Supervisor Hill calls CAPSLO crew ruthless and heartless

October 18, 2018

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill is again sending angry emails from the dais, this time at long time foes Biz Steinberg and Jim Famalette, executives with CAPSLO. Hill lashed out after mistakenly believing he had not been invited to the ribbon cutting for the new Prado Road Homeless Services Center. [Cal Coast Times]

In 2014, Hill first turned on the organization after it demoted his wife Dee Torres-Hill, from her position as CAPSLO’s director of homeless services. Hill responded by publicly chastising and threatening CAPSLO executives.

During a SLO County Board of Supervisor meeting on Sept. 18, Supervisor Debbie Arnold extolled the opening of the homeless services center in San Luis Obispo and its 150 beds, family rooms, a medical exam room and behavioral health services.

“This is a collaboration that from the beginning has been very unique, special to SLO County,” Arnold said. “It is not just a homeless shelter, this is a homeless services center.”

Within minutes, at 9:17 a.m., Hill fired off an email to Steinberg, accusing her of failing to invite him to the ribbon cutting even though the county had donated money.

“Despite helping to secure what would turn out to be a $500,000 contribution from the County, and despite going out of my way to make peace with you, still you insult me, Biz,” Hill wrote. “And you did not invite our CAO Wade Horton , either. Please enjoy yourselves. It is, after all, about the donors (except ones who don’t even get invited) and CAPSLO.”

Famalette responded by forwarding Hill an email invitation to the ribbon cutting they had first sent him on Sept. 11. Famalette noted that several local media organizations had also published information about the ribbon cutting before chastising Hill for lashing out.

“We are sorry you could not attend,” Famalette wrote. “You certainly were an important part of the original concept of the homeless services center. I am personally disappointed in the tone of your email to Biz. Her leadership and passion in support of this project is beyond reproach.

“In addition, your nastiness could not surface at a worst time as she is currently dealing with a very critical issue with her husband,” Famalette added.

After reading Famalette’s response, Hill fired back via another email from his SLO County email address, calling CAPSLO employees ruthless and heartless.

“I’ll tell you what Famalette, when you apologize for destroying Dee Torres and apologize for the effect that has had on our daughters, I might take you seriously,” Hill wrote from the dais. “You and your crew are ruthless and heartless and deserve more than my contempt.

“By the way, after you settled the lawsuit against you, we didn’t release many embarrassing emails involving Biz, Grace, and you so not to damage your all important reputation,” Hill added.

In January, less than a month after losing the board chairmanship because of allegations of bullying and a lack of decorum, Hill sent a string of Facebook messages chastising a Pismo Beach man over a published commentary before telling the man to “fuck off.”

Under the accusations of bullying and harassment that followed, Hill announced in a statement on Feb. 9 that he has suffered from depression and anxiety for most of his life and that he would be taking a leave of absence. Less then a month later, Hill returned to the dais.