30 years of "pooling human waste," and "Chromium 6" in Los Osos water question, please

TO: Harvey C. Packard, Section Manager, Central Coast Water Board

Hello Harvey,

Howya been? : -)

I'm researching a story, and I recently read a Trib story, at this link:

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article55563045.html

... on how "The Los Osos Community Services District isn't sure what caused one of its wells to exceed state standards for Chromium 6, also known as hexavalent chromium, which can be a carcinogen at high exposure levels."

Now, with that story in mind, I just had a quick question involving the Central Coast Water Board's document, "Los Osos Water Quality Impacts," October 2005, at this link:

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/rwqcb3/water_issues/programs/los_osos/docs/master_docs/2005_10_los_osos_water_quality_impacts_and_status_of_sewer_project.pdf

... where it's discussing the history of the Los Osos sewer project.

In that document, it reads:

"One million gallons per day of sewage continues to be discharged to the (Los Osos) community's groundwater and seeps to Morro Bay State and National Estuary. (A sewer in Los Osos) will end human waste discharges to Morro Bay, end health hazards of surfacing effluent, and greatly improve groundwater quality."

and;

"During wet weather... people, pets, and wildlife are exposed to pooling human waste (in parts of Los Osos)..."

and;

"Many of the community's 5,000 homes are on very small lots... The vast majority of homes and other buildings use septic systems for waste disposal." and "Septic tanks severely pollute shallow groundwater... (which) threatens the deep sole-source drinking water aquifer."

and;

"... (a community-wide sewer system) will end human waste discharges to Morro Bay, end health hazards of surfacing effluent and greatly improve groundwater quality."

Additionally, in the 2004 Central Coast Water Board's document, at this link:

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/rwqcb3/board_info/agendas/2004/may/item10/item10_attachment2.pdf

... it reads:

"Degradation of ground water and surface waters from high-density use and septic systems in Los Osos will continue until (a) sewer system is built. Every day that the problem is not resolved, approximately one million gallons (356 million gallons a year) of partially treated wastewater is being discharged to the community's sole source of drinking water."

Now, with all of that in mind, here's my question:

Considering that "5,000 homes" on "very small lots" in Los Osos have been (illegally [as you well know]) using "septic systems for waste disposal" since 1988, and those "5,000 homes" on "very small lots" will continue to "severely pollute shallow groundwater" -- at "approximately one million gallons" of "severe pollution" per day, including today, and tomorrow, and the next day, etc., until the county's sewer project goes on-line sometime this year (at least that's what county officials tell us) -- all the while, "severely polluting shallow groundwater" in Los Osos, which "threatens the deep sole-source drinking water aquifer," do you, or does anyone on your staff, have any reason(s) to believe that there might be some correlation between the nearly 30 years of the "severely polluting" use of septic tanks (at "approximately one million gallons" of "severe pollution" per day) in Los Osos, and "what (recently) caused one of (the LOCSD's) wells to exceed state standards for Chromium 6," "which can be a carcinogen at high exposure levels."

I'm just curious, you know, because "approximately one million gallons" of "severe (water) pollution" per day) in Los Osos, for almost 30 years-and-counting (including today, and tomorrow, and the next day, etc.), sounds like one of the worst wo/man-made water pollution events in human history (I mean, we're talking billions and billions and billions of gallons of water pollution, over a nearly 30 year span) -- and now I'm wondering if there's actually starting to be some real health fallout from such a massive, and completely unobservable, environmental disaster. 

As always, much thanks,

Ron

Oh... and, P.S. : This email automatically posted to my blog, SewerWatch, at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/

Thanks again!

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Los Osos pool scam money question, please

TO: David Buckingham, Morro Bay City Manager

Hello David,

Happy new year!

Hey, real quick, I just want to follow-up on the Los Osos pool-scam story that we discussed last year in the email thread reprinted below.

