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UPDATE: Transparency is Easy

By Aaron, on April 8th, 2010

UPDATE (4/12, 12:19 AM PST): All the binders are now available online: Binder #1, Binder #2 and Binder #3. In the event that the information is taken down or the site is unavailable, a download mirror will be provided so that the documents will always be available.

UPDATE 2 (10:47 PM PST): After “probably a couple of hours,” the LOWWP site remains unchanged with no related documents available.

UPDATE 1: Thanks to local activists and The Razor, the County’s response to the Coastal Commission will be up in “probably a couple of hours,” according to the County Clerk-Recorder Julie Rodewald. The response will be posted on The Razor as soon as it appears on the LOWWP web site.

Bob Cuddy’s Tribune article on Apr. 8 (“County gets more strife over Los Osos sewer project”) leans on the premise that the SLO County’s 1,000-page response to the CA Coastal Commission is difficult to reproduce because it would Public Works staff cost time and money. Not quite. Most County materials have been produced by word processing software that allows files to be converted to a popular, readable electronic format (PDF). This amazingly simple “point, click and convert” process is not time-consuming or costly, but spending more than $7 million over faulty wastewater plans for a $165-million sewer is.

The County has proven to Los Osos that they won’t embrace innovation and convenient solutions for the wastewater project. In a time when our nation is looking for unique, different approaches to solving complex issues, the County has remained stagnant by precluding current, alternative technology and thinking.  Despite what some County supporters feel, obstructionism doesn’t come from the people. It comes from the inability to govern openly.

– Aaron Ochs

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  • julie

    Up in ony hours Aaron, really?
    At Tuesday’s BOS Paavo said “by April 27″, wow that’s light speed isn’t it?
    You know, as always, the devil iin te detais. Once it’s up and everyone can read it, then the real question will come out. Why aren’t they changing course in any way to accomodate the CCC? The only conssession is at Tri-W and it’s a far cry from what is being asked of them in the Dan Carl letter posted over on The Rock.

  • http://xxx julie

    Up in ony hours Aaron, really?
    At Tuesday’s BOS Paavo said “by April 27″, wow that’s light speed isn’t it?
    You know, as always, the devil iin te detais. Once it’s up and everyone can read it, then the real question will come out. Why aren’t they changing course in any way to accomodate the CCC? The only conssession is at Tri-W and it’s a far cry from what is being asked of them in the Dan Carl letter posted over on The Rock.

  • julie

    Where is the document going to be located, so far no sign of it on the LOWWP website. Any clues?

  • http://xxx julie

    Where is the document going to be located, so far no sign of it on the LOWWP website. Any clues?

  • julie

    It’s nice to see piece of the document up on the web. Why wouldn’t they have updated the whole site (like we’ve been asking) while they had it open and were working on it?
    The last entry being November 4, they lack the revision of Condition #97 on November 24 and the CCC hearing on Janurary 14, and the appropriate links to material and webcasts. The blog is completely stale.
    Geez Paavo, so thourough, then nothiing…so “busy” with what? The commissioners are rlying on the website, too, not just the info-hungry residents.

    • Aaron

      If you look at the News Archives on the LOWWP, you’ll notice that they put up all major documents related to the project, but then they decided after Nov. 2009 that they would update the site once they feel that the information is important enough to share with the public. Their actions are not fair, firm and consistent.

      What gets me are the critics who criticize us for asking to see these binders. I’ve seen and heard a wide spectrum of ridiculous attacks against us. In reality, government accountability and transparency watchdogs have existed way before the LOWWP concept was conceived. To speculate over ulterior motives of people seeking transparency is a colossal waste of time.

  • http://julie julie

    It’s nice to see piece of the document up on the web. Why wouldn’t they have updated the whole site (like we’ve been asking) while they had it open and were working on it?
    The last entry being November 4, they lack the revision of Condition #97 on November 24 and the CCC hearing on Janurary 14, and the appropriate links to material and webcasts. The blog is completely stale.
    Geez Paavo, so thourough, then nothiing…so “busy” with what? The commissioners are rlying on the website, too, not just the info-hungry residents.

    • Aaron

      If you look at the News Archives on the LOWWP, you’ll notice that they put up all major documents related to the project, but then they decided after Nov. 2009 that they would update the site once they feel that the information is important enough to share with the public. Their actions are not fair, firm and consistent.

      What gets me are the critics who criticize us for asking to see these binders. I’ve seen and heard a wide spectrum of ridiculous attacks against us. In reality, government accountability and transparency watchdogs have existed way before the LOWWP concept was conceived. To speculate over ulterior motives of people seeking transparency is a colossal waste of time.

  • julie

    Right o Aaron, why I follow the LOWWP is not for myself, my goodness there are better ways to spend my time, but for my community. I want the best project for Los Osos, always have, always will. What has turned me into an activist is the continued buearacracy that allows us to see this movie over and over again…why don’t we learn from the mistakes of the past?

    • Aaron

      We don’t learn from the mistakes of the past because we don’t go out and seek a second opinion and ask questions without making allegations.

      A lot of the sewer pundits stick a strict set of talking points that are hand-delivered to them by flawed characters in high places and all of us are butting heads at every step of this process, and people outside of Los Osos look at us and think we’re absolutely nuts — and well, we are, but we mean well.

      But I believe the County was withholding these documents because they are exasperated. They do not want to give us any more ammo to criticize them and possibly jeopardize their chances of getting the CDP. I feel that the County needs to know what the problems are before the de novo hearing. They need to know sooner than later. Community input will definitely tie up the loose ends and save LO residents lots of grief.

  • http://xxx julie

    Right o Aaron, why I follow the LOWWP is not for myself, my goodness there are better ways to spend my time, but for my community. I want the best project for Los Osos, always have, always will. What has turned me into an activist is the continued buearacracy that allows us to see this movie over and over again…why don’t we learn from the mistakes of the past?

    • Aaron

      We don’t learn from the mistakes of the past because we don’t go out and seek a second opinion and ask questions without making allegations.

      A lot of the sewer pundits stick a strict set of talking points that are hand-delivered to them by flawed characters in high places and all of us are butting heads at every step of this process, and people outside of Los Osos look at us and think we’re absolutely nuts — and well, we are, but we mean well.

      But I believe the County was withholding these documents because they are exasperated. They do not want to give us any more ammo to criticize them and possibly jeopardize their chances of getting the CDP. I feel that the County needs to know what the problems are before the de novo hearing. They need to know sooner than later. Community input will definitely tie up the loose ends and save LO residents lots of grief.

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