Sanitation district board’s failures costing rate payers

July 2, 2017

OPINION by RON ARNOLDSEN

At the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District Board meeting on June 21, Chair John Shoals said that he relies on the advice of “professionals” when making decisions.

We are on a similar course in comparison to the “Wallace years.” I believe the “Wallace years” board members did rely on the “professionals”– the only problem was it was the “Wallace Group” owned and operated by John Wallace.  Mr. Wallace was very competent and knowledgeable while the current district administrator is neither competent nor knowledgeable.

Whether Mr. Wallace was ethical and honest is still to be determined by a court of law.

There is a lesson to be learned here. The responsibility of the board members is to educate themselves to the best of their ability and try to understand the processes they are entrusted to prevail over. It is their responsibility to ask questions and be a “devil’s advocate” when necessary for the protection of their constituents.

By being a devil’s advocate you show your constituents that you have done your homework and have their best interest at heart. If you are a rubber stamp without a concern for fiduciary responsibilities; do not accept the responsibility of being an elected official.

Members of the public have been forthcoming with evidence of incompetence, unethical behavior and untruths with respect to the current district administrator. It is the responsibility of board members to take testimony of the public seriously. It is the board member’s responsibility to question these facts and prove or disprove them.

If the district administrator is in control of the directors, there is no need for a board.

The district administrator serves at the pleasure of the board, not the other way around. The board should take his advice, but not be under his spell.

Yes, it is admirable to rely on the expertise of our paid staff, however blind allegiance is a fool’s sortie.

Mr. Shoals why not take your own advice? Why not follow the advice of the John Clemons our Plant Superintendent? Mr. Clemons is the “professional” with the greatest expertise at the district, however he has been placed on “paid administrative leave” without cause for four months.

This is like benching your best point guard during the NBA finals. Mr. Clemons was not involved in the budget process. He is the only true expert/professional at the District. He knows the plant inside and out.

Mr. Clemons could have fielded questions on the budget that the District Administrator could not answer in seconds.

I find it interesting that the person presenting the budget together couldn’t answer all the questions raised concerning the budget.

Admit it Mr. Shoals, you and Linda Austin are in the district administrator’s pocket. You are rubber stamps. You are not listening to the public or any “professionals” other than Mr. Hubner. Your blind allegiance is very costly to the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District.