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Constituent questions SLO County Supervisor Paulding’s choices

October 1, 2024

San Luis Obispo Supervisor Jimmy Paulding at an Oceano CSD meeting

OPINION by ADAM VERDIN

An open letter to San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding:

Given the public nature of your endorsement of Charles Varni for the Oceano Community Services District (OCSD), in the form of a letter being disseminated door to door in Oceano and Halcyon, I decided to address my concerns in a public forum as well. While I understand your personal friendship with Mr. Varni, I urge you to reconsider this endorsement in light of his troubling behavior and the risks his leadership poses to our community.

Unethical behavior and poor judgment

As one example, recently an email surfaced showing Mr. Varni conspiring with an individual convicted of embezzlement to undermine his political opponent, Shirley Gibson. It’s concerning that Mr. Varni would align himself with someone with a criminal history to damage his opponent. This raises serious doubts about his judgment and character—traits essential for public office. Supporting someone with such a record not only reflects poorly on him but also on those who endorse him, especially when the trust of our community is at stake.

A divisive record

Mr. Varni’s leadership has consistently been divisive, alienating those who disagree with him and contributing to high turnover among key OCSD staff. His combative style has deepened rifts when Oceano needs unity. His pattern of divisive behavior is evident not only in his role at the OCSD but also in his past leadership positions. From his contentious activism in Santa Maria to his fractious leadership of the now-defunct Oceano Advisory Council, Mr. Varni has shown a pattern of divisive leadership. I urge you or your staff to examine his public record—there are numerous documented instances of his counterproductive behavior.

Governance and trust

His opposition to the fire tax, which he framed as an equity issue, was filled with misinformation and undermined public safety. His stance misled residents and weakened the foundation for future negotiations, jeopardizing both the safety and economic resilience of the community. The loss of key assets—including buildings and revenue streams—are not “misinformation” as you claim, but rather a harsh reality of poor judgment.

Shirley Gibson: The right choice

In contrast, Shirley Gibson has earned widespread support across the community. Her endorsements include former Oceano CSD General Manager Paavo Ogren, FCFA Fire Chief (retired) Stephen Lieberman, Arroyo Grande Mayor Caren Ray Russom, former Fourth District Supervisor Lynn Compton, Lucia Mar School Board President Colleen Martin, and Arroyo Grande City Council Members Kristin Barneich and Lan George.

While Mr. Varni has only your endorsement thus far, Shirley’s support reflects a broad community consensus that she is the trusted leader Oceano needs. Local business owners and agricultural leaders, including John Taylor, the Loomis family, Mr. Lopez of La Tapatia, Rapp Farms, the Hayashi Brothers, Stan Ikeda, and Rock and Roll Diner, also back Shirley. Her proven ability to listen, collaborate, and work with diverse voices is exactly what Oceano requires.

Your responsibility as supervisor

As a public official, your responsibility is to the residents of South County and the county as a whole. Your endorsement should reflect the broader public interest, not a personal relationship. Many of the priorities you mention are not within the purview of the OCSD. This raises further confusion about why you chose to recommend him for a role largely based on issues outside the OCSD’s authority. Supporting leadership that fosters division and poor governance risks undermining progress across the broader community.

I encourage you to join the many informed civic and business leaders who have experienced working directly with both Mr. Varni and Shirley. They support Shirley because they recognize her as the right choice for a united and thriving Oceano.

Adam Verdin is South County resident, small business owner, and community volunteer.

 


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Great comment!


Very respectful and serious. Mr. Paulding’s endorsement of Charles Varni stands alone, except for Varni’s 2 acolytes on the OCSD Board. There is a great and meaningful contrast to be found in Shirley Gibson’s wide, bi-partisan support from a long list of well-known local officials, longtime area residents, and agricultural and business leaders.  


Gibson merits public support.


Gibson’s solid, no-nonsense record and approach to good governance — support of sound management, attention to “real” issues on essential OCSD matters, and sharp focus on enhancing fire safety, a secure water supply and infrastructure, and local autonomy, not annexation with Grover Beach –- stand in stark contrast to Varni’s political posturing and pursuit of small, non-essential projects as well as his history of disruptive mismanagement, well-documented contempt for members of the public and district staff, and waste of district money. Gibson exhibits common courtesy in dealing with members of the public, OCSD employees and management. Most important, Gibson’s chief goal is to develop community support for restoring and improving fire service and fire response times for the Oceano community. Varni, on the other hand, was single-handedly responsible for two OCSD fire tax measures’ defeat, default of responsibility for providing residents fire protection, and the loss of its fire station, administrative buildings and property tax revenue assets!


Paulding’s about-face on Varni endorsement.


Mr. Paulding’s endorsement came as a surprise to many in Halcyon, where his endorsement letter was distributed. We remember hearing Mr. Paulding make a very strong commitment not to endorse in the contested OCSD election, after Mr. Varni’s failed attempt to ramrod a Paulding-conceived study of annexation of Oceano and Halcyon to Grover Beach in April 2023 embarrassed both Paulding and Varni.


Recently obtained public records reveal that Paulding seemed to think Varni would carry his water on the Grover Beach annexation scheme, proceeding in haste without any public notice or debate.Sometimes, the best laid plans don’t turn out well. At the April 4, 2023, meeting, a very vocal, very upset Oceano crowd stopped the annexation scheme in its tracks. Paulding appeared at the meeting, expecting a different result. When the plot fizzled, he was forced to retreat. The Halcyon promise was part of his hasty retreat. 


Paulding’s hubris.


In April 2023, Mr. Paulding was fresh off what must have been a very exhilarating first few months of feverish action as the rookie member of the Board of Supervisors, where he served as Bruce Gibson’s front man for the current board majority that rushed to set aside many of the policies of the former Board of Supervisors majority and impose a whole laundry list of Progressive Leftist programs. 


Paulding’s a rookie who needs to learn to count votes better.


Paulding seems to have trouble counting votes. First, in April 2023, with the Oceano annexation debacle. Second, in April 2024, with the Dana Reserve housing development plan in Nipomo, when the Board of Supervisors approved the plan on a 3-2 vote. On the Dana Reserve matter, when Paulding’s behind the scenes efforts to scuttle the project failed, he was forced to attack the project with a whole bunch of falsehoods in an embarrassing 2-hour diatribe at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting. Will his “stand up and be counted for Varni” be another “miscount”?


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