I joined the Oceano Community Services District’s (OCSD) board of directors in 2022 because I am committed to enhancing the community’s quality of life. I put personal commitment, time, and energy into community service. These are core reasons why champions for Oceano like SLO County 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding, OCSD Director Allene Villa, and OCSD Director Beverly Joyce-Suneson have endorsed me for 5th District OCSD director. They know that I walk my talk, and my commitment is to the community as a whole.
I ran for OCSD director because I thought my five years of experience in regional water management as a director on the Santa Maria Valley Water Conservation District board could possibly be of benefit to Oceano. I was also eager to activate the district’s parks and recreation authority (Oceano Parks and Recreation Committee, OPARC) in order to write grants for new programs and projects that benefit our citizens’ quality of life. Grant monies are out there, but OCSD was not qualified to apply for them. Under the authority of the Parks and Recreation Committee, we can tap into resources otherwise unavailable.
For example, in 2023 I wrote a $16,000 grant to fund educational enrichment field trips to state parks for Oceano school students. As a result, in 2024, hundreds of students, parent chaperones, and teachers visited places like Oso Flaco Lake, Oceano Lagoon, Central Coast Aquarium in Avila Beach, Morro Bay Natural History Museum, La Purisima Mission, and other parks. This grant has been so successful that we were encouraged to reapply to fund expanded trips in 2025.
Another example is when OPARC proposed that OCSD move forward with a collaborative project to help fundraise for a new community track and soccer field at Oceano School. I wrote a project grant for design, engineering, and permitting that was awarded $25,000 from county Preventative Health Grant Program funds. I am also helping to lead additional community fundraising efforts for this legacy project, in partnership with Lucia Mar Unified School District and Habitat for Humanity. These new recreational facilities will serve our community’s physical, mental, and social health for decades to come. Without OPARC’s authority, neither of these successful grants could have been written by OCSD.
For five years I have been organizing and advocating for more sidewalks, complete streets, and safe routes to schools. In creating these collaborative efforts, I worked with many local government agencies, including Oceano School PTA and their Safe Routes to School Committee. In 2024 the county dedicated almost $1 million for new sidewalks and intersection improvements around Oceano School. The SLO Council of Governments has written a $5 million grant application to begin building a network of complete streets, flood control, and bike corridors in Oceano. This effort is based on the new 2024 Oceano Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, which I helped create.
Grants and low-interest loans are very important to Oceano as we repair and improve our aging water and sewer pipes. I worked hard gaining support and advocating for federal money to repair our water system. In 2024 Congressman Salud Carbajal helped get OCSD a $1 million grant for this work.
As president of OCSD’s board, I gained more insight into the problem of Oceano not being able to afford the escalating costs of emergency medical and fire services. Five Cities Fire Authority (FCFA) formed in 2010 with the promise of lowering costs, but it ultimately failed in this regard as expenses escalated. The decision to divest from FCFA was a difficult but necessary one. In months of negotiations, I helped to forge a fair and just agreement. All parties concurred on the future goal of quickly reopening the Oceano fire station with full-time staffing, which will reduce response times for service.
Protecting the community from flooding, especially in the mobile home parks next to the creek levee along Highway 1, is a high priority. OCSD has been an advocate for this work and county Public Works is very busy with levee improvements, which will also help protect the sewage treatment plant. In the town of Oceano, more sidewalks, gutters, and water recharge basins will reduce flooding of homes and streets.
I think that most Oceano residents would agree this advocacy is good for our community. As a board member and an active citizen, it is the kind of community service I thoroughly enjoy doing. This election will have a significant impact on the future of OCSD and the community. When the mail-in ballots arrive soon in your mailbox, there is one clear choice in the 5th District that is truly good for Oceano. Thank you for your vote! Δ
Charles Varni is running to keep his OCSD seat in Oceano. Send your opinion for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Oct 3-13, 2024.
Arlight riddle me this: if you are so super fly, how come the last ocsd manager doesnt want you after working with you?? the fire chief, the mayor, two council members, the school board president!!! All the ag and business ppl, the hayashis, stan ikeda, john taylor, la tapatia, juans cantina, rock and roll, chachos. they ALL SUPPORT SHIRLEY and not YOU AND YOUR MONKEY CIRCUS!!! all you got is Jimmy! You lost our buildings, cash, fire station. almost lost the whole dang town when jimmy tried to give us to grover!! Staff got the coin you are tasking credit for, not you. man youre useless! hey you should go help jimmy paint the park benches maybe then you can take some credit. Jimmy is nuttier than a peanut to endorse you!!!!
