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 Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Volume: 22, Issue: 50
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New Times / Special IssueBest of 2008Community Watch
BEST WASTE OF TAXPAYERS’ MONEY Los Osos sewer
The best part about this award is nobody even knows how much money the Los Osos sewer will actually cost, and thus presumably waste, and neither did residents when they were forced to vote whether to approve the sewer. They also didn’t know what shape it will come in, or where it will be located. All they really knew is that if they didn’t vote for it, they faced fines and the possibility of not having any pots to piss in—at least without lots of pumping. And maybe it’s that sort of backward democracy and labyrinthine decision-making that people are really voting for when they call this the best waste of public money.
—Patrick Howe
runner up:
BEST FRIEND TO THE ENVIRONMENT ECOSLO
The Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo County (ECOSLO, to its friends) is the nonprofit to turn to for loving the Earth in all the right ways. And these tree-huggers don’t save their love for just the trees. ECOSLO is actively involved in the community through coastal cleanups, bringing innovators in the green-friendly sewer industry to Los Osos to make proposals, creating a database of green businesses in the county, helping finish the missing link in Bob Jones Bike Trail, and, most recently, hosting a debate for the Board of Supervisors candidates. New Times readers love you, ECOSLO, for loving the Earth in every way you can.
—Angela Marie Watkins
runner up:
BEST CONTROVERSY OR SCANDAL the Dalidio project
We don’t get too much in the way of scandals in SLO. I’m not sure we even have the infrastructure for a proper scandal: no high profile lawyers to bag any high-class hookers—which we don’t really have, either (although, you can find a very reasonably priced pro on Craigslist). But we do have the Dalidio project: a 131-acre farm right on the edge of town, unfarmed, undeveloped. Ernie Dalidio finds new controversy every time he tries to develop the dilapidated homestead: twice on a ballot, twice in court, twice rejected by a judge, and then onto an appeal. This scandal has brought accusations of corruption against city players, and even saw an effort to bring down the Downtown Association. Maybe next year it could beat out the Los Osos sewer for the Best Waste of Taxpayers’ Money.
—Kylie Mendonca
runner up:
BEST ANNOYING PUBLIC FIGURE Christine Mulholland
SLO City Councilmember
After eight years of service with San Luis Obispo, Christine Mulholland is finally getting the recognition she deserves. The activist-turned-politico can claim for the second year in a row that she was voted the Best Annoying Public Figure in SLO County. The no-growth councilmember, who’s rarely at a loss for words, doesn’t just agree with the title—she basically owns it. “Well,” Mulholland said cheerfully, “I must be doing something right.” Mulholland routinely asks questions during the City Council meetings, annoying staff and spectators alike. She wants clarification from staff on this item or that term. It’s apparently a terrible habit. And while her time on the City Council is coming to an end, Mulholland said that she doesn’t plan to drop out of the public view when she’s no longer in office. “I’ll be back for my three minutes in front of the council,” she said. Until then, see her in action every other Tuesday at 7 p.m.
—KM
runner up:
Paul Brown BEST ELECTED OFFICIAL Dave Romero
San Luis Obispo mayor
Dave Romero has spent almost half a century with the city of SLO, wrangling downtown changes, water supplies, and public speakers of every stripe over the years. A former city engineer and city councilman, Romero maintains that his seat as SLO mayor is the best elected position in the state, but let’s be real: Between living in this area and watching this city develop over 50 years or so, it’s probably the best elected job in the world.
—KM
runner up:
BEST USE OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY firefighters
Firefighters—God love ’em for putting out those sassy calendars. Oh, and for putting out all those fires. Those fast-responding, soot-covered, CPR-performing public servants deserve a parade, maybe after they’re all cleaned up from stamping out the latest ubiquitous blaze up on the Cuesta Grade. It’s like this one time, when I went home for lunch and the whole fire department was at my commune-like house, pretending to evacuate us in case the house burns down, and I sort of wished that every day was fire safety day. I wanted to have a bake sale—for firemen. That was great, and so’s this nod from New Times readers.
—KM
runner up:
BEST NONPROFIT Hospice Partners of the Central Coast
277 South St., ste. R, San Luis Obispo
Hospice provides what’s known as “palliative care,” to help patients with a prognosis of six months or less to live more comfortably. They also provide bereavement counseling to the family of the patient. This month is Hospice Partners of the Central Coast’s 10th anniversary. Ten years ago, the nonprofit had 35 employees and saw around 30 patients a day. Today, there are more than 100 employees, who see more than four times as many patients per day. Director of Patient Care Services Janet Jeffery commented that the employees are expected to ask themselves, “What would we want done for us if we were lying in that bed, or if we were the grieving family?” She explained that, although some outside observers think the work would be depressing, “it’s a really fun place to work.” For example, that day, she said, they were having an ice cream social.
—Brent Parker
runner up: Goodwill
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