Creston thanks Debbie Arnold for her contributions

January 20, 2025

Opinion from the Creston Advisory Board

The Creston Advisory Body would like to thank former San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Arnold for her 12 years of outstanding service and recognize her significant contributions as 5th District supervisor from 2013 through 2025.

Supervisor Arnold showed strong leadership on the board of supervisors when battling to keep road maintenance throughout the county as a “priority” budget item. As rural residents, the maintenance of our roadways is paramount for all of us. Well maintained roads are necessary for going to work, taking kids to school, getting to medical appointments, shopping for essentials, and of upmost importance, ensuring that emergency vehicles can reach the injured, or wildfires, in the shortest times possible.

During the flooding of 2023 we had many creek crossings washed out and there was only one road out of Creston left open for residents to use.

In addition to road maintenance, we want to thank Supervisor Arnold for being a
champion for the rural residents of the North County when it comes to the management
of our most vital resource (water) which was, until recently, primarily under the control
of the county. She understands that rural residents have been left hanging by the Paso Robles Basin Groundwater Cooperative Committee, due to her removal from said
committee, leaving rural residents with no direct supervisorial representation from
District 5, which covers close to 50% of the Paso Robles Basin.

Rural residents are now primarily at the mercy of “big ag,” a concept opposed by 73% of the electorate when voted on in 2016 by residents who live over the basin. The cooperative committee has no representative who really understands and acknowledges the issues rural residents face, and no one who will act responsibly on their behalf.

The fear of more residential wells going dry due to their relatively shallow wells and the over-pumping by “big ag” with their larger deeper wells, is well understood by the DWR and Supervisor Arnold. “Big ag,” which uses over 90% of the water but are only 2% of the landowners, have systematically taken over the cooperative Committee through their ability to lobby the other supervisors for their own business interests.

Supervisor Arnold has fought valiantly, understanding the rural residents’ perspective and their fight for sustainability, acknowledging that they don’t have the resources to pay lobbyists on their behalf, and recognizing that the county is meant to play the role of advocate for rural residents.

She has pushed more than anyone on behalf of rural residents to enact sensible management objectives for the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin.

Another area in which Supervisor Arnold was helpful was in our fight against cannabis grow operations that are incompatible with our community, especially those being proposed next door to homes, school and family farms. None of the applicants understand an agrarian community such as ours, and none of the applicants have any intention of living on the project sites so will never understand why they are not compatible.

Supervisor Arnold provided us with guidance and counsel back in 2018 when cannabis operations first appeared and when we requested, but were rejected, to be designated a “cannabis free zone.”

Her knowledge of the inner workings of the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors was extremely helpful. And, once again her strong insights into rural residential life were an asset.

We must not forget to mention how Supervisor Arnold has been so generous with her time and resources when it comes to supporting the Creston community specifically. She has been present at the majority of our monthly Advisory Body meetings throughout her tenure, even by Zoom throughout COVID.

Her regular reports on activities discussed and decided at the board of supervisors meetings have kept us informed at a more granular level than we would have had otherwise. She has exceptional insights into the workings of government both in San Luis Obispo County and Sacramento.

Here in Creston, she has bolstered the effort to remodel a pole barn located within the Creston VRL, into a functioning Community Center with both direct and indirect support through community grants. Creston has no other facility, or garden, within 12 miles that can be used for the large number of community organizational meetings, fundraisers and celebrations. Therefore, the support for the remodeling effort has made a huge difference to our community.

Supervisor Arnold’s commitment to her responsibilities as supervisor, has without a doubt, made Creston a safer place to live, work and visit.

It was clear to us all that Supervisor Arnold always governed with the best of intentions,
to serve her constituents fairly. We have much to thank her for and want her to know
how much she has been appreciated.

We would also like to express our appreciation for Supervisor Arnold’s Legislative
Assistant Kathleen Goble. Kathleen has been wonderful to work with over the years.
She is always quick to respond and goes above and beyond in her efforts to track down
the information that we are seeking.

In closing, the Creston Advisory Body especially wishes to express its heartfelt appreciation to Supervisor Arnold for her 12 years of outstanding service. The Creston Advisory Body wishes Supervisor Arnold much happiness in post supervisorial years. We hope she will continue to advocate on the important issues, such as water and road maintenance.

We will always welcome her attendance at our monthly Creston Advisory Body meetings, where we will be happy to hear any relevant updates she would like to bring to us.

In honor of your service, we have ordered a Memorial Brick to be installed in the Creston Community Garden. Please stop by to take a look when you have a chance. Thank you for all you have done as our supervisor in Creston.