The California Coastal Commission voted 7-5 in favor of having an additional hearing over substantial issues that were raised in the appeals. While anonymous supporters of the County and alleged supporters of Taxpayers Watch have launched an irate barrage of insults directed at the majority of those who voted against the motion to find no substantial . . . → Read More: Los Osos/Coastal Commission Analysis (Jan. 14)
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The California Coastal Commission voted 7-5 to have another hearing on the Los Osos wastewater project after the majority of commission members said there were several substantial issues that their staff and the County staff did not adequately address. Details . . . → Read More: Coastal Commission Says “Yes” on Substantial Issues Raised Several months ago, former Los Osos Community Services Director Lisa Schicker accused SLO County Public Works Director Paavo Ogren of having a conflict of interest with Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH). County Counsel Warren Jensen later shot down the claim, saying there was no evidence to support it. On December 16, Los Osos resident Al Barrow asked Johnathan Bishop, Coastal Planner of the California Coastal Commission about a possible conflict of interest involving SLO County Board of Supervisor Khatchik “Katcho” Achadjian serving as a representative. However, in that case, all voting representatives of the CCC represent a local government in their respective region. Section 30318 of the Coastal Act protects members and representatives’ vote and influence:
It begs the question. What is conflict of interest? 2009 was the year that included the removal of STEP/STEG and other alternatives from the County Los Osos Wastewater Project’s design-build process, a formal complaint against Public Works director Paavo Ogren and hours of tedious — but sometimes heated — debate at the Planning Commission meetings. Along the way, mistakes were made on both sides of the debate while everyone hopelessly expected some of the bigger problems to be mitigated. Contrary to what the County of San Luis Obispo has said, the County has unanimously sided with County staff recommendations with each and every turn involving the LOWWP. With hope fading in their eyes, a small group of Los Osos residents pleaded with the board to reconsider their decisions, but the board moved ahead. Those with the loudest objections to the County were silenced with Supervisor Bruce Gibson’s wave of the hand, a chuckle out of pity and a quick tug of the microphone plug — and the microphone was off. On a few occasions, Gibson asserted that most of the people of Los Osos approved of their handling of the process, but do they? Whether you like it or not, it’s unarguable the County made an incredible amount of what they would call “progress.” The Planning Commission moved forward with the project, changing many of the project conditions, most of which remained uncontested by the Board of Supervisors. The BOS successfully paved a clear path for the project to be considered by the California Coastal Commission, which will discuss the LOWWP and the appeals in January of next year. The County also managed to secure consideration for USDA grant money (through a population waiver) thanks to the provision on Los Osos added to the Fiscal Year 2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill, which President Obama signed into law. Let’s not forget the $35 million dollar authorization in the Water Resources Development Act, which is available for federal appropriation. The only problem is that after lingering fees and changes relevant to the sewer, which include paying off the interest of the USDA’s $64 million loan, Los Osos residents may not actually see the savings. For now, let’s take a look at what’s happened in 2009 and check out the highlights. Continue reading The Razor’s Los Osos Best and Worst of 2009 →LOS OSOS GROUP LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE SEEKING FEDERAL ACTION TO STOP COUNTY SEWERA group of Los Osos citizens have launched a new online publication, The Los Osos Sentinel, to stop the County’s plan to build a central sewer system in Los Osos. The new website (http://www.lososossentinel.com) is on a mission not only to better inform the community on the deep roots of the Los Osos central sewer project — but to rally the community to fight back in federal court. Click here to read the article. ARE YOU HAVING SEWER PROBLEMS??You are not alone. You are just the latest victim of the State Water Board’s “Scam of the Century.” Read about the test case of tortured Los Osos and how other small towns up and down the coast are suffering from septic shock, as rogue Regional Water Boards statewide cry pollution without proof so they can replace working septic tanks with spill-prone, unnecessary and excessively expensive central sewers — and force a select group of homeowners to pay for it. Don’t be fooled. Open your eyes and learn the facts before you find yourself paying $500 a month to fix a “problem” that never really existed in the first place — or has been falsely and conveniently attributed to all septics. The whole story of the “Sewer Scam,” how it works and what’s happening today is so incredible that unless you start reading The ROCK right now it will be far, far too late to do anything about it in time. Click on “Read Article” to access the vital information in these classic, indispensable articles, reports and expert interviews. Continue reading for Razor commentary! Continue reading The ROCK’s Greatest Hits and The Sentinel Goes Live → This Thanksgiving, let’s take a break from the mud-slinging and give thanks to those who deserve it this year. As Los Osos residents, let’s be thankful for keeping the beauty of our town’s coastal environment unspoiled. The peaceful, cloudy Los Osos bay and the windy, scenic drive around the cliffs on Montana De Oro remind us that . . . → Read More: Thanks for Not Giving Up
UPDATE 9:55 PM PST: Pandora Nash-Karner has issued a response:
Razor Response: It’s good to note that there are many volunteers — who contribute to “Celebrate Los Osos” — who are not involved with the sewer. Unfortunately, many of the founders, the movers and the shakers of this non-profit organization have created more pressing issues to the community: more substantial, critical issues that landscaping the road median on Los Osos Valley Rd. will not address. The spirit of volunteerism is not prohibited in this article — and to imply that it is shows a lack of understanding. In fact, the article does state that the focal point of the event should be donating money to where it’s needed the most, the residents of the Prohibition Zone. Planting a tree, clearing brush and building fences will be a moot point if it’s done for a ghost town. There’s no other way to look at it. Contribute to what matters the most. It comes with great sadness to see that Mrs. Nash-Karner does not see the forest for the trees. UPDATE 6:30 PM PST: A petition is now available for Prohibition Zone residents to sign. The petition is designed to hold the Celebrate Los Osos founders accountable. For more details, click here.Week after week, a few Los Osos residents speak at public comment during Tuesday’s SLO County Board of Supervisors meeting. No matter what happens in the ever-changing sewer saga, public comment speakers revisit the same themes in the same combative tone. Legendary American boxer Muhammad Ali once said, “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen,” but in the case of Los Osos residents speaking out, nothing happens when repetition is involved. One year after the launch of our former blog incarnation, Ochs Nation, The Razor has made a tremendous impact in the local community of Los Osos, California. Now, it’s time for people to get on board and become members of our site. As founder of The Razor, I sincerely believe that people ought to have their . . . → Read More: NEW: Membership for Commenters and Authors |
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The Tribune reported on October 30th
