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Board rejects Paulding’s plan to dump Oceano, video

April 28, 2023

Supervisor Jimmy Paulding at an Oceano CSD meeting

By KAREN VELIE

The Oceano Community Services District Board voted 3-2 on Wednesday to squelch a plan to annex Oceano into Grover Beach, with Charles Varni and Beverley Joyce-Suneson wanting to move forward.

Shortly after winning a seat on the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, Jimmy Paulding proposed shutting down the Oceano CSD and making the community part of Grover Beach. For Paulding’s proposal to move forward, the Oceano CSD Board, the Grover Beach City Council and the San Luis Obispo Local Agency Formation Commission would need to sign off on the annexation.

Locals packed the Oceano meeting to voice their opinions on the merger. During the contentious meeting, 10 speakers opposed the merger, with many critical of Paulding for suggesting annexation without first reaching out to residents.

On the other side, only five public speakers supported conducting a study, including Paulding who sat in the front row.

“I am your representative whether you like it or not,” Paulding told the crowd. “I am here to serve you.”

Oceano CSD staff estimated the cost for a study would run in the six-figures, according to the staff report.

Video snippets from the contentious meeting

Directors Shirley Gibson, Linda Austin and Allene Villa were opposed to conducting a costly study and instead wanted the district to focus on attaining new fire services.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Austin said.

Varni asked residents not to be fearful of change. He then argued that the county does not spend enough on infrastructure in Oceano.

Austin challenged Varni’s statement, reading off a list of costly infrastructure improvements made while Lynn Compton was supervisor, and dozens of attendees cheered.

Following the 3-2 vote against funding a report on the proposed merger, the board took a short break. During the break, on a hot mic, Varni can be heard complaining to attendee Bonnie Ernst about the way Villa runs a meeting.

“I helped her fucking get elected,” Ernst responded.


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15 Comments
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Good news is they’ll only need to fight for curbs and sidewalks. Ms. Varni Ernst has got the gutter part pretty well figured. That should save some money which is good for everyone.


J. Arse


7

Hi

We don’t do signatures here.

Thanks

CCN


-3

After serving on a city council and now the board of supervisors, Jimmy Paulding appears to either not know the rules of decorum when speaking as a member of the audience or he does not care. On the video provided, he interupts the speaker before him and then when he speaks he turns around and speaks to the audience. Jimmy, you are supposed to address the board and not the audience, and you are not permitted to interrupt other speakers.


35

When Jimmy mistakes insincerity for charm…


27

I heard that San Francisco is considering merging with Oakland so they can make a land bridge to avoid traffic congestion on the Bay Bridge. Paulding should have suggested Oceano get in on that deal.


19

Too bad, regional consolidation is something that is coming down the road, closing our eyes isn’t going to solve the problems our communities face. Change is inevitable.


-35

Wasn’t Jimmy all against annexation before being elected, but now he’s all for it….whether they like it or not?


40

I love it! They sent little jimmy home without his bone. What will Bruce and him do to make this happen despite this vote. I hear many are quickly growing tired of these two with their shenanigans and planning to come for them and their hapless positions of growing ignorance. The power plays are getting old quickly.


26

“with many critical of Paulding for suggesting annexation without first reaching out to residents”, this comes as no surprise to those of us who dealt with Paulding on the AG city council. He was always driven not by the residents and what they want but by what his big money donors wanted.


63

Paulding’s honeymoon is over in record time…


49

Paulding is not proposing a “plan .” What he is suggesting is doing a study to see if it is worthwhile to make a plan.


-22
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