-You put the district at risk multiple times for Brown Act violation across several different meetings. One was even filed against the district at the end of the 2023.
– Conspired with two other directors behind closed doors (Emails) on how to vote on agendas and discussing agendas together as a majority… major no no sir.
-Cost the district one legal counsels so far, one felt GM forced to take early retirement to get away from toxic workplace and harassment that you created, replacement interim GM left with no notice, one staff member officially leaves this month as well as others rumored to be leaving soon.
-Staff time (office and Field) taken away to work on things that do not adhere to their job titles just to fit your agenda and your will. I think you forget that staff does not work for just you, they work for the board as well as the entire community.
-Worked with convicted embezzler to conspire against fellow sitting board member for county code violations in retaliation for Director Sunesons violation of illegal hookup to sewer system in Oceano.
– Legal fees have doubled for the 2 years you have sat on OCSD board.
-Derogatory comments made about staff members in emails to others as well as other nasty comments made about public members who do not conform with your way of thinking.
-Plotted with Paulding starting at least a month before Annexation talks became public knowledge.
-You take credit for the grants written but give no credit to the staff members who helped complete those grants and the hours they took away from their other duties to respond to multiple emails, phone calls and meetings regarding these grants. You cannot take sole responsibility for this accomplishment and its extremely selfish to do so.
-Almost every long-standing business owners, the Ag owners, members of local government’s, members of city councils, and many many citizens stand with Shirley whos in your corner again?
Yes, you are soooo great for Oceano
Wow! Varni couldnt get one of his lady friends to post this on his behalf? I mean they post other stuff that he has clearly written.
And to take all this credit . lol
Tell me youre narcissistic without telling me youre narcissistic
Also, every single thing you talk about doing has zero to do with OCSD. Its all OPARC. Fantastic! Its a good plan for you to step down and bow out of the OCSD election and just stick with OPARC! That is after all the only way you can accomplish any of the changes you are trying to make. Not one change or grant you mention has anything to do with OCSD. Sounds like your passion is parks and Rec. I can applaud that, imagine all the time you can focus on sidewalks if you do this!
“Charles Varni is Good for Oceano by Charles Varni.”
But what does Oceano say?
Myself and my children were present at an OCSD meeting on 10/25/2023, where a large portion of the community expressed exasperation with Mr. Varni. Rather than engaging with valid concerns, you labeled those who disagreed with you as “thugs,” casting yourself as both a victim and a philanthropist.
During a break in the meeting (that was called due to a heated exchange between community members and yourself) I approached you, as a concerned resident who had never met you before, to remind you that people simply wanted to be heard. I urged you to listen to the community instead of arguing and dismissing their voices. Your response shocked me. You shouted, “I’M FED UP WITH YOU!!!” at me in front of my children and other attendees.
Recently, I became aware of emails between you and Allene Villa, which only confirmed what many had suspected—that you have been orchestrating 3-2 votes behind the scenes, a clear abuse of your public position.
Additionally, your repeated references to our “poor,” “Latino” community and all the “help” we should be grateful for is condescending. This rhetoric reflects a superiority complex, as though Oceano is incapable of knowing what’s best for itself. This attitude is not helpful, but offensive.
To quote Nietzsche, “A person who pities, far from being altruistic, is hypocritically gaining a psychological advantage through another person’s misfortune.” On numerous occasions, you have demonstrated an unwillingness to listen to those you claim to help, viewing us as inferior instead of equals. Your so-called benevolence is, in fact, harmful.
Your behavior during OCSD meetings is not isolated to one unfortunate meeting. I have observed this unprofessional and disrespectful behavior on countless occasions, and have been informed by Orcutt residents who dealt with you in 1990s-2000s that it was the same there & then. This conduct is seen time and time again with simple search of your name in Santa Maria Times articles or the YouTube videos from Oceano Advisory Council.
In contrast, Shirley Gibson has consistently conducted herself with patience, civility, and generosity toward both community members and fellow OCSD board members. She has faced your intimidation and bullying with grace and courage, and she truly listens to the people of Oceano.
