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Missing APCD board members spotted

July 25, 2013

photoTwo San Luis Obispo County supervisors who claimed that they were unable to attend an Air Pollution Control District Board meeting Wednesday morning were spotted at a gathering that afternoon in Pismo Beach.

Supervisors Bruce Gibson and Adam Hill, who both said they could not make it to the APCD board meeting earlier in the day which caused the meeting to be cancelled, attended a San Luis Obispo Economic Vitality Corporation (EVC) gathering Wednesday in Pismo Beach at the Ventana Grill restaurant.

GibsonSpotted

Bruce Gibson, center, at EVC gathering

The event began in the afternoon and lasted into the evening. Gibson and Hill were spotted around 5:30 p.m.

Hill was also spotted around 11 a.m. Wednesday, when the board meeting would have been occurring, having coffee with Caren Ray, an Arroyo Grande Councilwoman and candidate to fill a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors.

San Luis Obispo Councilman John Ashbaugh, who said he could not go to the APCD meeting, attended the event in Pismo Beach as well. Ashbaugh said he could not make the board meeting because he was teaching at Alan Hancock College at the time.

Ashbaugh is San Luis Obispo’s alternate APCD board member. Regular board member Mayor Jan Marx announced in advance that she would be out of town Wednesday.

When asked by CalCoastNews why he could not attend the APCD meeting, Hill walked away. Gibson left the event before that.

Gibson and Hill are currently trying to regain the majority on both the Board of Supervisors and the APCD board.

HillatVGrill

Adam Hill, center, at EVC gathering

If either of the two supervisors, or Ashbaugh, chose to attend the APCD meeting Wednesday, the board would have met.

The 12-member board needs seven members present to achieve a quorum. Following Gibson and Hill’s decision earlier this week to skip the meeting, only six members were committed to attending.

AshbaughatVGrill

John Ashbaugh asking a question at EVC gathering

If the APCD board met Wednesday, Gibson, Hill and/or Ashbaugh likely would fallen in the minority on key votes because their political allies were out of town.

The APCD board next meets in September. By then, the Grover Beach City Council may boot its mayor, Debbie Peterson, from the board. Peterson is a political foe of Hill and Gibson. Hill has publicly chastised Peterson on two recent occassions for her active involvement in APCD issues.

 


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It makes me sick to know that Gibson is my representative. This guy does not care what his constituents think. At least I didn’t vote for him!


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It makes me sick to know Gibson is your representative too.


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So, what’s to keep the other members from pulling this same type of stunt the next time? It might be better if there was never another budget for the APCD.


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The budget for these apcd’s comes from fines they attempt to levy on us the taxpayer and now they turn on each other.


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Sorry, but I happen to believe it is best that no APCD board meetings be held unless Noah Smukler can attend or is comfortable enough with the situation to send an authorized alternate in his place.


I’m glad the meeting was cancelled and all those who want the right thing to happen, you should be too.


Unlike some others who post here, I am not getting all riled up and emotional and following the melodramatic lead of self-serving propagandists who won’t admit the wisdom of postponing a meeting until wise and ethical people can attend and participate.


Kevin Rice was hoping that only a small number of APCD board members would conduct the meeting so as to make it easier for him to steer the decision making toward his special interests. He was out-maneuvered, thankfully, and now he’s crying a like a baby and doing all he can to fan the flames of discontent for nothing more than his own selfish interests.


I refuse to be so easily manipulated and prefer to think for myself and not turn molehills into mountains of deceptive, hyperbolic crapola.


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Noah Smukler is nothing but a trust fund baby who loves to hear himself talk. He doesn’t care what it costs to promote his utopian visions. Ask the people of Morro Bay what they think of Noah Smukler after they get the bill for the new sewer plant.

He’s an empty suit who has been hand chosen by Bruce Gibson to be his golden boy in line for succession to 2nd District Supervisor. If you like Bruce Gibson, you’re going to love Noah Smukler.


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It’s interesting, ones a democrat the other is a republican but they get along with each other. I think if Jerry Lenthal was still in office, at least he would have not have created the problems Adam Hill did. I know quite a few people that voted for Jerry in 2004 and then voted for Adam in 2008 but many wish they voted for Lenthal. Lenthal wasn’t perfect but he was more trustworthy as he would admit his own salary and etc issues people didn’t like. You think you know these people at first and then later, they are nothing but corrupt.


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Which one is the Republican? Every person mentioned in the article is a Democrat.


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Ok, I thought Bruce was a republican, if he is a democrat, I guess that explains his adultery issue.


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Perhaps you haven’t heard of the former Republican Speaker of the House and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. Adultery is truly non-partisan.


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Yeah, I think your a little misguided. One is a far left pol, and the other is way far left.


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Looks like Hill and Gibson have taken a page from the Democrats in Wisconsin.


