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Conflicts of interest, mismanagement at SLO County agency

February 17, 2025

SLO County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding and Kendra Paulding

Correction: The funds were sent to ECOSLO via direct deposit and not a check as initially reported.

By KAREN VELIE

Following with its history of conflicts of interest and financial mismanagement, San Luis Obispo County’s waste agency mistakenly sent $4,500 dollars to a nonprofit headed by the wife of one of its board members — SLO County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding.

Late last year, a SLO County Integrated Waste Management (IWMA) employee was tasked with sending $4,500 to Ecologistic, another nonprofit. However, the staffer erred and asked the county to send the funds to the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo (ECOSLO), a nonprofit headed by Kendra Paulding.

The county then sent Kendra Paulding’s nonprofit the funds.

After IWMA staff discovered the error, they asked Kenra Paulding to return the money, which she did. The SLO County IWMA approved the repayment during its Jan. 8 meeting, according to the agenda.

Kendra Paulding seeks grant funding from IWMA board

With her husband on the board, late last year Kendra Paulding applied for a $10,000 IWMA grant to partially fund ECOSLO’s Green Business Program.

Breakdown of the ECOSLO’s plan for the grant:

  • $5,000 for ECOSLO staff salaries and benefits
  • $1,500 for ECOSLO administration costs
  • $3,500 for 14 $250 rebates to SLO County businesses to help offset the costs of purchasing reusable products for break rooms and kitchens.

On Nov. 13, 2024, the SLO County IWMA Board authorized its Executive Director Peter Cron to award ECOSLO $10,000, with Jimmy Paulding recusing himself.

On Dec. 31, 2024, the IWMA and ECOSLO entered into a contract agreeing to terms regarding the $10,000 grant. Kendra Paulding, who will personally receive a portion of the funding as staff, signed the contract which includes a conflict of interest clause.

The conflict of interest clause has raised concerns regarding Jimmy Paulding making board decisions regarding financially supporting nonprofits while his household is benefiting from the program.

“No officer, employee, or agent of IWMA who exercises any function or responsibility for planning and carrying out the services provided under this agreement will have any direct or indirect personal financial interest in the agreement,” according to the contract.

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What is more blatant, is much less than half of the grant, is actually to be used for it’s requested purpose: Buying stuff for the ECOSLO administrators.


The other $6500 is going to pay the salaries and admin costs….for ECOSLO.


Now, granted, I haven’t sorted my garbage in years. It is also obvious, that neither has ECOSLO.


39

$10,000 Grant (ECOSLO) breakdown:

$6,500 to the (ECOSLO) staff – 65%

$3,500 for the cause – 35%

LOL, and you wonder why the Grifters are afraid of an audit or in the Fed’s case, DOGE.


46

Maybe I’m not understanding the article very well, but what the hell is the IW doing giving out grants, and why would those grants be used for wages for ECO, and why then would it go to private business for break room products, way way too much govt waste.


49

Waste and corruption definitely need to be addressed. Wait until you see how much we pay for high-ranking executives to golf at their own golf courses!!!


3

They would have gotten away with it if hadn’t been for you meddling kids. Hahaha


60

Cashing the check smells a bit fishy. $6,500 to distribute $3,500 down right stinks!


46

Geeze, just the fact that Paulding is on the board granting the funding to his wife’s company is a conflict in itself. If this was private sector, there would definitely be some violations!


31

It appears you missed everything. Just because Paulding recused himself, just the fact that a request for funding was made to a Board which Paulding has membership is questionable. Since the request was made by Paulding’s wife the request for funding should not have been made. Since the request was made by Paulding’s wife, Paulding himself benefited.


59

Nonsense. How does Jimmy Paulding personally benefit from ECOSLO getting $4500, money that was returned? This is what happens in a small town sometimes. Jimmy recused himself. No story. No big deal. Just CalCoast targeting another liberal. Yawn.


-34

You need to reread the article. Paulding’s wife signed a contract for $10,000. Since I assume that Paulding and his wife live together; therefore, money received by her benefits him. Why is it whenever I see a picture of Paulding I need a shower.


33

He’s definitely got the Newsom vibe, career politician written all over. I can see him worth $5M somehow on a 100k a year salary…


22

Please stop confusing these delusion right-wing conspiracy theorists with facts. It makes their heads hurt.


-17

Why is this a news story? IWMA mistakenly sends a paycheck to ECOSLO. They catch the mistake and ask for a refund, and ECOSLO complies. Meanwhile, Jimmy Paulding recuses himself from voting on anything that might affect his wife’s nonprofit.


What am I missing?


-35

You are missing that it is illegal for Paulding’s wife to benefit from funding provided to her while he sits on the board awarding the money.


32

She didn’t. It was a mistake that someone sent her the check and she returned it. Where is the outrage at paying for Drumpf to attend the Superbowl, take vanity laps at a car race, and spend millions to stay and golf at his own resort? Or for Musk to oversee NASA spending while receiving BILLIONS in subsidies for SpaceX?


-7

No…she received a large check and she DEPOSITED it…Then it was caught and THEN she returned the money…you see, honest people DON’T deposit checks that they receive when they don’t know what the check is for, that’s left for people like you. I know you can’t see the ethical violations here in this story, and that is clear in your comments. It speaks volumes to your character…but, character really isn’t something you all are too concerned about, so it’s all good…


3

What would have occurred if the IWMA staff failed to discover the error? I’m personally never going to support ECOSLO; not now, not ever.


43

Seems about right for this crowd. “A government official make a mistake so I no longer care about the enviornment.”


-20

They care about the environment??. Oh yeah! They care alright…so much so that they take $6500 off the top before giving away $3500 so 14 businesses get reimbursed for buying reusable paper plates and cups??? What a Con Job!!! What a sacrifice to save the environment!!! It’s all a scam! Self serving, virtue signaling elitists pretending to be altruistic and saving the planet, it’s beyond disgusting. If they really cared, they would do it for free and they wouldn’t need recognition for doing it. That’s sacrifice, that’s virtue…don’t confuse what is true and what you pretend is true. Unbelievable arrogance and pride…just a bunch a grifters…


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