I hope you will take this letter as an opportunity for reflection. I am of the mindset that every action is an attempt for good, however misguided. I like to think that you do intend well, because this is my view of humanity. It is important to remember, however, to listen closely to those we aim to serve and to adjust when we hear complaints and resistance.. otherwise we risk perpetuating abuse.
Sincerely,
Alisha Douglas
Proud Oceano Resident
Hey Charles, where did the Oceano Advisory Council money go when they got terminated by the county? I am hearing it was divided up by the board members….why did’nt they I give it to the advisory council that took over?
Have some self awareness. The community obviously doesn’t like you. Just go away.
I have repeatedly provided factual answers and explanations to all of the legitimate issues raised by critics or interested citizens. For many it makes no difference. They will believe want they want to believe. It is a sad day for our small community when a secret dark money, “Save Oceano” Political Action Committee, funded by anonymous millionaires, who probably don’t live in Oceano, promote a campaign of hate based on lies. The nastiness of comments, like many of the above, come from the same small group of people (one of them now writing under two names) and don’t represent “the community,” certainly not the 57% that voted me into office two years ago. Here’s a question for Shirley Gibson supporters. Why does she refuse to participate in a public forum or debate with me? What has she contributed to the community over the past two years? Hiding behind a PAC that has money to cover the town with hateful banners and mobilize out of towners to click on “dislike” is not a campaign to be proud of. Nor is it convincing to the great majority of reasonable and fair minded citizens who I put my faith in.
bruhhh where’s our fire turcks???? our buildings ?? You gave them to jimmy and the county!! and what did you do? You took a vacay to monterey at a “conference” representing oceano and we paid for it plus your nice dinner while the rest of us are working!!!!Next person who has a heart attack in oceano is your victim !!!
Charles,
You can’t demand a woman to debate you.
You’re not man enough to control yourself.
You’re not man enough to be honest.
You’re not man enough to be worth it.
Mr. Varni,
I noticed that you have “Varni Muy Bueno” signs posted on Halcyon property and Scott Grundfor’s property. I question the likeliness of their endorsement of you. I heard you very outspoken against Scott Grundfor’s project at VACO meeting earlier this year. Do you have permission from the property owners to display your campaign signs?
September 20th, 2024
In light of the criticism directed at Charles Varni, I would like to offer insight into what I know about Mr. Varni and his character.
I met Mr. Varni several years ago. A chance meeting was the beginning of the opportunity to work alongside Mr. Varni in many and various capacities.
Mr. Varni’s strong work ethic and leadership qualities are very evident in the position he holds as President of the Oceano Community Services District Board of Directors, and what he has been able to accomplish in his two years of service. His fundamental goal is putting our community’s best interests, before his own.
I would like to share a positive impact Mr. Varni has made for Oceano School. He was invited to the Oceano School Parents Community Coffee to share and provide information about SLOCOG’s, Safe Routes to School 2022 Family Survey, that parents would be asked to participate in.
Parents were quite enthusiastic to take part in this survey, which provided them the opportunity to share concerns, ideas, and thoughts about pedestrian safety around Oceano School and surrounding neighborhoods.
As a result of outstanding parent participation, it was determined that Oceano Elementary School submitted the highest number of responses in San Luis Obispo County. San Luis Obispo County of Government, Rideshare Program, awarded Oceano School, a Bike Rodeo event, under the direction of Rick Ellis of Bike SLO County. A great time was had by the many students and families that attended the event.
Mr. Varni has supported and participated in many schoolwide activities and events, establishing a positive presence among students, teachers, and parents.
His unwavering support extends to the entire Oceano community. I look forward to another two years of positive leadership.
Let’s be a part of positive changes we would like to see.
Wanda Monson
Oceano
$16,000 grant for Oceano to bus kids to parks. Whoop de do! Carbajal originally allocated $3 million to upgrade Oceano’s water system and under your Presidency, that amount was reduced to $1 million! So far Oceano is in the hole nearly $2 million under your leadership.
Sad that Gibson has gone Negative in attempt to win this election. Clearly she wants a Tax and Rent Increase to fund services for Oceano.
Character Counts: When will Gibson provide financial disclosure for her Negative Scare campaign if Character, Ethics, and Honesty Count for Gibson?
Very Simply, this Election is about Local Control vs. Outside Groups who want to continue to control Oceano for their own personal benefit$ and exploitation.