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Oceano board member snaps during discussion on decorum

February 18, 2020

Oceano Director Linda Austin

By CCT STAFF

During a discussion on rules of decorum at last week’s Oceano Community Services District meeting, President Linda Austin became agitated at another board member’s suggestion and attempted to squelch the director’s voice.

Austin began the discussion on civility and bylaws by warning members of the public that she could have them removed from the meeting if they made disrespectful or disruptive comments towards others. Director Cynthia Replogle then asked about adding language requiring service dogs to be on a leash while at board meetings.

Austin responded saying, “The dog was on a leash. I am not going to go into it.”

Specifically, Austin was referring to a 90 pound Rhodesian Ridgeback owned by Clark D’Souza. In 2017, Oceano district staff requested a restraining order against D’Souza because of his “hostile and extremely agitated” behavior. The staff complaint also detailed the aggressive behavior of D’Souza’s dog. The court granted a temporary restraining order that lasted from June 25, 2017 through Aug. 3, 2018.

Replogle said she wasn’t speaking about a specific dog, but service animals in general.

Austin appeared to ignore Replogle, voiced support for D’Souza, and banged her gavel while saying, “We’re done. We’re moving on.”

“Are you gaveling down a fellow director?” Replogle asked.

“I said we’re done talking about it,” Austin responded

Replogle then asked attorney Jeff Minnery about adding language requiring service animals to be on a leash in order to protect the district from legal liability.

The board continued their discussion on bylaws and decorum to Feb. 26.


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Service Dogs are already required to be on a leash as should the board members,


0

This ones got to go!


4

Maybe it’s time for this CSD to be dissolved. They don’t seem to be very functional and I’m sure the County is perfectly able to provide the services


4

Big Fish, little pond.


12

The OCSD serves no purpose whatsoever. Say what you want about SLOCO Public Works and maybe some long coffee breaks, but they are not totally corrupt and incredibly wasteful, even by the standards of government, without any oversight, as is the OCSD.


7

The very idea of having a service dog on a leash during a public meeting is absurd. Can you imagine the emotional trauma this canine would endure, possible requiring the service dog to have its own service dog, also not on a leash.

And speaking of leashes..

The only leashes required would be used to restrain Linda Austin and Clark D’Souza.


24

Well, this is a bare-bones kind of article, not worth the pixels. The reporter should have followed up by questioning the directors about it.


-10

I think the article is offering you a video which doesn’t require additional prose.


26

If ABC, CBS or NBC were reporting on this story, they would have called the above piece “reporting the news as it happens.” and you would accept it as it was delivered because you have been conditioned to accept the mainstream mass media reporting as fact. Maybe if the network later determined that it would help boost their ratings, or help bolster the political candidates and cause they support; perhaps they would offer more in-depth follow-up.


1

Linda Austin doesn’t HAVE any more “depth” to her, warranting any sort of follow up – this IS her.


She also does not know how to manage, lead, take charge, be assertive without being aggressive, or any other helpful skill when being president of ANYTHING, even lil’ ol’ Oceano.


Equally egregious at this meeting the other night, is Karen White drumming the partisan beat, by saying the OCSD president NEEDS to be “republican” because they are the liaison to the current “republican” District 4 supervisor. Two elected officials in positions that are NOT supposed to be partisan!


Someone like Ms. Replogle comes in and tries to deal with the broken status quo system and the wagons circle around the problem instead of any solution. I wish Oceano cared more about itself and kicked this lack of leadership to the curb. Decades of fiefdom at the OCSD and a complete lack of involvement at the district supervisor level.


Meanwhile, the OCSD throws boatloads of money at ANOTHER GM who is solely there to line his pockets, they can’t afford their share of the fire department, the infrastructure isn’t getting improved, Pismo still walks all over them, the meetings are bi-weekly dumpster fires, Halcyon now has a disproportionate level of representation on the board, and the good folks are stuck paying for it all through their taxes and utility fees. Oceano is being fed a steady diet of shit sandwiches and the OCSD majority brags about the bread. It’s such a shame.


3

3 seats open. Filing period will be in July – will you be running?


0