If you remember, when we last discussed this issue, I showed the City of Morro Bay, using nothing but primary source documents, how, starting over a decade ago, Pandora Nash-Karner scammed a lot of money from numerous victims in Los Osos for a so-called "Los Osos community pool," that never even came close to materializing (of course), and then, in a 2012 story I published on my blog at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2012/07/slo-county-sheriffs-department-fake-los.html

... I exposed how all but a small percentage of the money that Nash-Karner scammed from her numerous victims, had simply disappeared, and then, just about a year ago, I showed, using official Morro Bay City documents, how Nash-Karner conspired with former MB Parks Director, Joe Woods, for about three years, to get the remaining Los Osos pool-scam money into official Morro Bay City coffers, and then, shortly after the two arranged that unbelievably shady transaction, Joe Woods was fired from the City of Morro Bay, and then I showed how, shortly after Woods and Nash-Karner pulled of their what-really-looks-like-a-scam (where, shortly after, Woods was fired) that a local ballot Measure -- Measure D -- passed that freed up funds for the San Luis Coastal Unified School District to build a community pool at Morro Bay High School, and that SLCUSD was now not going to use any of Nash-Karner's remaining pool-scam money -- that Woods and Nash-Karner spent the better part of three years, and TONS of Morro Bay City resources to get into MB City coffers -- for their pool, and, now, and ever since we had that interesting back-and-forth last year, what's left of Nash-Karner's Los Osos pool-scam money has seemingly vanished into MB City coffers, and is, apparently, now totally unaccounted for.

Well, just this morning, one of Nash-Karner's Los Osos pool-scam victims contacted me, and is still wondering what the City of Morro Bay is planning on doing with the $12,000 that Nash-Karner scammed from this particular victim's family over a decade ago "to build a pool in Los Osos."

So, that's now my follow-up question: Now that the SLCUSD isn't going to use Nash-Karner's Los Osos pool-scam money for their community pool in Morro Bay, what is the City of Morro Bay going to do with Nash-Karner's victims' money?

If you have any questions, please just ask.

Thank you,

Ron

P.S. This email, and the thread below, automatically posted to my blog, SewerWatch, at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/

Thanks again.

Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:37:13 -0800

To: "David Buckingham" <dbuckingham@morro-bay.ca.us>

Hello Mr. Buckingham,

I was reading Nick Wilson's story, at this link:

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/04/27/3606315_joe-woods-morro-bay-dismissal.html?rh=1

... and I just have a quick question involving Joe Woods' "dismissal."

Just curious: Did any of that shady Los Osos pool money deal -- where I showed how Mr. Woods basically tricked the MBCC into accepting illegal funds, and then a bunch of that money seemed to just disappear (see my email threads below) -- have anything to do with his "dismissal?"

Thank you,

Ron

- - - - -

- - - - -

Hello Joe,

Just a quick follow-up to your email (below) to me from earlier this month.

So, to be clear, the South Bay Community Pool Association, and more specifically, Pandora Nash-Karner, told you, and the Morro Bay City Council, that the SBCPA Grant would be "approximately $60,000," and then, when she finally got around to presenting the check, it turned out to be for only  "$47,605," right?

Huh. Interesting.

I wonder what happened to that other $12,000 from Dec. 2013 to Oct. 2014?

It sure didn't go to a community pool in Los Osos.

I really appreciate your response. Thank you very much.

Ron

At 12:37 PM -0700 3/9/15, Joe Woods wrote:

Ron,

The first estimate of approximately 60K was just that, an estimate of approximate value of the donation.  When the exact value was determined, 47,605, it was in the range of expectations.

Joseph M. Woods
Recreation Director

City of Morro Bay

jwoods@morro-bay.ca.us

(805)772-6282

"Creating Community Through People, Parks and Programs" 

>>> Ron Crawford <sewerwatch@gmail.com> Monday, March 09, 2015 >>>
Hello Joe,

I'm researching a story, and I noticed that the 8/12/14 MBCC minutes,
at this link:

http://www.morro-bay.ca.us/Archive.aspx?ADID=2179

... read:

"FROM: Joseph M. Woods, Recreation and Parks Director"

and;

"At their regular meeting on December 10, 2013, City Council approved

the Grant Agreement between the City and SBCPA [the South Bay

Community Pool Association], making the City stewards of SBCPA's

donated funds (approximately $60,000)."

I also noticed that the 10/28/14 MBCC minutes, at this link:

http://www.morro-bay.ca.us/Archive.aspx?ADID=1978

... read:

"CHECK PRESENTATION FROM THE SOUTH BAY COMMUNITY POOL ASSOCIATION
Pandora Nash Karner, Terry Rey and Terry Brown, representing the
South Bay Community Pool Association presented the City of Morro Bay
with a check for $47,605 to go towards the (Morro Bay) swimming pool
effort."

Here are my questions:

1: What was your source on this figure: "approximately $60,000"? (A
name would be great.)

and;

2: Do you consider "$47,605" to be "approximately $60,000"?

and;

3: If not, how do you explain the missing approximately $12,000? Why
did the SBCPA (apparently) tell you, and the MBCC, in December 2013,
that they were going to "grant" "approximately $60,000," and then,
less than one year later, only deliver "$47,605?"

