Top Two Issues Facing Los Osos (article for The Tribune)

By Karen Venditti

I believe the critical issues facing LO include protecting our community services (emergency, fire, public safety), which is linked to fiscal stability; and restoring and protecting our groundwater basin for future generations.

Currently, our reserves for fire and safety are threatened by the hemorrhage of funds needed to address the barrage of lawsuits, some of which appear to be vindictive and intentionally destructive. The resulting fiscal instability threatens the future quality of fire and emergency services, and saps the energies of our directors that would be much better spent leading the community to a sustainable future. While I would seek resolution through alternative approaches to litigation, I would not sacrifice the fairness of a just outcome that Los Osos may find in the courts. The long-term impacts are too great.

Another important aspect of fiscal stability is how we run the district. In my personal life and professional experience, I believe that we constantly need to monitor our spending and find ways to do things more efficiently without losing the quality of life. This means scrutinizing the district's financial reports, working with administration and the water department to find better ways to serve with less overhead. This is particularly important during this period that we are under the protection of bankruptcy.

The other major issue for both the district and everyone who lives in Los Osos is the future of our water supply. We have an amazing gift + the groundwater basin + that if properly restored and protected, can provide clean, affordable water for future generations. The alternative + imported water from the State or Nacimiento + is not only expensive; it's also unreliable and probably unavailable. In order to ensure this precious asset, we must take action as a water purveyor, as well as a district. We have the opportunity to work with other water purveyors, the county, regulatory agencies, and farmers to stop over-pumping from the lower aquifer and halt seawater intrusion. Through public education and district ordinances we can take measures to use storm water run-off to recharge the aquifer, and harvest rain water to use on our landscaping. We can reduce water usage through conservation practices, both individual and community-wide projects, and ensure that water rates reward those who conserve. And we can work with the county on the wastewater project to ensure that the treated effluent is recycled to recharge the basin.

In every aspect of local government, board members need to be more than directors + they need to be leaders. We need leaders who respect and genuinely listen to each other and members of the public, even when they differ in opinion; leaders who can be trusted to be fair, unbiased, open and able to bridge the divides that plague our community. We need leaders who are forward-thinking and have a long-term, big-picture perspective in their decision-making process. We need leaders who can effectively work together with stakeholders who can help us accomplish our goals and build an infrastructure that is sustainable. We need someone who is a voice for all the people in our community and can stand up for Los Osos when it's needed. I have demonstrated this kind of leadership already and I pledge myself to these goals.