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Who will succeed Paul Teixeira?

June 29, 2013
Paul Teixeira

Paul Teixeira

By KAREN VELIE

As San Luis Obispo County residents mourn the sudden death of 4th District County Supervisor Paul Teixeira, speculation has already begun as to whom might be appointed to replace him.

The names of several people including former Grover Beach Mayor Peter Keith, Oceano Community Services District Board Member Matt Guerrero and Arroyo Grande Councilperson Caren Ray are being mentioned prominently as possible candidates for the seat.

Teixeira died late Wednesday from a heart attack. His death creates a vacancy on the five-member board, which according to California Government Code 25060 will be filled by an appointment from Gov. Jerry Brown, a process that is expected to take several months.

Keith, a former Grover Beach mayor who lives in Huasna, said he plans to submit documents to Brown asking for the appointment. Keith said if he is appointed, he will remain in office until the term ends in 2014, but would not run for reelection.

“I would vote in the best interest of the citizens of District 4 and not what is best for me as a future candidate,” Keith said. “I am not going to run again.

“I am a very moderate Republican. I am delighted that Prop 8 has been struck down. I am a social liberal and a middle of the road conservative. Partisan politics is not a part of my makeup. I do not vote predicated on how my colleagues are voting.”

Guerrero said he is considering asking the governor for the appointment after several of his supporters recommended he vie for the seat. Guerrero is known as a moderate Democrat. He serves as the president of the Oceano Community Services District Board and the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District Board.

“I am trying to figure out what to do,” Guerrero responded when asked if he plans to submit a letter of intent. “There are a lot of moving parts. I would be stalling a career in the middle of it.”

Meanwhile, many local Democrats seem interested in a possible candidacy by Ray, who was originally appointed to the Arroyo Grande City Council in 2010 to replace Ed Arnold after he was forced to resign. Ray declined to comment on whether she is seeking the appointment.

“The only thing I am thinking about right now is Paul’s family and their grief,” Ray said “I lost my mother when she was 54, so I can honestly relate to their loss and my heart truly goes out to them. His death hit me unexpectedly hard yesterday because I know firsthand what it feels like to have your parent gone before their time.”

Marianne Buckmeyer, best known for her work with the environmental group Save the Mesa, is also being mentioned as a possible contender.

While the board is considered nonpartisan, the empty seat created by Teixeira’s passing creates a temporary split on the board between the two conservative supervisors — Debbie Arnold and Frank Mecham – and the two liberal supervisors – Adam Hill and Bruce Gibson.

In the past few years, governor appointments for supervisor have taken between two and four-and-a-half months. In Madera County, following the 2012 election of a sitting county supervisor to the Assembly, it took more than four months before an appointment was announced.

A visitation for Teixeira is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, 298 S. Thompson Ave. in Nipomo, followed by a rosary at 7 p.m.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the same church, followed by a private graveside service at Santa Maria Cemetery. Teixeira supporters are planning a memorial celebration at the Alex Madonna Expo Center in San Luis Obispo, tentatively scheduled to begin sometime between 12:30 and 1 p.m.


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Adam Hill usually is thinking before shooting out his belligerent mouth. Hard to believe he was a college professional, oh yea, he was from New Jersey, forgot… The only time I would vote for Adam is to send him back to the rock he crawled out from.


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Paul earned his seat and it was validated through an open election. Appointing his replacement will certainly be more about damage control until Paul’s public will have the needed time to grieve and re-establish who will best serve the needs of South County as well as the best interests of the entire County.


This opportunity to serve will certainly be about growth for the individual that get the appointment and depending on his or her skill set, an opportunity for a pragmatic bias on the Board of Supervisors.


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From the article it sounds like the only one who had the class and presence of mind to say the appropriate thing was Caren Ray. Hopefully we will hear more in the near future.


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Is it at all possible to let the family mourn their loss before we engage in all this nonsensical speculation as to who will replace Paul?

This is all so disheartening.


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Keep us divided, distracted and dedicated to your given ideology. That’s the norm.


May God number him among the Just. Memory Eternal, Paul!


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This is an important position, and it will take time to appoint a replacement.


There is nothing wrong in tending to business while grieving is going on. Indeed, the fact that discussion of possible replacementst is a statement of the importance of the position Teixeira held as county supervisor.


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A friend just told me that Keith is forwarding the link to this story to his email distribution. Unsavory to say the least, this decision alone tells me all I need to know. Classless, let’s find someone worthy to carry on Paul’s work.


