MEETINGS, MEETINGS
TAC Special Working Committee Meeting Schedule
The is a listmail notice regarding three upcoming special working TAC committee meetings. Mark your calendars and plan to attend.
Dear Los Osos ListMail Subscribers,Re: Los Osos Wastewater Project – Technical Advisory Committee Notices & AnnouncementsBelow is a list of Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings. This information is being brought to you on behalf of the Department of Public Works, San Luis Obispo County, Technical Advisory Committee. To enhance communications, TAC will now be supplying information to you (i.e. ListMail Subscribers) via this service also. Meetings and notices will be delivered in as timely a manner as possible.Future e-mail messages will have some/all of the following words in the header: LOWWP – TAC MTG – Agenda – Notice – Date, etc.You can also keep up to date by frequenting the County’s “Los Osos Wastewater Website” at: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/PW/LOWWP.htm. Current schedules, agendas, and staff reports are available there.----------------------------------------------------------------------------Notice: Wed. 4/11/073 SPECIAL WORKING TAC COMMITTEE MEETINGSThe Los Osos Wastewater Project Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will be hold three special working committee meetings in order to receive public input on the Alternatives described in the Potential Viable Projects Alternatives Rough Screening Analysis.The schedule for the meetings is as follows:Tuesday, April 17, 7:00PM - South Bay Community Center - Eng/Water Resources committeeTuesday, April 24, 7:30PM - South Bay Community Center - Finance committee Tuesday, May 1, 7:00PM - South Bay Community Center - Environmental committeeThe full document and an overview of the Alternatives is available at the County Websitehttp://www.slocounty.ca.gov/PW/LOWWP/DOCS/Current_Documents.htm------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THESE MESSAGES – THEY GO TO A COMPUTER – Send TAC responses/e-mails to: LOWWP@co.slo.ca.us
Next Up, PZLDF Meeting with Guest Speaker, Supervisor Bruce Gibson
Monday, 4/16/06 at 7 pm, in the meeting room at Mutual Bank, Los Osos, Bruce Gibson will be the guest speaker. If you have any questions, do plan to attend.
Pages
Calhouns Can(n)ons
About the Can(n)ons
Calhoun's Can(n)ons was originally published in 1990 in the (now defunct) Morro Bay, CA, Sun Bulletin, and since 1992 has continued in the various resurrections of the Los Osos, CA. Bay News, Bay Breeze, Bay News, Bay News-Tolosa Press. A few years ago, the Can(n)on was added to the Central Coast NewsMission blogsite. Ann Calhoun lives in Los Osos. You can email her at Churadogs at gmail dot com
To be persuasive, we must be believable. To be believable, we must be credible. To be credible, we must be truthful.
Edward R. Murrow
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; the essential is invisible to the eye.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The Little Prince
No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the misfortune is to do it solemnly.
Montaigne
Edward R. Murrow
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; the essential is invisible to the eye.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The Little Prince
No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the misfortune is to do it solemnly.
Montaigne
Followers
Posts
Calhouns Can(n)ons
Search Calhoun's Can(n)ons
Adopt a Dog or Cat Today
Local Bloggers and Friends
Blog Archive
-
▼
2007
(186)
-
▼
April
(17)
- Mad Hatter Tea Party Scheduled AgainIt’s déjà vu a...
- Calhoun’s Cannons, The Bay News, Morro Bay, CA, fo...
- Put Down Those Peas and Step Away From The PlateIn...
- And Now, For Something Completely Different This e...
- Don’t Feed The Dog, YetThis from a recent email. T...
- More Pet Food Recalls.This email from a friend. It...
- Re the NOV Letter from the RWQCBThe following was ...
- Pssst, Put Out The Cat. Puuuutttt Outtt the Caaatt...
- MEETINGS, MEETINGSTAC Special Working Committee Me...
- A 218 Letter From Steve PaigeThe following email w...
- Calhoun’s Cannons,The Bay News, Morro Bay CA for ...
- Smackdown!Uh, oh, Ron Crawford, over at www.sewerw...
- Santa’s Coming To Town, So Ya Better Not Frown For...
- And Now, Another WrinkleThe following email exchan...
- TAC CHANGESThe tentatively scheduled public meetin...
- Dog/Cat Food Poisoning UpdateThe following press r...
- PZLDF Press Release Concerning the recent RWQCB “N...