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Yea, but unfortunately they didn’t go to Illinois. Maybe they were afraid to, know what I mean! A win win for San Luis County…


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Anyone who cares about doing the right thing should be glad the APCD didn’t hold the meeting without Noah Smukler who continually shows himself to be one of the most respectable, hard-working, ethical and wise leaders in San Luis Obispo County.


Hlll could have been more graceful with his political maneuvering, but if it were not for what he did, the meeting would have been held without the best selection of members on hand.


These types of strategic political maneuvers happen often, and in the over-heated political environment, fueled in part by the propaganda and misstatements and behind the scenes sleaze-mongering by some of Hill’s opponents, it seems to have been a practical method of achieving a political end.


It’s time for some cry babies to stop their melodramatic posturing and get real.


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Say wiserguy, exactly what flavor was that kool-aid ? You are just the type that allow Hill and Gibson and others to play political games with imunity and run roughshod over the population. It seems unlikely that you have an understanding of the American Spirit, not the BS Republican… wear the flag pin to prove you’re a patriot, but the spirit that says we will not be subjected to dirty politics or bureaucratic tyranny. The pure graft involved, the contempt these people have for you and me and the rest of their constituency is intuitively obvious to the most casual observer. So wake up and look to the big picture.


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Neither I nor any other U.S. citizen is compelled to fall in lock-step with you and abide by behavior that YOU happen to deem to be in the appropriate “American Spirit.” We are just as American as you and allowed the same rights even if we don’t conform to your personal standards of acceptability and what you deem to be patriotic.


You can attack me for displaying an American flag all you want and make public all your misguided assumptions about me and try to tell the world what “type” of persona I am, but that will not disuade me from speaking my mind or writing as I please to the full extent the United States Constitution and other laws of this land allow me to.


And while we’re at it, would you care to spell out any details, if you have any, that provide ANY foundation for your serious allegations of “graft” that you mount in your disrespectful diatribe above? Graft is a serious charge. Can you support it in ANY manner you can share with the readers of this forum?


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“Unlike some others who post here, I am not getting all riled up and emotional and following the melodramatic”


Words quoted from your last post.


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There is nothing ethical, wise or hard working about Noah Smukler. He knows how to smile and make long winded statements full of political platitudes but he knows nothing about the community he represents or the issues that concern the citizens of that community. Anyone who would believe anything that Noah Smukler says or does doesn’t have a hidden motive to enhance his stair step into the 2nd Supervisor seat has never dealt with him. Whatever it costs the taxpayers doesn’t concern him. What matters is that it enhances his political future. The people of Morro Bay will soon find out that the election of Smukler, Irons and Christine Johnson was the biggest mistake they’ve ever made and the it’s going to cost them big time in the future.


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Sure, put on a soirée, offer some booze and hors d’ourves, and the two prodigals show up with bells on.


Supervisors are not paid $80,000/yr. to sleep in and scuttle meetings dozens have cleared their calendars to attend. Numerous items of business were on the agenda, the district is operating without a budget, and thousands of dollars were wasted preparing staff reports. Many routine items should have been taken care of yesterday which will now double-up and cause a marathon meeting in September. Some board members often have to leave early, so will this now carry into November? Two items on yesderday’s agenda were already deferred from May! Ridiculous.


These two crooks should be HONEST about why they no-showed. If it is proper and upstanding to play this kind of game SAY IT OUT LOUD. The excuse being floated by spin artists does not fly unless Hill and Gibson act like grown men and say it themselves. If these losers scuttled the meeting purposely, say it. Don’t jack us around with lies.


Hill/Gibson should have attended, and should have let the regular, uncontroversial business get done. They could have advocated to defer the controversial items. If they had done so, then they would be in an upstanding position to point fingers at the rest of the board. They are not in an upstanding position because they hid at the eleventh hour.


Or, Hill/Gibson could have walked out on the disputed items if they believe game-playing is the proper tactic. Then, at least the regular business and budget could have been addressed. Then, at least they would be honestly dealing with the public. They are not honest. They are dirty politicians.


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Were Caren Ray and Dee Torres serving Jello Shots — ingredients purchased with Wal*Mart giftcards–at this soirée?


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Maybe, but they were seen running around the parking lot at Walmart followed by Hill…


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HAHAHHA, ironic, sarcastic humor, very good, but lost in typed communication usually.


Yes, That sort of non-nonsensical comment, unsubstantiated comment is exactly like this story and Mr. Rice’s self serving agenda.


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After the last few years, it’s clear to me that neither Hill nor Gibson really cares what any of us think. They play politics as they see fit and those that object can go pound sand.


Hill isn’t acting any differently now than he did in the 4 years preceding the last election.

The only conclusion a thinking person can come to is that voters in the 3rd district are OK with his behavior.


I appreciate the lengths that CalCoast News goes to to bring us the real story but the reality is, nothing is going to change. The majority of SLO County (or the active voters at least) have decided that they want this “Santa Cruz model” of county government. And, so far at least, they are being very successful.


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In defense of any public servant, APCD meetings sometimes warrant a breath of fresh air.


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