Lawsuits, assault claim mar Pismo Beach mayor race

September 14, 2026

Pismo Beach Councilman Scott Newton

By KAREN VELIE

After more than a decade, Pismo Beach Mayor Ed Waage is calling it quits. Three candidates are currently vying for the top spot on the city council, one of whom is involved with a lawsuit against the city and another who is battling assault allegations. Four other candidates are competing for two city council seats.

Councilman Scott Newton, former Oceano Community Services District director Cynthia Replogle, and air force veteran and personal trainer Shelby Bowen are competing for the mayor seat.

Newton was first elected to the Pismo Beach City Council in 2020. He won reelection in 2024 on a platform of public safety and securing a diverse water portfolio for the city.

If Newton is elected mayor, the Pismo Beach City Council will either vote to appoint a resident to fill his council seat or put the election of a new council member on a future ballot.

Newton supports helping residents living near the ocean protect their property from erosion. He is also in favor of investing in new water sources, like Central Coast Blue, while the city battles a legal threat to its water supply from Lopez Lake.

Cynthia Replogle

Cynthia Replogle and Newton are on opposing sides regarding both the Lopez Lake lawsuit and protecting private property along the coast.

Replogle is working with four environmental groups to protect steelhead trout, a threatened species. Replogle wants San Luis Obispo County to increase the amount of water it releases from the Lopez Lake Dam each year to support trout.

The county, which is battling the lawsuit, argues the additional water releases could lead to shortages during drought years. Lopez Lake not only provides water for Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano and Avila Beach, but it is also used to fight wildfires.

The lawsuit is still proceeding through the court system, with the cost expected to exceed $4.5 million. The cost of the lawsuit will be covered through water rate increases.

Replogle also supports the California Coastal Commission’s push against armoring residential and commercial structures threatened by erosion, a major issue with many in the coastal community.

While serving as an official in Oceano, in March 2022, Replogle resigned following a board meeting in which she accused a community member of politically motivated harassment and stalking. She argued that Oceano officials failed to protect her.

Replogle left Oceano after losing a contentious lawsuit with a neighbor over a shared driveway.

Shelby Bowen says she is running for mayor “to eliminate red tape, restore open

Shelby Bowen

communication, and lead our city into a bright new future.” She is focused on improving parking, and implementing a master plan for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Bowen supports protecting coastal properties and prioritizing water for people, while also supporting the environment.

In 2025, Arroyo Grande officers arrested Bowen for inflicting corporal injury on a cohabitant. However, the victim dropped the charges, leading the SLO County District Attorney’s Office to dismiss the case.

Four people are running for two seats on the city council: Councilwoman Stacy Inman is an attorney, Manuel Olivas is a federal probation officer, Gianni Scangarello is a real estate agent, and Clare Malone Prichard is a real estate agent and licensed architect.

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