-
▼
April
(17)
Central Coast News Radio
Central Coast NewsLinks
CCNM Disclaimer: Calhoun's Can(n)on content copyright wholly owned by Ann Calhoun. Central Coast NewsMission site name and branding images, content and customization copyright © 2005 - 2009. Images courtesy page author, Ann Calhoun, and CCNM editor, Greg McClure; sponsors; and public domain. All writers are responsible for their articles. Permission granted to quote articles herein on a fair use basis, please credit the writer.
42 comments:
The RWQCB dragged state representatives through the muck yesterday for sample of the pollution caused by out septic tanks. Was there only one location that they could obtain the evidence they required? Or were samples taken from multiple locations? If the pollution can be easily traced to specific locations, why are citizens far from the bay inspecting their tanks and enduring prosecution, while those near the hot spots do nothing?
Will these samples be independently analyzed? Matt Thompson is a lying snake. I hope the visitors realize that he has become as crooked as his exiled boss.
zzzzzz yawn zzzzzzz.......
You folks have to come up with new material........
OK, hows this:
Trivial Headline:
Water board officials ensnare additional innocent lawmakers in quagmire!!
(news at eleven)
Ouch! I just bit my tongue again!
I think some of us who have had to deal with Matt for the last year are getting a little paranoid. I think his incompetence far outshines his deviousness. He just tends to cover his numerous mistakes at the expense of the defendants. This will occur when you have a government agency that gives too much power to unqualified employees, and then provides little independent oversight. Corruption is bound to occur.
What really needs to be done is dredge that muck and make a deep water channel right to First Street and put in a LPG receiving terminal.
All that polluted mud needs to be dredged out!
Anonymous sez:"I think some of us who have had to deal with Matt for the last year are getting a little paranoid. I think his incompetence far outshines his deviousness. He just tends to cover his numerous mistakes at the expense of the defendants. This will occur when you have a government agency that gives too much power to unqualified employees, and then provides little independent oversight. Corruption is bound to occur."
It isn't paranoia on the part of CDO holders who have experienced these folks first hand. Anyone who was present for the ACL and CDO hearings knew, almost immediately, that we're looking at a broken system utterly lacking checks and balances and plain competence and even common sense. I mean nobody even vaguely familiar with septic systems would ever, EVER, propose the original cockmamie Mad Pumping Scheme. That was just nuts. The whole thing was bungling over with sheer incompetence. It was . . . embarassing to watch. But since the Fox (RWQCB) is under the direct protection of the Wolf (SWB) there are no checks and balances. As for the incompetence of the SWB, you only have to read the report on Science and Technology they commissioned to understand it really is a broken system. Any report that has to make as a recommendation (one amont some 23 recommendations, if memory serves) that RWQCBs throughout the state should be given annual subscriptions to various peer review publications pertinent to their field -- like that isn't STANDARD OPERATING PRACTICE?????? -- well, you know you're in trouble right there. The report goes on and on and on. Chilling.
Ann (and others),
Your outrage at Thompson and the "process" would sound far more credible if you were to have argued time and again for actions which would promote clean water instead of arguing time and again for actions which would, at best, delay clean water.
On the RWQCB and process ... you may all be right but don't be surprised when others doubt your intentions.
We have an environmental problem, and an incompetent agency in charge of overseeing the fixes to the environmental problem. Both problems need fixing. Unfortunately we are placed in a position where we may have to fix the problems with the agency before we can fix the problems with the environment. We need people to focus their energy one issue or the other instead of trying to solve both at once.
Please support the people trying to solve the extensive problems with the RWQCB AND the people trying to solve our wastewater/water problems. If we could stop fighting each other, with the tremendous wealth of knowledge in Los Osos we could find a way to solve both problems.
Kumbaya
Instead of constantly declaring government authorities as incompetent while elevating some vocal-locals with very narrow views into some pseudo-form of enviro-experts, we just might see a solution. All that is being accomplished on the local level is the same 10 or 12 trying to pick apart any outside proposal while having no realistic solution. Delay seems to be the name of the game. I for one, am thankful the project was taken away from the incompetent CSD. I fully support the much more neutral County Public Works Department analyzing and determining a reasonable solution.
To annon 12:07April 14,2007
"I fully support the much more neutral County Public Works Department analyzing and determining a reasonable solution."
Do you believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny, also?
It is not obvious to me why "we" in Los Osos would need to "fix" the RWQCB before the County can fix problems with our water.
Sure, CDO recipients can fight the RWQCB all they want and that might be a good fight (by the way, after reading Sullivan's piece, I remain unconvinced as a non-lawyer that she's got any hope of convincing a State Appellate court that the laws governing the water boards are unconstitutional) but that is entirely unrelated to the question of how the County engineers, the TAC and individual property owners deal with the water quality problems.
