More 2010 SLO County Election Coverage, SewerWatch Style: "The Sequence," Revisited

Last year, I published a piece where I chronicled how SLO County Supervisor, Bruce Gibson, (re)appointed Los Osos resident, Pandora Nash-Karner, to the SLO County Parks Commission in 2007, AFTER she developed, and then implemented, a "strategy" (her word) to have the entire town of Los Osos "fined out of existence" (also her words).

With just one week to go before the District 2 Supervisor race, I thought now would be an EXCELLENT time to revisit that piece.

You can read all about that nauseating sequence of events at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2009/04/sequence-pandora-nash-karner-is-bruce.htm

Quick update: Gibson's yet to reply to my question from last week on whether or not he supports Nash-Karner's massive SLO Boatanical Garden expansion, just off Highway 1, between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.

And, you can read all about THAT nauseating sequence of events at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2010/05/slo-county-election-coverage-sewerwatch.html

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SLO County Election Coverage, SewerWatch Style

TO: Bruce Gibson, SLO County Supervisor, District 2
DATE: 5/28/10

Dear Supervisor Gibson,

I'm researching a story on the upcoming election, and I just have a quick question that I think the voters of District 2 would find interesting, however, I've yet to see this question asked by the local media, let alone answered by you.

My question involves the proposed "$20 - $50 million" expansion of the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, just off Highway 1, between SLO and Morro Bay.

As you probably know (from my recent reporting), your own appointment to the SLO County Parks Commission -- Pandora Nash-Karner -- also sits on the Board of Directors for the SLO Botanical Garden (a facility that sits on county-owned land and has a lease with the county) and is spearheading the expansion project -- a project that, according to SLOBG officials, will bring "millions" of visitors to the area, and include an "up to 5,000 seat amphitheater," a "railway," "trams," numerous food concessions (including a "10,000 square foot restaurant"), a "dormitory," and much, much more.

Additionally, as I also recently reported at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2010/01/great-san-los-osobispo-botanical-sewer.html

... Nash-Karner's husband's landscaping firm -- the SWA Group -- provided the sole bid to design the project, according to the Garden's executive director, Liz Scott-Graham.

The reason I know that is very, very interesting. Last year, I phoned Scott-Graham, and asked her if they had received any proposals to design the expansion.

She said, "Yes. One."

What happened next, journalistically speaking, is great.

My next question wasn't, "Who gave the bid?"

Nope.

My very next (and immediate) question was, "Was it from the SWA Group?"

She said, "Yes."

The reason I already knew to ask that question, is because, at the time, I had recently reported on that exact same arrangement at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2009/07/exclusive-sewerwatch-investigation-how.html

... where I first exposed how, shortly after Nash-Karner took office in 1999 as the initial vice-president for the Los Osos CSD (that she and her husband were solely responsible for forming through their failed "better, cheaper, faster" sewer "project," by the way), official LOCSD sewer design documents began containing the words "SWA Group."



That's why I already knew to ask Scott-Graham if their one proposal came from the SWA Group, because I had recently reported on that exact same arrangement -- the "Nash-Karner on a board that is proposing a major project in the county, and then the words 'SWA Group' appearing on official documents regarding the project" arrangement.

I was right. It was the SWA Group that gave the sole proposal to design the SLOBG expansion. (I guessed "SWA Group," and I was right. Think about that.)

So, with all of that in mind, here's my question, a question I think the voters of District 2 would be very interested in getting answered, before the June 8 election:

Considering that Nash-Karner is your appointment to the SLO County Parks Commission (a position she has held since 1991), do you also support the expansion of the SLO Botanical Garden project?

Do you support that project, that your Parks Commissioner -- who is also on the Board of Directors for the SLO Botanical Garden (yet fails to disclose that fact during the numerous occasions that the Botanical Garden is discussed at Parks Commission meetings) -- is spearheading, a project that will include "trams," a "railway,", a "maximum 5,000 seat amphitheater," and could potentially bring "millions" of extra car trips to Highway 1, halfway between SLO and Morro Bay?

Are you in favor of your Parks Commissioner's/SLO Botanical Garden Director's (and her husband's landscaping firm's) project?

