Disagreements, rule breaking continue to hobble Templeton Area Advisory Group

March 28, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

Disagreements over agency bylaws led to another contentious Templeton Area Advisory Group meeting and threats to oust a board member if he continued to disagree with other members over the bylaws.

As board members spared during the March 19 meeting, San Luis Obispo County Supervisor John Pecshong asked if he could give his report on updates and information important to the Templeton area. However, the members failed to address Peschong’s request and he eventually left without giving his report.

The Templeton advisory group serves as a voice for Templeton residents, providing input to SLO County on planning, land use, public safety, and community development. Regardless, San Luis Obispo County has final authority on all decisions.

Unlike the county, which abides by the Brown Act, the Templeton advisory group follows board approved bylaws.

Shortly after the March 19 board meeting started, Murray Powell noted they did not have a quorum required to hold the meeting.

Several board members said that they did have a quorum, four members or more at the meeting, because they had appointed Matt Thomsen to the board during the Feb. 19 meeting. Powell argued that because appointing Thomsen was not on the Feb. 19 board meeting agenda to appoint a candidate, the appointment violated the Templeton Advisory group’s bylaws.

In the end, they allowed Thomsen to remain on the board and vote on issues, with Powell leaving the meeting early.

According to the Templeton Area Advisory Group Bylaws, Article VIII-Section 7, “No action shall be taken on items not on the Agenda.” The reason for agendizing items is to allow members of the community a chance to speak out on items important to them and for transparency.

On March 20, the day after the ruckus meeting, David Leader, the Templeton advisory group chair, sent Powell a confusing email regarding the appointment of Thomsen along with a threat to kick Powell off the board.

“After you left last evening, the board reviewed our bylaws and discussed two of your comments:

“1) The seating of Matt at last month’s meeting. The board determined that  Matt was legitimately  seated at the February meeting.

“2) Matt being a delegate and voting at last night’s meeting. The board determined that Matt was not legitimately seated and therefore, his votes do not count. Consequently, the three items that we voted on and approved, after you left, will be on April’s agenda for vote: guest speakers, Feb. meeting minutes, seating of Matt.”

By a vote of five or more board members, any member may be removed for misconduct, including violating the bylaws, violating guidelines and conviction of a felony.

At the Templeton advisory group meeting in Dec. 2025, several board members wanted to vote for a new chair, an action acting chair Powell blocked because it was not on the agenda and a violation of the bylaws.

In Leaders March 20 email, Leader reminds Powell he has signed a conditions of service that includes: “I agree to conduct myself in an ethical, respectful, and professional manner related to all Templeton Area Advisory Group matters that I am involved with in my capacity as a Templeton Area Advisory Group Board member.

“You were given four verbal warnings last night, all of which the board unanimously approved,” Leader added. “If you want to continue to be a part of our board, your behavior must reflect the above commitment. If not, you could find yourself in the same spot again as you did in January. “

During the January meeting, board members voted to make David Leader the chair and to remove Powell from the board because he wasn’t acting in a respectful manner. As a result, Powell did not attend the Feb. 19 board meeting as a member.

However, Powell was back on the board in March because it was the start of a new term for Powell.

Templeton advisory group chair facing 24 criminal charges

Leader is facing 26 criminal charges related to violating multiple restraining and court orders, vandalism and petty theft. Leader is scheduled for trial on April 2.

Several years ago, Leader and others in his neighborhood disagreed over a road designation and access.

Following the disagreement, multiple neighbors filed for and received restraining orders against Leader, according to court records. Neighbors accused Leader of trespassing, shouting obscenities and making threats, at times while carrying a firearm.

In total, the court granted three restraining orders to protect eight neighbors. The neighbors then put up video cameras which allegedly captured Leader repeatedly violating the court orders, including taking a neighbor’s surveillance camera.

As a result, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office charged Leader with 21 counts of disobeying a court order, two counts of vandalism, two counts of violating a court order and one count of petty theft.

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