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Blakeslee considering run against Adam Hill

February 14, 2015
Sam Blakeslee

Sam Blakeslee

By KAREN VELIE

Former state Senator Sam Blakeslee said Friday that he is considering running for the San Luis Obispo County District 3 Supervisor’s seat currently held by Adam Hill.

Blakeslee said his primary reason for a possible campaign against the two-term incumbent was because of Hill’s support for a proposed 1,500 home development in Wild Cherry Canyon. Blakeslee has concerns over the proposed development’s impact on the environment and its proximity to Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

“It’s true I was considering running when I heard that Adam Hill was supporting the big development project in Wild Cherry Canyon,” Blakeslee said. “But I’m sure he will rethink that position when he learns more about the negative impacts of the project, especially as they relate to evacuation issues near Diablo Canyon.”

The 2,400-acre Wild Cherry Canyon property, which extends from Avila Beach to Irish Hills, is owned by Eureka Energy, a subsidiary of PG&E. A group of investors with developer Denis Sullivan at the helm has leased the land for 155 years and is promoting the development.

Kara Woodruff, Blakeslee’s former wife, led the Wild Cherry Canyon conservation effort. However, the American Land Conservancy failed to raise the $21 million for the land.

Woodruff, interviewed on KVEC radio last Thursday, said she had recently met with Hill regarding her concerns about proposed development. Woodruff, who recently started up a new conservation group Friends of Wild Cherry Canyon, was told by Hill that he intends to “sit on the sidelines” regarding potential development.

During the 2014 election for District 4 Supervisor, Hill waged an unsuccessful battle to keep Caren Ray in office. During the race, multiple developers with proposed projects in the county, including Sullivan, donated money to Ray and Hill, and in many cases Hill then lobbied for the developments.

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Finally some good news. Adam Hill needs to be run out of office and run out of town. Hell, he needs to be run into an institution for the mentally deviant.


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Caren Ray can be his doctor…..


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It doesn’t get better than this: A Republican enviro running against a Democrat enviro from the purer-than-thee enviro side!!! This is great. Shows Hill a thing or two.


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Sam would clean Adams clock so clean it would resemble a hubcap. Best thing that could happen to SLO county.


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” . . . was told by Hill that he intends to “sit on the sidelines” regarding potential development.”


Sit on the sidelines?!?!!! What kind of elected leadership is THAT?


I am so unhappy with him as MY Supervisor. He cannot be re-elected and I promise to do everything in my power to make sure he isn’t.


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I nominate Hill for ”hypocrite of the year” award.


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Sam Blakeslee is a good decent man who looks at issues from all sides. He is principled in the service to his community. He would be a breath of fresh air and I would support him in a heartbeat.


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Isn’t it strange that the so called Democrat, Adam Hill, is promoting massive development that has limited access to water and infrastructure while the Republican is concerned about the environment and the safety of residents near Diablo? It has been well known in real estate circles that Adam Hill asked Dennis Sullivan to pay for two Caren Ray fundraisers in exchange for Hill’s support of Sullivan’s development.


This also explains why PG&E’s Tom Jones is working with Adam Hill through Tom Fulks to create the online trashing of those who question Hill. The money to be made on a $22 million property is not an excuse for the multiple acts of liable these men have participated in including allegations of felonies, pedophilia, terrorist threats and drug addiction. PG&E has lost credibility in my eyes for embracing online bullying rather than honesty.


Their puppet Aaron Ochs went as far as criminal impersonation by photo shopping Velie’s name on Reddit posts then posting around the web claining it was Velie. I bet Ochs sings like a canary if charged. How is Aaron Ochs repaid? The city of San Luis Obispo’s Human Resource Director Monica Irons hires him to do IT work for the city of SLO.


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I don’t know much about what’s going on with PG&E and the collusion with Jones and Hill but

regarding Aaron Ochs………


“The city of San Luis Obispo’s Human Resource Director Monica Irons hires him to do IT work for the city of SLO.”


What? He is working for SLO City ( and working in IT somewhere)? You have to be kidding me. He has absolutely no background in this area. What the heck kind of favor is Irons’ doing for him and why?


Are you sure? I’m going to look into this.


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Nancy,


I just asked around and learned that Aarom Ochs has been hired by the city of SLO to teach extended computer program classes to city employees. While you’re correct that he has no background in this field and it most likely is a position of favor, it’s not clear who actually approved and placed him in this position. I believe he is paid as a contractor.


Please do look into it and let us know what you find, I’ll also do my diligence to gather additional facts…….