How do you explain that discrepancy?

As always, much thanks,
Ron
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sewerwatch.blogspot.com

Hello Joe,

Howya been? Long time, no email, eh? : -)

I'm researching a story, and I just have a quick question involving the Morro Bay Parks and Rec Dept.

In a recent email response to me (reprinted below), Anthony Palazzo, the San Luis Coastal School District's director of facilities, operations and transportation, writes:

"We have been in discussions with the City of Morro Bay Parks and Rec Department to extend our current joint use agreements of our facilities (gyms and classrooms) to this pool."

Now, I was recently reading a Trib story at this link:

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/12/27/3416441/planning-starts-for-new-morro.html

... that discusses how San Luis Coastal trustees have prioritized some "$13 million" from the "$177 million bond (Measure D) passed by voters in November," to be used for the "construction of the pool at Morro Bay High School... likely in early 2016."

Now, as you probably remember, back in 2012, I posted a story on my blog, at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2012/07/slo-county-sheriffs-department-fake-los.html

... where I show how a fake "organization" -- the "Los Osos Community Pool Association" -- spent about 20 years collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in "donations" from Los Osos residents, corporations, and other assorted victims, using the scam that the victims' money "will be used to build the community pool in Los Osos."

Well, as you know, here we are in 2015, and, as my above-mentioned story shows, there is no "community pool" in Los Osos, nor are there even any plans to build one, and the fake "Los Osos Community Pool Association" has quietly (of course) folded up shop, and those hundreds of thousands of dollars that "they" (I write "they," with quotes, because, by all appearances, the fake "Los Osos Community Pool Association" was just one person) collected from private donations "to build the community pool in Los Osos," have now all but vanished.

And I say, "now all but vanished," because, apparently, there was actually a small percentage of that money left, about $60,000, and, according to the Morro Bay City Council staff report, dated 7/24/14, and archived at this link:

http://www.morro-bay.ca.us/Archive.aspx?ADID=2179

"At their regular meeting on December 10, 2013, City Council approved the Grant Agreement between the City and SBCPA, making the City stewards of SBCPA's donated funds (approximately $60,000).

The original Grant Agreement designates the funds for the exclusive use of designing, constructing, and/or maintaining a Community Pool..."

Now, as I've shown you before when I was researching my previous story on this fascinating subject, for confusion sake, the South Bay Community Pool Association (SBCPA) actually WAS a real organization, before "All of South Bay Community Pool Association's powers, rights and privileges in the State of California" were "suspended" years ago, so, how a "suspended" so-called "organization" can donate their victims' money to a city, I have no idea, but I digress.

But, sure enough, if you go to something called the Estero Bay Community Pool Foundation's Facebook page, at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/morrobaypool/posts/783369621678003

... they (I'm assuming there's more than one person involved with that organization, unlike the fake Los Osos Community Pool Association) write:

"Have you heard the GOOD NEWS?? We've received around $60000!!! The funds were granted due to the dissolution of the South Bay Community Pool Association."

Now, as I also show in my above-mentioned story, Los Osos residents, like the Stark/Coleman family, that donated some $12,000 to the SBCPA (before it was "suspended" by the State) for a community pool in Los Osos, and now feel that they are victims of a fraud, of course, now want their donations returned... of course, but eight years after the Stark/Coleman family made that donation, the one person behind the fake Los Osos Community Pool Association told them:

"Your generous gift (that will be used to build the community pool in Los Osos)... is now irrevocable."

So, with all that in mind, here's my question.

Now that Measure D has passed, and SLCUSD trustees have prioritized some $13 million (out of "$177 million") for a student/community pool at MBHS, will the City of Morro Bay still be using Cinthea Coleman's $12,000 -- that her family donated for "a pool in Los Osos," and that she REALLY wants returned, of course -- for the new Morro Bay pool, or can she finally get her $12,000, that the City of Morro Bay is now "stewards" of, returned, or is it still "irrevocable?" 

 

As always, much thanks,

Ron

From: Anthony Palazzo <apalazzo@slcusd.org>
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 14:33:36 -0800
Subject: Re: MBHS Pool question, please
To: Ron Crawford <sewerwatch@gmail.com>

Mr. Crawford:

Currently we are in the very early stages of design for the Morro Bay High School pool and many things are subject to change due to technical constraints that may be uncovered as we move forward.  As it is currently planned on the site, it is being developed to facilitate use by the community- ample parking, separated entrance and ability to fence/gate the pool during the day to separate students and the community.