If you would be so kind, please explain why your individual fight against the RWQCB is related at all to the County's obligation, under AB2701, to put a WWTF online if the property owners approve it.
The only way the two issues are congruent is pertaining to the upcoming 218 vote. The county is under no obligation at all, in fact they can walk away anytime.
It is my opinion and many others that the CDO/CAO process as it is being carried out is not helpful to the county successfully getting the 218 passed.
As far as the laws governing the RWQCB I don't read in the Sullivan brief any argument with that, it's the ACTIONS that are questioned.
The ACTIONS of the RWQCB have caused disention and division in this community ever since the questionable tactics used for the orginal well testing and the creation the PZ. The RWQCB continues to manipulate the facts to suit their desired outcome (which rarely is just an environmental concern). Individuals are not allowed to even question the actions in the water board court, guilty with no fair opportunity to prove your innocence. WB staff understands that justice is a long lonely road when challenging their organization, unless you are a more powerful entity.
Where would we be right now if the RWQCB had never tried to manipulate the outcome? Would we have developed cluster treatment options for the homes near the bay? Would a septic management program have been in place for 20+ years? Would we not have allowed new homes with septic systems that drain directly into the perched aquifer? Would we have already moved on to a community WWTF? Would we be taking responsible action for our environment rather than constatntly fighting an agency that prostitutes with the dark side? The people that you see at every meeting are still fighting the battle that should have been allowed 20 years ago. It will not go away until it is told by the individuals in a courtroom. It would be nice to solve the environmental problems first, but as long as the RWQCB is influencing the outcome, the process is tainted.
The RWQCB fined Pismo. Hmmmm, doesn't seem to be a lot of dissension there and they even managed to upgrade a treatment plant (in the middle of the town near a school and playfield as well!!!!). Boy those idiots in Pismo really got jerked around by the water board.
CMC got fined by the RWQCB. Hmmm, seems the Warden was able to get a treatment plant upgraded. The inmates haven't revolted either. They had about, oohhh, 2 or 3 public comments in the whole process.
Morro Bay got their waiver revoked, so it seems as if they will be upgrading their treatment plant. But nooooooo!!!!!, Morro Boy gets preferential treatment according to Los Osos local yokals.
SLO, San Simeon, all got fined. All have treatment plants. Boy!!! did they ever get hung out to dry by the RWQCB.
Yep, that RWQCB really has screwed up all those towns. And they HAD better treatment than Los Osos to begin with.
WHAT, pray tell, exactly is the RWQCB supposed to do??? Not issue CDOs and watch as a 218 goes down in defeat???? because we all know without any enforcement to back it up, ain't nobody going to vote for a $100 or so million assesment.
Be honest, what is going on here is that Los Osos just does not want to be regulated. All the rhetoric is nothing other than posturing.
You are right on target!
The local vocal yokels of Los Egos would only be happy in the creation of their own private country where they won't need laws other than the ones they chose.
Missed the target entirely.
The Actions in Pismo, Men's colony and Morro Bay Were against Water Treatment facility management.
No single homeowner was threatened with having to move from their home (although the men's colony inhabitants would probably welcome that)
The Water board is supremely ill suited to deal with the Los Osos problem.
What should they do?
IMHO hold in abeyance all action except SUPPORT of the county process, threats and posturing have failed miserably here time and again
To all that defend the RWQCB:
You want us all to support the process of the county and RWQCB and not to complain. You say we don't want clean water, and I say, the SRF loan was illegal for the Tri-W project, which makes the project illegal. So if the RWQCB wants to fine everyone in the PZ for not going through with an illegal project with an illegal loan, then they are the ones who should be thrown in jail.
They are the ones who don't care about clean water. They did nothing about investigating any septic problems for decades. Same goes for the county because they permitted septic tanks -- no problem. Now there's such a rush? Why now? Why (after waiting over 20 years) is the big rush instead of doing the job right?
Some of the people in Los Osos know there are better options for Los Osos than the mega sewer. The county has indicated at every turn, with every action they've taken, and every word they've spoken -- They want the big gravity sewer.
Otherwise, we would have one project with one price tag!
But, no, they have to try to trick and confuse the voters yet again!!!
Yes, some of us know we could have an affordable project. Maybe the current CSD is not strong or smart enough to do this themselves, but the county has the big fix in, sure some are complaining!