Considering that the election is just a couple of weeks away, I (and the voters of District 2) would very much appreciate it if you could comment on my question as soon as possible. A quick "yes" or "no" would be great, but if you'd like to comment more on this subject, that would be better.

As always, much thanks,
Ron

P.S. A couple of weeks back, I asked your opponent, Marshall Ochylski, a version of the same question, but he never replied. However, he did inform me that, if elected, Nash-Karner will NOT be his appointment to the Parks Commission.

P.P.S. I've published this e-mail on my blog:

sewerwatch.blogspot.com

- - -

[If... IF he replies, I'll publish it.]

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[21 weeks down... 31 to go.]

Fair and Balanced

Be sure to watch 'til the end...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Bernie Goldberg Fires Back
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

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[20 weeks down... 32 to go.]

Dave Congalton Needs to Add One More Segment to His Excellent Pre-Election Coverage

TO: Dave Congalton, local radio talk show host
DATE: 5/13/10

Hello Dave,

Howya been?

Just a quick note to say "great job" on your recent coverage of the upcoming June 8 election. Your interviews with the (many) candidates are a great service for voters.

Excellent job!

On that subject, I have a suggestion for a topic on your show that I think would really help the voters of District 2 with their decision on the County Supervisor race between Marshall Ochylski, and incumbent, Bruce Gibson.

The topic is the proposed expansion of the SLO Botanical Garden, just off Highway 1, halfway between Morro Bay and SLO.

That "expansion" is a major project that is currently making its way through the process, and is expected to attract "more than 1 million" visitors annually (some reports indicate up to "4.4 million" visitors annually).

According to a Botanical Garden spokesperson, the expansion is to include an amphitheater with "a maximum of 5,000" seats, a "cable railway," a "Garden Tram," a "10,000 sq. ft. restaurant," "four Cafés," a "Gift Shop," a "Dormitory," and much more.

All of this is planned halfway between Morro Bay and SLO, directly across Highway 1 from Cuesta College.

Here's the HUGE problem: So far as I know, few SLO County residents (especially those living in the 2nd District), are even aware of the proposed project, let alone a majority that supports it.

That project seems to be flying waaaaay below the radar.

And here's why it is vitally important that all of this is discussed on your show... well before the June 8 election:

The person spearheading that project is Pandora Nash-Karner. And, as I first reported on my blog, Nash-Karner sits on the Board of Directors of the SLO Botanical Garden, and she is also Supervisor Gibson's appointment to the SLO County Parks Commission.

And, as I also first reported on my blog, the one proposal that the SLO Botanical Garden -- a facility that sits on county-owned land, and is "leased" to the Garden by the county -- received to build the "$20 million" project, was from a landscaping firm -- the SWA Group -- where Nash-Karner's husband, Gary Karner, "was in private practice with The SWA Group, Planners and Landscape Architects, with an international practice and eight offices nationally, as a Managing Principal and Senior Project Manager of the firm. He specialized in project management and risk management with SWA for 27 years and is currently retained by SWA to consult on risk management," according to his bio.

(Incidentally, about two months ago I filed a complaint with the SLO County District Attorney's office involving the Nash-Karner/Parks Commission/Botanical Garden/SWA Group arrangement. At the time, a spokesperson for the DA's office told me they were "looking into it," and they also said that they would "notify me in writing" on how they were going to handle my complaint. That was two months ago, and I haven't seen any "writing" yet, so, I'm assuming, they're still "looking into it.")

To further stress the importance of discussing this matter before the election, Ochylski recently informed me that, if elected, Nash-Karner will not be his appointment to the Parks Commission.

So, look at the situation that all of this presents -- it's amazing:

A vote for Supervisor Gibson, is also a vote for Commissioner Nash-Karner, and her (and her husband's landscaping firm's) "theme park"... on Highway 1.

A vote for Marshall Ochylski, and that project takes a serious hit.

So, today, the over-the-top important question is: Do the voters of SLO County's 2nd District approve of that project... check that... Are the voters of District 2 even AWARE of that project?

