As we all know, water is a precious resource here on the Central Coast. Read ahead and come join the San Luis Obispo County Board of Superviors March 27 to hear a presentation of the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin Management Plan.

Atascadero Chamber of Commerce Business Reporter – March 2012

James Patterson 5th District Supervisor

Water Planning Helps Define the Future

At a recent strategic planning session the Board of Supervisors was introduced to the Draft County Master Water Plan. More a compendium than a plan, the 4” thick collection of text, maps, charts, tables and graphs quantifies the county’s water supply and demand and identifies water related needs and opportunities. It also describes the relationship to other water resource planning efforts.

Organized around regional water planning areas, the plan’s focus includes the integration and optimization of water resources, including efficiency and reliability relative to the needs of both humans and the environment. The water demand categories include urban, rural, agriculture and the environment. San Luis Obispo County relies on a diverse assortment of water resources including groundwater, surface, reclaimed and imported water.

Management options available to extend the value of our water supply include efficiency and conservation. Infrastructure development ensures greater utilization, flexibility and reliability of our water supply. Examples of infrastructure facilities include the Nacimiento pipeline that delivers water to San Luis Obispo and north county cities and wastewater plants with tertiary treatment capability that produces water of a quality that can be released to streams for habitat improvement, returned to groundwater and/or used for irrigating crops and landscapes. The greatest challenge to infrastructure development is financing the cost.

A dozen water resource management strategies have been identified including; optimizing use, groundwater banking/recharge, reservoir expansion, supplemental sources, desalination, stormwater recharge and enhanced precipitation utilization. As the regional water supply resources vary along with regional water needs, the appropriate infrastructure to enhance supply and management strategies to optimize use must be determined region by region.

In addition to the Master Water Plan, the county is updating its Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWM). This plan includes information from the many county water purveyors including their unique water supply characteristics and projected future demand. It helps identify where additional water resources are needed and where specific management tools should be utilized.

Most important to the north county is the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin Management Plan. This plan was developed by a diverse group of stakeholders (those who get their water from the basin) and identifies strategies and priorities for stabilizing the basin which is approaching its safe annual yield. While implementation is voluntary, the goal is to optimize the use of this vital water resource without exceeding its safe annual yield. The Board of Supervisors will hear a presentation on this plan at its March 27th meeting.

You can read more about these plans on the County Public Works’ website www.slocountywater.org.

During recent months, our board has approved two solar-power generation plants in my district, each bringing hundreds of skilled worker jobs to San Luis Obispo County residents. While we can’t control what happens at the national level, I can say without hesitation that we’re doing all we can locally to create an environment in San Luis Obispo County that welcomes investment and paves the way for more local jobs.

Local. Jobs. Clean. Safe. Renewable. Energy. Happy to have these projects in my district.

Remember what’s at stake here folks. Just look at who’s giving to whom and you can see how this is shaping up. As always, thanks so much for your support. Let’s win this thing!

ATASCADERO – The campaign to re-elect 5^th District Supervisor Jim Patterson submitted a financial disclosure report on Jan. 31 showing $57,199 in donations from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2011.

All told, more than 395 people contributed to the Patterson re-election campaign. Donations of $100 or more must be reported, according to state elections law.

Of the 116 donors identified by the Patterson campaign as giving $100 or more, 115 are from San Luis Obispo County, with the one out-of-town donation coming from a supporter who recently moved away from the county.

“My campaigns have always been supported at the very grassroots level,” Patterson said of his recent campaign financial filing with the elections division of the County Clerk’s Office.

“The fact that I receive so much support from inside this county,” he said, “shows how much local people care about this race and how much they support our calm, sensible approach to governance. I really believe that since it’s a local race we should try to campaign with local money as much as possible.”

Patterson outlined the key reasons he has received so much local support:

“Our Board’s focus on local jobs is paying off,” he said. The Board of Supervisors in 2011 approved two solar-power generation plants in the district, each to bring more than 350 local, skilled, head-of-household jobs.

“Our board’s focus on providing essential public services to our communities also is paying off,” Patterson said. Working with the County Administrative Office, the City of Atascadero and the Atascadero Friends of the Library, Patterson helped secure a new building in the heart of Atascadero to relocate and expand the library, keep county offices in the city’s core and contribute to the city’s revitalization efforts

Patterson worked with CDF/County Fire and the Creston Community to build – with a local construction company – a new, larger fire station, which will enhance fire protection and emergency response services to the community and the surrounding area.

“These approvals came with the maximum level of environmental safeguards, proving that economic growth and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive,” he said.

In addition to creating more jobs, maintaining critical services and continuing excellent stewardship over the people’s money, Patterson is campaigning to:

• Continue the competent, steady leadership that has helped San Luis Obispo County government navigate through one of the most troubled economic periods in our lifetimes – downsizing government without tax increases, traumatic disruptions in essential public services or painful layoffs.
• Continue to protect our agricultural land, scenic open spaces and other natural resources.
• Continue to serve county residents in an open, honest and responsive manner.
• Continue the Board’s steady, competent progress toward practical solutions to the county’s challenges.
• Continue the Board of Supervisors’ non-political, rational decision making, financial management, labor relations, and delivery of public safety and health care services in the face of difficult economic conditions here and everywhere.

Atascadero Chamber of Commerce Business Reporter – February 2012

James Patterson, 5th District Supervisor

County Expands Outreach Effort

San Luis Obispo County is increasing its efforts to inform county residents about recent accomplishments, current initiatives and on-going services that the county provides.  We recently posted on-line the 2011 Annual Report that “…provides information about the programs and services that the county provides and highlights some of the accomplishments that the county has achieved during the past year”.  The report is available on-line at the county’s website www.slocounty.ca.gov.  If you don’t have Internet access, you can use the computer at any of the local libraries.  In its second year, the annual report is full of interesting facts and information about our county. It is very user friendly and also contains links to each of the seven cities. While visiting the county’s website, you’ll find a couple of items featured on the home page that you might find interesting.  Click on the link titled “Energy Rebates, Incentives and Cost Saving Tips”.  The county is committed to helping businesses and residents learn more about programs to help finance projects for improving energy efficiency and saving money.  There are a number of programs available to help fund energy efficiency upgrades and install renewable energy technologies in your home or business.  This link will give you more information about some of those programs. Another link you might find interesting is titled American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).  Designed to help stimulate the economy, the Act provided funding to jurisdictions for investment is a variety of programs.  This link describes how the county is using ARRA funding to help our local economic recovery, create and retain jobs and provide safety-net services to our residents hurting from this severe recession.

Take a minute to visit the county website.  I know you’ll be impressed with what you find there.  www.slocounty.ca.gov

Recent Updates:

At our January 10th meeting, the board of supervisors approved the contract with Ravatt and Albrecht & Associates to complete the construction drawings for the new Atascadero library and county offices. The timeline goal is for project completion by fall of 2013, as part of the Atascadero centennial celebration. Both Carrizo Plain solar projects are under construction.  SunPower is setting panels while First Solar is doing site preparation.  Both companies are expanding their workforce and of the 100+ employees currently working at the SunPower project, approximately 80% are San Luis Obispo County residents.  Under full construction, the companies expect to have a combined work force of  700+. The new Creston Fire Station is scheduled for completion by the end of April.  With the ability to house four pieces of equipment, the new station will serve as a hub for improved fire service to the eastern part of the county.

The Creston Fire Station has been a long-time coming for the Cal Fire firefighters who work out of this station. To learn more about the station, go to http://www.calfireslo.org/Station43.html.

Supervisor Jim Patterson accepted his position as chair of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors from the previous chair, Supervisor Adam Hill. Let’s have a good year!