Two candidates are running for the Oceano Community Services District (OCSD), Steve Montes and Charles Varni. As a resident of Oceano, I was anticipating a public forum to hear directly their platform and answers to questions provided by our community.
The Oceano Advisory Council asked The League of Women Voters of SLO County to facilitate one. While Varni accepted the invitation and tried to accommodate the dates presented, Montes declined, citing time constraints and schedule conflicts. The League quit trying. Soon after that, the advisory council reached out again to the candidates with new dates in the attempt to make the forum happen.
Again Montes declined. Because of some council members’ past actions and comments that he perceived as offensive to himself and our community, he fears that the forum will not be conducted in a fair manner. He also cited the low membership of the advisory council as a reason to decline its invitation. I support candidate Varni who is not afraid of the past nor the future but is willing to seize the present opportunity for a public forum.
Besides, the people who display Montes signs in their yards also display Stacy Korsgaden signs, who during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection joined a crowd of neo-Nazis, Klansmen, Boogaloos, Q-anon anti-vaxxers, and conspiracy theorists. They also display signs for free vehicle access and off-roading on Oceano beach and dunes, an activity that is poisoning our air and destroying our beautiful environment.
Lucia Casalinuovo
Oceano
This article appears in Oct 13-23, 2022.
You suggest Mr. Montes, a Mexican American, is associated with the KKK and neo-Nazis??? And here I hoped that you were not as unhinged as you appear on your crazy youtube videos.
Lucia, as a Hispanic American, I am flabbergasted that you, an Italian immigrant and member of the Oceano Advisory Council, would spew such racist remarks by suggesting that I am connected to the KKK!
I demand an apology for your vile remarks!
Steve Montes, OCSD Director
My name is Linda Austin, a lifelong resident of Oceano. My parents instilled in me at an early age the duty of community service. My father, mother and members of the Oceano Improvement Association worked to save and restore the Oceano railroad depot, a beloved Oceano landmark that I now oversee the care and continued legacy of. I have served as a board member on the Oceano Community Services District the past 6 years.
Today, I find myself profoundly sad to see this letter from Lucia, a resident of Oceano, and a member of the Oceano Advisory Council. She is attempting to smear a good man simply because he is running for an elected office for which she supports another candidate. The smear is particularly hurtful because it attempts to tie Mr. Montes to groups who promote racism based on no facts.
Sadly, personal attacks have become too common from the Oceano Advisory Council members. Once a robust, thriving community organization with 11 members, it is now a shell of it’s former self. It’s members now numbering 5(recently dropping to 3) are often in conflict with each other and members of the public, with it’s leadership carrying their conflicts into social media, insulting, ridiculing, and name calling those who may disagree with them.
Unlike others, I don’t yet call for their dissolution. I served on the OAC for 10 years and my parents both served from the inception over 20 years ago. If changes are not made, as painful as it would be for me to see this legacy go away, it would be necessary for the health and vitality of the special community that I love so much, Oceano.
Hey folks! It’s campaign season. If you’re a candidate, someone might make you a little uncomfortable. Korsgaden was at Trump’s speech on January 6th, 2021. The combination of campaign signs mentioned by Lucia are an observation she made. The OAC is a volunteer group. As such, the number of volunteers will increase and decline. There are lots of facts and observations in Lucia’s letter. She has a right to express them. Too bad some on the OCSD are offended by facts and other observations from people in their community. But, that too, is a fact.
No one is saying that Ms. Casalinuovo doesn’t have a right to express her views, but freedom of speech doesn’t equate to freedom of consequences or criticism. And this isn’t a debate about Stacy Korsgaden.
As someone who doesn’t live in Oceano, I saw Ms. Casalinuovo was clearly and clumsily drawing a line between a candidate running in a local nonpartisan race and extremist groups. While she drew that line, she essentially smeared the candidate’s constituents.
And it appears Ms. Casalinuovo does serve on the Oceano Advisory Council, a volunteer group that *also* serves as an referral agency for the county. The fact she doesn’t disclose that is disingenuous at best. The OAC does act as though they represent the community, so for Ms. Casalinuovo to make these disparaging comments, smearing an official and “punching down” on voters is inappropriate.