The mega sewer supporters just want us all to "roll over" .... when we're going to have huge liens on our homes for a mega sewer that isn't needed for a few thousand homes while others don't pay a dime a mega sewer that won't clean up any pollution for 30 or 40 years. Yeah, right, you expect us not to complain!!!
I don't care any more whether you do complain and we've all heard a lot of your complaining. You are the one always seemingly in a rush to condemn the RWQCB.
You had no project, yet you stopped the one project finally under construction and shouted loudly that it was finanaced with an illegally committed loan!
You are the one who should be in jail for all your hate and lies! Get the hell out of the way!
Those of us who have seen through all the lies and delays created by you and your CSD friends are backing the County and the State to get the damn project built amd quite frankly, if you don't like it, then move.
If we had to wait through all the bull shit you have put out, we would be waiting 30 more more years for some project that would not satisfy even you!
If the 218 fails, then what should they do?
Mike, at what point should the RWQCB enforce the discharge prohibition?
Now?
After a 218 fails?
Never?
You don't seem to like the Now option.
So, if the 218 fails, and then they issue CDOs, will you be ok with that?
if not, and your answer is Never, then what regulation should the RWQCB put on Los Osos. I think you better think this thru. Do you want them to drum up a new set of regs for Los Osos? What would those regulations be? What would be the consequences?
As to your assertion that no homeowners were threatened to move from their homes, then why didn't Pismo just tell the RWQCB to go take a hike? Do you believe there would have been no consequences to Pismo homeonwners and business owners. I guarantee you the hotel owners would have made sure the entire city council was gone pronto had Pismo fooled around and not upgraded.
To say the fines against Pismo/CMC were for facility management is misleading. The existing facilities could not be managed to achieve the appropriate water quality.
Do you think Los Osos was fined for not managing Septics correctly? IT DOES NOT MATTER how you manage a Septic, it still will pollute with the existing density of Septics. Go read the testimony of Cleath, the RWQCB, and Rob Miller if you are not sure.
This myth about being 'forced' from homes is comical.
The RWQCB needs to take ownership of the mistakes they have made in LO over the last 30 years. I am sure that they are fully aware of the problems since they sent Briggs out of the country and sent in their top hitman from Sacramento for the prosecutions. Sato was so busy covering up that he didn't have much left to us for the prosecution, which explains why it continued to look like a total kangaroo court.
If the RWQCB would come clean, and prosecute those within their own ranks who have abused the power of their postion, we could then start with a clean slate. Why is the RWQCB able to work effectively with Pismo and CMC? Maybe the abuse of power never occured in these locations since they have always had a balancing power to protect them. We in Los Osos, on the other hand, have been subject to the scams of anyone willing to line a politican's pocketbook. Through it all the RWQCB has repeatedly tried to dip into the pot and manipulate the process. Who paid for Roger Brigg's vacation? Does he have a fat offshore account? Is the State WB more concerned with covering up than justice? Will we someday get him on the witness stand in a real courtroom?
Yes, it is difficult to envision people being evicted from their homes. It is not difficult, however, to envision other, less draconian but still very distasteful sanctions. I have heard of cases where holds were put on all properties in a given area, and the properties were unable to be sold until a problem was resolved. I could see that happening here if the 218 fails, as well as a prohibition on rentals once current tenents move out.
We don't want to play games with our financial futures. What will our properties would be worth under such sanctions, or others just as bad?
I have had enough. There is no reason for us to not have a sewer. Yes, it will be very expensive for a sewer, but I think it will be worth the sacrafice. After seeing the effort that the County is putting into this, there is no way that if this process fails we can get it done another way.
This myth about being 'forced' from homes is comical.
You are dead wrong. It is neither comical or a myth. I suggest you actually read the CDO wording.
Or else come up with some method of complying with the CDO/CAO that is reasonable and doable with ZERO discharge and possibly no sewer.
There is a way! Simply back the County and get on with building a sewer!
Mike, you know there is no reasonable or do-able ZERO discharge system, including a straw fed, smelly commode in Santa Margarita.
When you look at the concentrated population in LO, you know that the only reasonable way to halt our human waste from contaminating the drinking water aquifiers is to construct a collection system and treat the waste, returning cleaned water to the aquifier.
It is unfortuante that the RWQCB has been put into a position of having to develop a way to force this community to clean up our own drinking water. We have delayed and stalled any sewer. It is because we have chosen to ignore reason and delay or halt any method of stopping our own pollution that the RWQCB is having to come up with some way to get out attention. The CDO, if nothing else, is making waves, making individuals nervous. We should be nervous, we should be very angry that this CSD has spent all the District's money on fighting the Water Boards rather than planning a waste treatment facility. We have no one to blame but ourselves.
