times (in the news world).


I’d love it if KCCN.tv and CCN merged their efforts and resources; still, many are appreciative of your efforts (both of you).


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