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Los Osos officials playing games

February 25, 2014
Tom Salmon

Tom Salmon

OPINION By TOM SALMON

Shame on the Los Osos Community Services District, they have scheduled a Special Meeting, to appoint a replacement for Director David Vogel, who inadvertently moved outside the district boundaries in December, at a time few will attend.

The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, at 5:30 p.m., not only is that family dinner hour, but this is the same day the county will be hosting two community wide forums at the Los Osos Middle School to discuss the nuances of the wastewater project, one from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the other from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The LOCSD has experienced resignations/appointments in the past; they were done in full view of the public at a regularly scheduled meeting of the board, at the community center, video tape memorialized and replayed twice daily on the Los Osos cable channel. Historically, and as is the case in most agencies, the applicants will give a short informational speech, the board members ask questions of the applicants and then deliberate and appoint. The meeting replays on television twice a day until the next meeting takes place and is aired in its place.

The appointment process was laid out and approved at the LOCSD’s Jan. 6 meeting when they accepted Vogel’s resignation. The board and staff agreed to make the appointment at the regular March 6 meeting. The general manager went so far as to say that she would be hard pressed to present the applications and agenda any sooner.

This surprise shoehorning of the LOCSD special meeting between the county’s town-hall meetings is not only disingenuous to the interested public, it reeks of lack of transparency. If anything the applicants, board members and staff should be in attendance at the county’s meetings.

Candidates who have taken the leap, by throwing their names into the political ring had better be willing to accept criticism and praise of all types. They are suggesting they are the best suited to represent the people of Los Osos. The board should be equally willing to accept criticism and praise for their choice of appointee. This game being played with the special meeting, special place, special time, when the public distracted, is just that, a game.

Three seats are up for November’s election; Los Osos needs representatives who are not going to play games, essentially hiding from the public.

Tom Salmon, is a longtime Los Osos resident with 35 years of expertise in statewide public infrastructure.

 

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This article has a weak premise. No direct conflict with the other meetings, and at the dinner hour. People can prioritize and choose. I agree the LOCSD has been a group of keystone cops throughout the years, but this is a non-story.


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Hardly, it’s called plausible deniability.


If the meetings were at the same time they would expect to get called out for it. By doing it close but not at the same time, guarantees a low turnout.


Just like 5pm Friday government press releases, timing to prevent engagement.


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What they should do is take some sticks and string and MAKE A new director. Worked just wonderfully for the mid-town sewer. Then they could all gather around the new director and pray that nobody notices that the new director isn’t alive and never has been. Heck, by the time the electorate gets wind of it all the sitting directors will have moved away. LOLOLOL


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Tom, in the last decade, there hasn’t been a single individual that has been capable of even adequately representing the people of Los Osos.

Rather, it’s been nothing but a cloak and dagger, sophomoric attempt at self governance that has failed miserably.

If you choose to toss your hat into the ring, I fear you will simply be reinforcing failure, as you were an outspoken opponent of the sewer project.

It’s time to revitalize the community with new people and fresh, innovative ideas. It’s time to rid the community of all the negative, old guard buffoonery, and bring on a sense of pride to a once beautiful seaside community.


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Hi Pelican 1


Oops! I meant to click LIKE above. I agree who heartedly.


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Remind me, how many decades have passed since the great Los Osos sewer scam began?


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Welcome to the new Morro Bay with our INEPT Mayor


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Sad, sad state of affairs in Los Osos. Everyone blames the BOD, however, the same issues have continued for over a decade at the CSD – I think it is time people examine the long standing employees who have been manipulating things behind the scenes to achieve their personal goals. Oh that is right, fire the GM, then hire another, then fire that one, blame that one, then fire them too – that will change it. Nothing ever changes, thus it is time to remove those key employees who really run things.


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Pray, give us an example! Name a personal goal even!


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Lynette,

Funny, you failed to mention that your own husband is one of Tom’s opponents.

The piece isn’t about the candidates, it’s about the current Board and staff who chose to hold a meeting when the community is otherwise occupied. Ironically, the LOCSD Board and staff should be at the County’s meetings too, where we all will be. This is as by design as I’ve ever seen.

When speaking with current board members, I got conflicting lies as to why the Wed. 5:30pm meeting. One can only conclude that this was to purposely confuse and conflict the public.

If Lou is a good candidate, he will call for the meeting to be rescheduled.

Otherwise, the LOCSD should have just let the appointment go to the County, since that’s who they’ll pick anyway, someone like your Lou who just loves the County.


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Julie, I did not write the article, Tom did. He did not mention throwing his hat in the ring as he should have.


I think there is plenty of time for people to show up. In fact, maybe more will show up because they will be out anyway for the County meeting which is, as you may have noticed, a far bigger draw. There is never more than a tiny handful of people at a CSD meeting anyway.


Your conclusions are speculation, and true to form, they always go to the negative.


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“Blame the messenger” is the best you can do?


No honest government agency schedules public meetings at a time when it will be a challenge for constituents to attend.


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Oh Tom, it is disingenuous of you NOT to mention above that you put your own name in the ring of possible candidates! Now THAT reeks of lack of transparency!


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