We have been in discussions with the City of Morro Bay Parks and Rec Department to extend our current joint use agreements of our facilities (gyms and classrooms) to this pool.   As it is very early in the game, and the City is beginning to assess extent of use, staffing, etc. nothing is solidified. We have included folks from the Estero Bay Pool group in the discussions as well.

It is our understanding that the City and the Estero Bay group is looking to the Morro Bay High School pool to be part of the City's offerings in the future and it is our intent to work with them to make that happen if they so desire.  I am not aware of any other pools being considered in the Morro Bay area at this time.  Regardless, in order to provide our students with the best opportunities for athletic purposes and a general physical education curriculum that includes swimming and water safety, we need to move forward with our plans.

Please feel free to call me if you require additional information at 596-4105, ext 4210

Anthony Palazzo

On Tue, Jan 27, 2015 at 11:06 AM, Ron Crawford <sewerwatch@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello Anthony,

I'm researching a story, and I was recently reading a Trib story at this link:

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/12/27/3416441/planning-starts-for-new-morro.html

... that discusses how San Luis Coastal trustees have prioritized some "$13 million" from the "$177 million bond passed by voters in November," to be used for the "construction of the pool at Morro Bay High School... likely in early 2016."

Quick question: Is that the pool that the "Estero Bay Community Pool Foundation" is pursuing, or, are they pursuing a different community pool project altogether?

They write on their web page, at this link:

http://esterobaypool.org/our-goals/

"Maintaining our partnership with the City of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County Offices, and the San Luis Coastal Unified School District."

So, I'm just a little confused on which pool is which, here.

Is the new MBHS pool, funded by the bond, going to also be available to the community, through some "partnership" with the Estero Bay Community Pool Foundation, or, are they pursuing a different project altogether?

Thanks!

Ron

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sewerwatch.blogspot.com

 

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Pandora Nash-Karner "friends" questions, please

Hello District Attorney Dow,

First, happy new year : - )

Hey, real quick, I'm researching a story, and I just wanted to quickly touch base with you on some questions that I first sent you last January, with a follow-up in March (reprinted below), but I never received a response, and it's (still) very important for my story that I get these questions answered.

Again, the questions involve something you posted on your Facebook page, on March 11, 2014, during your campaign.

I've embedded a screen shot:

Hopefully you can view that image, but, if not, it reads:

"Enjoyed a wonderful evening in a Los Osos home (Thank you Pandora Nash-Karner) making many new friends and discussing my vision for the future of our District Attorney's office."

I'm just curious about your relationship with Pandora Nash-Karner.

For example, did you know her before that evening, or, did she become your "new friend" that evening? And, if you knew her before that evening, how long have you known her, and was it on a first-name-basis-type relationship? (A few quick words describing that relationship would be great.)

and;

How did that campaign stop -- at Pandora Nash-Karner's home -- come about? Did you contact her to set up that appearance, or did she contact you and invite you to her home?

Now, I realize that you are very busy, and I apologize for having to bug you again with this, but I can't overstate how important it is for my overall story (that includes a span of over 17 years, and numerous newspaper articles [including two New Times cover stories], and over a decade of blog entries) that I get these questions answered, and you're the only person that can answer these questions. So, please, if you have just a couple of spare minutes in your busy schedule to respond to these questions, I would really appreciate it.

Finally, I just wanted to also let you know that this email automatically posted to my blog, SewerWatch, at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/

Thanks again,

Ron

- - -

Below's my first follow-up email concerning this matter, sent, 3/25/15:

- - -

Hello Mr. Dow,

I sent this email to you last January, but I never received a response. Now, I realize you are very busy, so, maybe it just "slipped through the cracks," so I'm going to re-send.

I'm researching a story, and I just have a quick question involving something you posted on your Facebook page, on March 11, during your campaign last year.

I've embedded a screen shot:

Hopefully you can view that image, but, if not, it reads:

"Enjoyed a wonderful evening in a Los Osos home (Thank you Pandora Nash-Karner) making many new friends and discussing my vision for the future of our District Attorney's office."

I'm just curious:

1) Did you know Pandora Nash-Karner before that evening? If so, how?

and;

2) How did that campaign stop -- at Pandora Nash-Karner's home -- come about? Did you contact her to set up that appearance, or did she contact you and invite you to her home?

MUCH thanks,

Ron

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sewerwatch.blogspot.com