All the threats and scare tactics are a sham. If the 218 fails, it comes back to the CSD, and the CSD could be ready to put in a system, a better system, much faster. What's the big deal?
The county could do an affordable project, but they refuse to look at any. Montgomery/Watson/Harza is back. Counties do big projects for companies for big money. It's just not necessary for Los Osos.
There is a way! Simply back the County and get on with building a sewer
Works for me! Now just get the water gods on board and we'll sail this ship!
"....and the CSD could be ready to put in a system, a better system, much faster"
Now that's a real joke!
The CSD is BROKE, BANKRUPT, INSOLVENT!
IF the CSD had been capable of planning and constructing a sewer system, they already would have, but they didn't!
All this CSD, less Joe Sparks, accomplished in 18 months was the financial flushing of the District! NOTHING ELSE!
Mike,
enough tap dancing, what is your answer to the question of enforcement
Now?
If a 218 fails?
Never?
"Get the water gods on board" what in hades does that mean?
Enforcement should ALWAYS have some vehicle of reasonable compliance.
The water gods can "get on board" by putting all ACTIONS of the RCQWCB on abeyance (like Sam asked them) until such time that no reasonable likelihood of progress is foreseeable and agreed to by the county and the state.
Hows that?
nope, nice try, but too evasive
BTW, isn't a 218 a vehicle of reasonable compliance?
Evasive? you mean like the floating discharge requirements of the water board?
OK, a 218 success qualifies.
Tell me how you think the actions of the water board helps this.
Tell me how the lessons of the past three elections have modified the fossilized thinking of the water board.
Tell me how threats and posturing have WON elections in Los Osos.
Someone, please GOD hire a first year political science freshman and appoint them to the water board.
Do you think the past 18 months could be seen as "...reasonable likelihood of progress..."?
Ask Pavell, Ask Sam, Ask Lois, Ask Bruce. Ask Noel
My opinion has NO WEIGHT AT ALL.
Even less than Ann Calhoun's
I just want to be left alone to go fish, and I'm getting screwed on that end too!
Ask the state legislature. Progress? Ya think?
Mike,
I know that I am late in the game here but ... when you say that actions against Pismo Beach, CMC and Morro Bay were against water treatment management and not against homeowners ... you seem to forget that in Los Osos pretty much all homeowners are running their own water treatment facilities.
Dating back over 20 years now, we've been told that our individual treatment facilities are inadequate (due to characteristics of local geology and our proximity to the neighbor's treatment facility).
You are right that the tools the RWQCB has been given by law do seem rather ill suited to deal with individual homeowners and are instead far better suited to deal with larger outfits. Unfortunately, the RWQCB has been given the mandate to deal with water quality problems and the only tools they have are those they've been given my the state law that set up the board and the process.
Even if they're doing a poor job, Mike, you've got to admit that the Los Osos obstructionists would seem to be willing to do anything to avoid putting in a sewer ... perhaps because it will cost so much. The frustrating thing is that every day of delay makes the costs rise even more.
Steve, you may be late, but you're catching up fast.
The Tri-W or big sewer supporters are the obstructionists. The homeowners opposed to the "big" sewer only wanted sustainable and affordable projects looked at.
Those of you fighting Tri-W and or any sewer should be able to provide a few answers in support of your challenges. Please tell us why Gail is here fighting the water boards and not somewhere else? Why did BWS head into our community? We know how they came, it was via lawsuits that were initiated by Al Barrows and Julie Tacker and other CCLO. Where are all those people now? Where is Julia Biggs? Why did Mr.Onstott leave BWS? Why hasn't the CSD filed a claim against BWS's E&O?
These questions bear answering more than where is Roger Briggs on his vacation.
To Anon above:
Why don't you attend a CSD meeting and ask these questions? A lot of us would like to know.
Yes, please do ask! I would like to see Ms. Schicker fumble her way through that answer!
Naw, she would just turn that patchy red and complain that those it's all the past Directors faults and then she would be too tired to continue. She sure can't make it past midnight any longer. Remember having to listen to her drone on and on til 3 in the morning? Have all her fiscal mismanagement deeds caught up to her and she can't sleep with all the nightmares running around in her chunky mind?
PZLDF - "Sewer neutral": Means, not for TriW and not for anything that the County can bring forward. By default, means that they are for nothing because the CSD is incapable of putting a project forward.
Post a Comment