Tom Ruehr Needs to Donate His $120.00/hour to the Prohibition Zone Legal Defense Fund

Los Osos resident Tom Ruehr's name comes up in three very interesting places, and his is the only name that shows up in all three places.

He was a member of the Solution Group from 1997-98. He was a member of the Los Osos Technical Task Force in 2004, and he is listed as a consultant on the current waste water project update.

Considering former Solution Group members comprised five of the first eight CSD Directors, including recently recalled directors Stan Gustafson and Gordon Hensley, and considering that the LOTTF strongly disagreed with former Solution Group member's ideas, AND considering the "new" CSD Board -- a board that also strongly disagrees with former Solution Group member's ideas -- hired an engineering firm that included a former Solution Group member, it appears that Ruehr has jumped ship.

And, as far as I know, he's the only former Solution Group member or follower to have jumped. Everyone else -- the Gustafsons, and Hensleys, and Nash-Karners, and Karners, and DiLeos, and Semonsens -- all of them, are still locked arm and arm. But not Ruehr. Why?

Here's my e-mail, and his response:
- - -

Hello Dr. Ruehr,

I'm a freelance journalist researching a story on Los Osos, and I have just a couple of quick questions for you.

Listed as a career "highlight" of yours in the recent project update document from Mr. Ripley, it says:

"-- Served as a member of the Solutions (sic) Group with about 15 concerned citizens to develop a ponding system as exists in Arcata, California to treat the Los Osos waste water."

What happened to that ponding system? Was it pursued? If so, how did it turn out?

And:

Were you satisfied with the performance of the Solution Group?

Thanks,
Ron


Hello Ron,

Thank you for your inquiry.

It is inappropriate for me to comment now since I am working the the engineering firm to implement the sewer.

You need to contact Gary Karner who was the chair of the Solutions Group. He is the husband of Pandora Nash-Karner.

He should be able to provide you with an ear full of information.

He has favored the down town sewer location and has opposed the newest sewer redition as I understand.

Tom Ruehr

- - -
Personally, I find it unconscionable that anyone involved with the Solution Group would pull one penny of public funds for sewer related stuff in Los Osos.

Although Ruehr has apparently freed himself from the "compelling language" of the Solution Group, and I applaud him for that, it can not be overlooked that he also had a hand in creating the mess in Los Osos as a member of the Solution Group. And now taxpayers are about to pay him to help clean it up? Not on my watch.

So, SewerWatch is asking Dr. Ruehr to donate the $120-140/hour that he will be making as a consultant for the waste water project update to the Prohibition Zone Legal Defense Fund.

Dr. Ruehr, here's the address:

PZLDF
P.O. Box 6095
Los Osos, CA
93412


###

On a completely unrelated topic, much like the sky is blue and water is wet, Noam Chomsky is f-ing brilliant.