If not, they REEEEEELY need to be, well before June 8.

And that's where you and your excellent pre-election coverage comes in.

If you're interested in finding someone to discuss the Botanical Garden expansion, I recommend Richard Schmidt. He authored an opinion piece in New Times last year, where he criticized the expansion. (It's important to note that, in his piece, Schmidt was unaware of the Nash-Karner/Parks Commission/Botanical Garden/SWA Group arrangement. I exposed that later.)

Last week, after the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club officially endorsed Supervisor Gibson in the upcoming election, I asked Andrew Christie, the director of the local Sierra Club, if his organization is in favor of the SLO Botanical Garden's proposed "theme park."

He never replied, of course. (Hey, I just thought of something: Considering Christie's organization is endorsing Gibson, maybe he can argue the pro-"theme park" side on your show.)

So, please include a segment on the expansion of the SLO Botanical Garden as part of your pre-election coverage.

The sooner, the better.

Thanks,
Ron

P.S. I notice that when you have Karen Velie, the reporter for CalCoastNews.com, on your show to discuss stories published on CalCoastNews.com, you never disclose that you're listed as a "contributing editor" on the site. The weird and awkward thing about that is, when callers phone in to criticize a story on CalCoastNews.com, you often defend the story, without ever disclosing that you're part of CalCoastNews.com. And, further on that point, in your bio on CalCoastNews.com, it doesn't mention that you are also the host of a local radio talk show on KVEC that frequently includes the reporter for CalCoastNews.com as a guest. As a BIG fan of full disclosure, I'm just sayin'... all that gets a tad awkward, doncha think?

P.P.S. I've published this e-mail on my blog:

sewerwatch.blogspot.com

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[19 weeks down... 33 to go.]

Gibson Endorsement Poses Interesting Question: What's the Sierra Club's Take on Pandoraland III?

TO: Andrew Christie, Director, Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club
DATE: 5/4/10

Dear Mr. Christie,

I'm researching a story, and I noticed that your latest newsletter, in its endorsement for Supervisor, Bruce Gibson, reads, "But there are too many other pressing environmental issues in the (county) for anyone in Gibson’s district to cast their vote on (the sewer) issue alone..."

Considering your endorsement of Supervisor Gibson, I have a question about how the local Sierra Club feels about a proposed project in the 2nd District (and, no, it's not what you think it is ; -).

The project is the proposed "$20 million" expansion of the SLO Botanical Garden at El Chorro Regional Park, on Highway 1, halfway between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo, and directly across from Cuesta College.

According to SLO Botanical Garden documents, the "expansion" is to include numerous commercial concessions, trolleys, and even a "5,000 seat amphitheater."

Additionally, as I first exposed on my blog, SewerWatch, at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2010/01/great-san-los-osobispo-botanical-sewer.html

... Supervisor Gibson's current Parks Commissioner, Pandora Nash-Karner, also sits on the Board of Directors for the SLO Botanical Garden, and, recently, a spokesperson for the SLO Botanical Garden told me that the one firm that submitted a proposal to design the "$20 million expansion," was a landscaping firm known as the SWA Group, where, Gary Karner, Nash-Karner's husband, "was in private practice with The SWA Group, Planners and Landscape Architects, with an international practice and eight offices nationally, as a Managing Principal and Senior Project Manager of the firm. He specialized in project management and risk management with SWA for 27 years and is currently retained by SWA to consult on risk management," according to his bio.

Furthermore, according to County documents, the SLO Botanical Garden is discussed at Parks Commission meetings, and nowhere is it disclosed that Commissioner Nash-Karner is also on the BOD of the SLO Botanical Garden.

So, here's my question for the local Sierra Club:

Considering that you are endorsing Supervisor Gibson this election, and Nash-Karner is his appointment to the Parks Commission, what's your take on the SLO Botanical Garden expansion project?

Is the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club in favor of a 5,000 seat amphitheater being constructed alongside Highway 1, with all of the other commercial and industrial activities that the expansion would bring?

Thank you for your time,
Ron

P.S. I've published this e-mail on my blog.

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[18 weeks down... 34 to go.]