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Surfdawg… I am on Peter Keith’s email list and he has NOT sent out ANYTHING with regards ro this matter.


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Good morning Apathy,


It was forwarded to me by someone who receives his group emails.


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Maybe Peter Keith has more than one email list.


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Peter Keith has no business applying for 4th District Supervisor. His interests are in Grover Beach and Grover beach only. He would only want to serve on the board long enough to get the projects Grover Beach needs to promote the community as a “beach” town through. It is no secret.


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AYAYAI ! Again, I disagree with the bland characterizations of left/right – liberal/conservative as outlined in the article.


Hill and Gibson are the ‘liberals’; yet Gibson can be as ‘conservative’ as any at times.

Even AH can surprise, depending on the issue.

Frank Meacham is a no frills, old line, ‘your grandpa’s Republican’. Just old fashioned …but sane.

Arnold is a teabagger nutnoodle.


Of the three mentioned as to replace Teixeira, I only know Peter Keith personally. We don’t agree on every issue, and can be at polar opposites on some. Yet, we’re friends.

I know that the remarks from him in this article are true.

No individual endorsement, just stating the facts from my perspective.


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I’m not real happy with the suggestions so far. Keith and Guerrero are associated with Service Districts that have had recent histories of mismanagement and scandal. Ray was appointed to her AG City Council seat — not elected. This should not automatically disqualify her from serious consideration but means she hasn’t undergone enough public scrutiny yet. I also would need to know a lot more about her history on the City Council since this is the only political record she seems to have.


Does anyone know of an eligible candidate who has both experience and integrity to replace Teixeira? I hope Gov. Brown takes enough time to find a good replacement and consults with Katcho who knows both the area and the job requirements.


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Keith has no association with the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District or any other district that has a recent history of mismanagement. Keith did not serve on the SSLOCSD board.


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First of all, can we let some time pass to mourn the loss of a good man?


Keith is like a turkey vulture, does he live in the third or fourth district?


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Peter Keith would be wonderful, but I would want him to run for re-election.


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Wasn’t he one of the supporters of the Wallace Group’s mismanagement of the South County Sanitary District? While I probably agree with him politically, I don’t want another “good ol’ boy” type on the BoS. We need someone with more of a conscience and less interested in “going along to get along.”


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No. Keith was not a supporter of the mismanagement; nor was he a member of that board.


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Every city council person for AG, GB and Directors on the OCSD who served during the Wallace mess are culpable for allowing it. You don’t have to be on that board to have influence over it. I didn’t see a single elected push Wallace back until OCSD’s Jim Hill called for his contracts to be separated into two (after 25 years of having one contract for two services). When he resigned it wasn’t until Guerrero got on the San Dist did we really see push back, many 2-1 votes.


Thankfully, Debbie Peterson has gotten on the San Dist board and with Guerrero’s help they have really turned some corners.


Still the San Dist. is budgeting $450K for legal this coming fiscal year. They now are obligated to defend Wallace against the lawsuits filed by the citizens and the fines being handed down by the state. That money would be better spent on updating the plant. Such a sad state of affairs.


This coming agenda shows they are doing a rate study to increase rates to cover all of the above.


We have never had a Supervisor from Oceano. Guerrero without shady managers and Lucey and the girls, has potential. I’m intrigued.


We don’t get to vote on this decision. Let’s hope the governor makes a good choice for District 4.


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Unfortunately the city councils do NOT have any power over the San District because state statute mandates that the mayor or president, in the case of OCSD, sits on the South San board. Councils or the board cannot change this. They can petition the mayor or president to make changes, but have no real power should the mayor or president not wish to concede their colleagues’ requests.


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My point is that the council members themselves could/should have been watching that district as if they were on the board and definitely could/should have had influence over the reps that they put there.


Guerrero actually took San Dist questions back to his board for them to give direction/position to him to take to the board. Refreshing!


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No need to worry, elected officials often break promises. Remember Ms. Capps, she promised to only serve out her late husbands term and we all know how well she keeps promises


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I haven’t heard of ANYONE who voted for Lois Capps with the hope she would not run for re-election. Capps ran for re-election because her constituents wanted her to and the community backed that decision by re-electing her time after time. That’s the nature of DEMOCRACY. Lois Capps continually tries to serve the best interests of her constituents. Running for re-election was a way for Capps to show respect to her constituents and the will of the voters.


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