Vote for Shirley Gibson for OCSD, Division 5

Shirley Gibson is the right choice for OCSD Director. She has earned the widespread support of local leaders and businesses and longtime residents– Her endorsements tell the tale.

Here's why Shirley Gibson merits your support and why she has obtained the support of a bi-partisan group of local community leaders, including:

Arroyo Grande Mayor Karen Ray Russom

Former Fire Chief Steve Lieberman

Former OCSD General Manager Paavo Ogren

Former 4th District Supervisor Lynn Compton

Lucia Mar School Board President Colleen Martin

Arroyo Grande City Council Member Kristen Barneich

Arroyo Grande City Council Member Lan George

OCSD Director Linda Austin

OCSD Director-elect Kim Rose

Local business owners and agricultural leaders including John Taylor, the Loomis family, Mr. Lopez of La Tapatia, Rapp Farms, the Hayashi Brothers, Stan Ikeda, Rock and Roll Diner, and Old Juan's Cantina also back Shirley.

Gibson merits your support for her character, her focus and true concern for accomplishing the real tasks of the OCSD and protecting it from chaos and mismanagement.

Gibson’s record is of a solid, no-nonsense public servant, with no schemes or hidden agendas to promote. Her approach to good governance is founded on fidelity to the charter duties of the OCSD, and sensitivity to protecting its revenues from misuse for unauthorized activities. Gibson promoted your public safety and personal wellbeing in seeking a public vote to pass the 2020 and 2022 Fire Tax Measures which would have preserved Oceano’s fire station, protect fire and emergency response with local fire assets and personnel. When Oceano had a fire crew and trucks, emergency response times averaged 5-7 minutes – time margins that gave those affected by emergency an opportunity to live, not die. Current average response times have slowed by 30-40%, putting emergency victims at great personal risk. Also important to all Oceano residents, the community’s state fire rating has declined, which will mean higher fire insurance rates, another “inflationary” burden to all homeowners and renters.

Gibson has committed to promote the re-activation of the Oceano fire station as a top priority, and her quiet but firm approach will be much more likely to produce a successful outcome than Varni ever could. Varni complains that he opposed the fire tax out of concern for the financial impact on OCSD taxpayers. However, he was blindly heedless of the cascading adverse effects of putting minor financial considerations ahead of the very substantial public safety risks. Can we trust Varni to be vigorous to solve the fire safety problems when he was completely focused on something else? Varni never even understood the cascading costs to Oceano from reduced fire safety to the loss of OCSD’s facilities and tax revenues that happened when Oceano was forced to “surrender” and pay the substantial costs of that surrender to SLO County.

Gibson has demonstrated concern about and support for protecting the stability of OCSD operations. This means sound district management and preservation of its limited financial resources to use for OCSD’s essential services. Gibson supported Manager Clemens, who had been a very effective manager of district water facilities and who obtained the $3 million state grant to improve and expand district water infrastructure. Clemens was also a strong force for protecting Oceano’s well-managed water supply from being sold to outside developers and at cut-rate prices and deals, such as advocated by Varni. Indeed, a thread runs through several of Varni’s proposals of ignorance as to the true financial costs of his proposals along with a stubborn refusal to be conservative in preserving OCSD’s precious water resources. Gibson also supported interim Manager Paavo Ogren, who came on board to restore stable management after Varni’s harassment of Clemens forced him to resign. Ogren resigned early due to Varni’s rejection of his stabilizing efforts, and Ogren now supports Gibson.

Gibson strongly opposes annexation to Grover Beach, and preservation of Oceano and Halcyon and the town/national historic district. She opposed the Paulding-Varni scheme for many reasons, but among them saw the annexation proposal as part of a vision of Varni, Paulding, and one local developer who has been a silent proponent of gentrification of Oceano. Gentrification in a nutshell means higher prices, a threat to the ability of middle-class working people in our community to continue to live and raise their families here.

Gibson supports the capable OCSD staff, which is small but works hard to carry out the essential tasks of the district. She has the respect and support of OCSD staff, due to her respect and appreciation for their talents and hard work. Gibson exhibits common courtesy in dealing with members of the public, OCSD employees, and management. Her character and record on support for staff and appreciation for their work has attempted to preserve morale, in stark contrast to Varni’s disrespect and abusive conduct to staff, management, and the public speaks loudly.

Gibson's focus is on the OCSD alone. She does not use the OCSD to fight other political battles on issues beyond the OCSD’s jurisdiction.

Gibson does not engage in political posturing, claiming credit for every accomplishment, or denying responsibility for every failure, as Varni has in almost every public communication or OCSD Board meeting. Gibson does not claim personal credit for any successes of the district in obtaining grant funding for bona fide projects, or persuasive efforts that have produced cooperative projects with Caltrans, SLO County government, SLOCOG, or the Lucia Mar schools. She supports and has worked collaboratively with OPARC, the point committee on promoting local recreational activities. She has not been a divider, rather a defender, and a stout one, of good government, true civility, and respect for the public.

Gibson will not engage in political posturing and pursuit of small, non-essential projects as has Varni. She has opposed Varni’s history of disruptive mismanagement, and his complicity in the waste of district assets and revenues.

Shirley Gibson is Muy Bueno, and merits support for re-election on November 5, 2024!

Every OCSD dollar spent pursuing Varni’s vanities is a VARNI TAX, and the VARNI TAX burden has been steep. More than-a Million Dollars-during his brief tenure since January 2022. Every hour spent chasing Varni’s “shiny object” dreams is an hour of public time, and public money ill-spent.

Shirley Gibson will stop the VARNI TAX BLEEDING.