Gibson could face two challengers, Eckles and MacElvaine

January 18, 2018

Jeff Eckles

The race for the San Luis Obispo County District 2 supervisor seat heats up as Jeff Eckles announces he will challenge Supervisor Bruce Gibson in the June election while former District 2 supervisor and coastal commissioner Steve MacElvaine considers joining the battle.

Gibson, who has served as a county supervisor since 2006 and has been subsequently re-elected twice, is under fire for his alleged rude and arrogant behavior. As chair, Gibson reduced public comment to two minutes and regularly corrected public speakers.

Probably the biggest challenge facing whichever candidate voters elect in June, will be dealing with the lack of civility at board meetings and social media attacks initiated by Supervisor Adam Hill and several of his supporters.

Eckles is a small business owner and the former executive director of the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast. He has also worked as a financial adviser.

In late 2016, Hill allegedly threatened to put a target on Home Builder Association members’ projects if the association did not donate more money to his campaign. After the association refused to comply with Hill’s pay-to-play demand, Hill attempted to have Eckles fired, several members of the association said.

Gibson and Hill, both Democrats, generally vote together and regularly oppose the boards three-person conservative majority. Eckles is registered as no party preference.

MacElvaine, a Republican, served as the District 2 supervisor from 1979 through 1983 and on the California Coastal Commission from 1983 through 1993. Currently the owner of a cattle ranch and avocado orchard, MacElvaine is considering joining the race for District 2 supervisor, he said.


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Go Jeff! Bruce is not the same person, or Supervisor, he was 10 years ago. He has become a dirty, narrow minded, arrogant politician. Eckles has my vote.


About time someone steps up to run, maybe we can run bruce out.


I hope Jeff understands what he’s in for. Gibson, Hill and their ilk will go after him… and it will get ugly. Very ugly.


I will not be critical of rudeness and arrogance because of the subjectivity involved. Bruce is smart, articulate and happens to represent the party that wants government to do everything. A great excuse to tax us more, subsequently funding the cost of government while letting the roads and public infrastructure crumble. We need a person like him that works for the needs of public infrastructure not public employees. Don’t get me wrong, we need our public servants, just a more efficient approach to assist not conflict.


See ya Bruce!


The article attributes the crime of extortion to hill. Is this true? I laugh that this little Jabba the hut like character can create so much havoc. What a duo, hill extorts money and Gibson sleeps with their wives.


Oh boy here we go. Will these campaigns for the BOS be the straw that broke the camels back and reveal what really goes on in SLO? Will it survive and still be the nicest place? It could be if these 2, Hill and Gibson, are R & R, and that would be Removed and Replaced.


Folks,


I say we retire Bruce Gibson, he is joined at the hip to the scandalous Adam Hill, so enough said.


George