This week’s San Luis Obispo County government meetings

July 22, 2024

By CalCoastNews staff

The Arroyo Grande City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on July 23 in the council chambers.

Following 50 inches of rainfall over two years, the city’s water supplies are healthy. Under item 9-h on the agenda, the council will discuss yearly and monthly water usage and supplies.

The city’s predicted water use for 2024-2025 water year, which began on April 1, is 2,100 acre feet.

The current water supply for water year 2024-2025 includes 2,290 acre feet from Lopez Reservoir, 357-acre feet from the Santa Maria River Groundwater Basin, with an entitlement of 1323 acre feet. An additional 160 acre feet of groundwater is available from the Pismo formation.

The national opioid crisis created by opioid manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers has left communities struggling with its devastating impacts. Since 2018, numerous jurisdictions across the country have engaged in a multi-jurisdictional lawsuits against those responsible.

Under item 9-c on the agenda, the city council will consider opting into a settlement agreement with opioid distributor Kroger Company. The city could potentially receive up to $20,496 in direct funding.

The Grover Beach City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on July 22 in the council chambers.

Grover Beach management staff is asking the City Council to approve a 10% increase in pay over three years for 21 management and confidential positions, under item 10 on the agenda. The plan includes a 4% increase on Aug. 5, 2024, 3% on July 1, 2025, and 3% on July 1, 2026, as well as an increase to the city’s healthcare contribution.

The proposed increases in compensation and benefits is projected to cost $210,445 in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

City Clerk Wendi Sims recently certified the petition to recall Councilman Daniel Rushing. Late last month, a group of citizens submitted the petition with 661 of the 709 signatures they collected. Under item 12 on the agenda, the council will discuss adopting a resolution accepting the sufficiency of signatures on the petition to recall Rushing,

The Morro Bay City Council will meet on July 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Hall.

After the city hosted Ironman events in 2023 and 2024, Ironman backed out of the 2025 contracted event.

However, Ironman didn’t inform the city. Instead, city staff noticed Ironman’s social media posts that indicated plans to cancel the event. Under item 7-d on the agenda, the city council will discuss what happened.

Staff is asking the city council to approve a 16% raise over three years for City Manager Yvonne Kimbal, through a second amendment to her contract which also includes an extra 10 hours of maximum vacation leave bank accrual.

If approved, Kimbal’s annual salary for fiscal year 2024-2025 will be $234,062, for fiscal year 2025-2026 it will be $245,773, and for fiscal year 2026-2027 it will be $258,066, totaling an increase of
$35,155 over a three year period.

Port San Luis Harbor District will meet on July 23 at 5 p.m. at 3900 Avila Beach Drive.

The harbor district is considering an up to 75-year contract for Clean Energy Terminals to lease 10 acres of the tidelands, under item A on the agenda. The company plans to pay $25,000 for the first six months as it evaluates the area for support for off-shore wind energy planned off Morro Bay.

The proposed project evaluation agreement includes the following provisions:

• The parties will collaborate in good faith to evaluate the feasibility of a potential operations and maintenance port project anticipated to require up to 10 acres of tidelands.
• The parties will negotiate in good faith on a lease option agreement for consideration if a project is determined to be mutually feasible.
• Any decision on whether to proceed with a project and whether to enter into a lease option agreement with Clean Energy Terminals would be subject to separate approval by the Harbor District’s Board.
• As consideration for the project evaluation agreement, Clean Energy Terminals proposes an initial payment of $25,000 for the first six months, and then $4,100 for each additional month. Clean Energy Terminals  also proposes a one-time administrative support payment of $9,000 to assist with district staffing of the evaluation project.

The Cambria Community Services District Board will meet on July 25 at 1 p.m. in the board room.

The Nipomo Community Services District Board will meet on July 24 at 9 a.m. in the board room.

The Oceano Community Services District Board will meet on July 24 at 6 p.m. in the board room.