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Hmm… Forging Documents Using Photoshop 101? Or, maybe, Government Report Writing: Creating Facts to Fill in the Gaps (Prerequisite Required: Lying With A Straight Face). Required Textbook: “See Dick Run His Mouth, Said Jane”


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I agree that the whole scene stinks of political bribery although I doubt that the existing laws would allow proof of a crime in a court of law. However, if you are going to post accusations of “allegations of felonies, pedophilia, terrorist threats and drug addiction” you should be also posting who made the allegations and under what circumstances or proof that they are true. These are too serious to be tossing out as fodder for bashing someone no matter how bad they are politically. If there isn’t some substance behind them, it makes you as bad as they are in the sense of political b.s.


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Actually, OnTheOtherHand, existing laws will cover the supervisors’ past actions just fine.


California Penal Code §67 — Giving or offering a bribe to any executive officer: imprisonment for 2-4 years and disqualified from holding any office in the state.


California Penal Code §67.5: Bribery of any ministerial officer, employee, or appointee of the state. — Felony if the theft of the thing given or offered would be equal to grand theft; misdemeanor if the theft of the thing given or offered would be equal to a petty theft.


California Penal Code §93 — Asking, receiving, or agreeing to receive a bribe by a judicial officer, juror, referee, arbitrator, or umpire, and every person authorized by law to hear or determine any question or controversy;


California Penal Code §86 — Asking, receiving, or agreeing to receive a bribe by an executive or ministerial officer, employee, or appointee of the state.


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How is it that Monica Irons can “create” a position for Ochs, when the City of SLO surely must have better qualified & more experienced employees who could be easily be “transferred from within”.

This appears to be a waste of taxpayer dollars that is unjustified.


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It’s the only way to get him on the payroll, other jobs would have other applicants.


“How is it that Monica Irons can “create” a position for Ochs” She can do anything, until she gets caught. Chicago politics in a nutshell, do a favor for the mayor (or supervisor) get a job to pay back your favor.


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Kettle, so I guess qualifications & experience are no longer job requirements when it comes to getting a SLO City job???


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Developer Denis Sullivan gave a large amount of money to Caren Ray.


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Oh, and Caren Ray and Adam Hill voted in favor of Denis Sullivan’s Cypress Ridge II development on the Mesa, making the following finding:


“the level of particulate matter in the project area does not rise to a level of a significant health concern to sensitive groups”


Motion by: Caren Ray

Second by: Adam Hill


Tuesday, April 22, 2014. Board of Supervisors denial of appeal citing the claims of health impacts of particulate matter dust and opposing the addition of more elderly residents (Cypress Ridge residents’ average age is 65+).


On one hand, Adam/Caren/Bruce & APCD claim dust is a very important significant issue; then, they say it’s not a concern and vote for more development (as long as the developers contribute to the kitty.)


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Great Valentine’s gift to the County if he runs. What a kicker for Gibson if Hill was to lose and Gibson had to sit on the sidelines for the next 4 years.


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I might not agree with Sam on some issues but this is just more proof that, while his political orientation is more to the right than the left, he has enough integrity to abandon the party line when he thinks they are wrong on an issue. I don’t think anyone has ever accused him of being a “bought and paid for” politician. When he aligns with a policy that is subject to heavy lobbying, he does so on the basis of evidence and of his own beliefs. Much respect! It is too bad he is “termed out” in the state legislature. He would be a great replacement for Katcho.


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??? Katcho is his replacement.


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Huh? Blakeslee would be running against Hill in 4 years, when his term is up. How then does Gibson “sit on the sidelines for the next 4 years?” What are we all missing in this math?


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No, Hijinks, you’re missing it. Hill is up for re-election in 2016. Gibson just got re-elected, so he has four years to serve. But he could end up being a lonely 1 on a 4-1 majority if Sam follows through and runs. If Sam runs, he wins.


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Dave: I don’t think that there would be a 4-1 vote on all or even most issues; I respect Sam in that he has appeared to always consider the impacts of his votes while serving in a very partisan position; the Board isn’t supposed to partisan, but on issues like water and heavy business being conducted in residential neighborhoods, my guess is that Sam would vote on the side of the common sense and the science that would be applied in his consideration of voting. For some strange reason, even though he is a Republican, even though his family business is based on helping others make more money by investing well, I believe that he would be much less dogmatic on certain issues than either Debbie Arnold or Lynn Compton. And to a lesser degree, I think Frank Mecham would be voting in a similar manner.


As an aside, I will be watching very closely how Debbie Arnold conducts the Board during the discussions on the gravel operation that will be coming before the Board soon; I’m pretty sure that Hill and Gibson will vote against the permitting, pretty sure that Compton will vote for the permitting. The two votes I’m not sure of are those of Mecham and Arnold; Debbie’s vote especially will be telling since she lives in that area. Who knows, she could surprise us all and recluse herself from that vote.


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