Atascadero News • February 1, 2024

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SLO County Board of Supervisors Candidates’ Stance on Critical Issues Election Q&A: get to know your 2024 candidates By THE ATASCADERO NEWS EDITORIAL BOARD Senior Vice Commander Brandon Phillips (second from right) is shown with Commander Leonard Sanchez (right) and other VFW officers at the VFW Post 2814 90th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Jan. 27. Photo by Rick Evans

VFW Post 2814 celebrates 90 years in Atascadero The post has been a place for foreign war veterans and their friends and family to gather for nine decades By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com

ATASCADERO — The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW ) Post 2814 had a lot to celebrate on Saturday, Jan. 27, when its members came together to commemorate its 90 years in Atascadero. The post has been a place for veterans of foreign wars and their friends and family to gain local support and have a great place to hang out for the last nine decades, which is definitely something worth throwing a party over.

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors will see two seats contested in the upcoming election on March 5, with one seat in District 1 and the other in District 5. The Atascadero News Editorial Board has distributed a set of 15 questions to all candidates to assess their positions on critical matters. To read the full Q&A with all 15 questions and answers, visit atascaderonews.com. The Editorial Board sent a questionnaire to all candidates, asking them not only for their campaign slogans but also for detailed explanations of their stances on key issues affecting the County of San Luis Obispo. Every candidate has been granted an equal opportunity to respond to the same set of questions. Below, you will find each candidate’s complete statement. The candidate’s answers are presented in alphabetical order by last name.

that are creating a situation where more people are accepting services, getting housed or receiving shelter. We must take a similar collaborative, compassionate, and strong approach to dealing with homelessness at the County level. Millions in taxpayer dollars and years of government bureaucracy have failed to solve this issue. We need leadership on the Board of Supervisors willing to set direction across jurisdictions so that law enforcement, mental health practitioners, and nonprofit organizations are all working together with the ultimate goal of getting people off the streets and into some form of transitional or supportive housing. We need to ensure accountability for the millions of dollars we put into homeless programs. The County has had a 10-year plan and two 5-year plans and allocated a tremendous amount of taxpayer money to the problem, but it’s not getting better. The 2023 Annual Report of the Citizens’ Homeless Accountability Commission finds that “Allocating significant resources to ‘service provider recruitment and retention’ must be quantitatively related to the actual benefit provided to those the plan is seeking to prevent from falling into homelessness. Otherwise, these expenditures could become a funding blackhole that devotes resources for staff without knowing if the benefits are commensurate with the costs.” We need an audit of the public funds spent both on County administration and with our nonprofit partners to determine what’s working and what needs to change. Peschong: Public Safety.

WEATHER

Funk: I’m running for Supervisor because I have seen the impact of major leadership deficiencies at the County level. The beautiful county we all love won’t be sustainable — in terms

CRIME

NORTH COUNTY LIFE

SPORTS

Templeton Tennis Ranch secures permit for eightlane competition pool

NEWS

Peschong: San Luis Obispo County faces significant challenges, including an increase in crime and a worsening homelessness crisis. I believe we need steady, tested leadership on the Board of supervisors that will support law enforcement and address homelessness with compassion and accountability. I am excited to continue that work and preserve North County as the special and unique place we all have the privilege of calling home.

What inspired you to run for the County Board of Supervisors, and what qualifications or experiences do you bring to this role?

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This renderings show the plans for the Templeton Tennis Ranch pool. Photos provided by Templeton Tennis Ranch.

TEMPLETON — Templeton Tennis Ranch [TTR] finally has a permit in hand to start construction on its upcoming pool. The competi-

SUSAN FUNK

tion lap pool will be 25 yards long and feature eight lanes. Bonus: it will be built right off the end of the main clubhouse building on-site and will bring a much-needed pool to the North County. “The original plan for the club always included a lap pool,” stated part owner, president, and general manager of

“I want to thank you all very much for being here tonight. We’re having a great time here with all the people, all the members, auxiliary visitors, and our volunteers,” said Post Commander Leonard Sanchez in his speech. “I’m just kind of overwhelmed by it being our 90th birthday. It kind of snuck up on us.” Sanchez then stated that the post is really going to make a party out of their 100th birthday in 10 years. “It [the post turning 90] is amazing,” added Sanchez. “We’ve got a great group of volunteers, and members, and community. The volunteers, they take care of us pretty well.” The party kicked off with a tri-tip barbecue at 4 p.m. The

Susan Funk Running for San Luis Obispo County Supervisor D-5 Current Atascadero Councilmember / Businesswoman Vote Funk for Functional Government

By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com

HEATHER MORENO

of water, housing, tax base, or quality of life — unless we have rational and effective leadership on our county Board of Supervisors. I’m the candidate with the skills and experience to change that situation and help move the county forward. I’m a small business owner, council member, and mother. I have owned a small business for 30 years, doing data-driven management consulting. As Atascadero Mayor Pro Tem and a Councilmember since 2018, I have a track record of bringing people together to solve problems. In Atascadero, I led the formation of local partnerships between law enforcement and mental health experts for dealing with homeless individuals and worked to reduce homeless encampments and toxic runoff. I’ve increased local funding for 911 emergency response, police/fire protection, and repairing potholes. At the County level, I led the development of a new countywide strategic plan on homelessness that was approved by all five County Supervisors and is just starting to be implemented. I’m not afraid to tackle tough issues to make change. Moreno: I am running for Supervisor to bring experienced, competent leadership to the county and put the needs of our residents first. As the Mayor of Atascadero for the last five years, we have successfully brought people together to advance positive change. I look forward to bringing that same collaborative, forward-thinking approach to the county. I have 14 years of experience in local government. I served on Atascadero’s Planning Commission, was appointed and elected to the Atascadero City Council, and have served as Mayor since 2018. Under my leadership, the City of Atascadero fully funded and staffed its police department, invested in infrastructure repairs and improvements, worked collaboratively with community organizations to help tackle the homelessness crisis, and paved over 52 miles of roads.

Supervisor Candidates and Campaign Slogan

The club has plans to open the pool this summer

JOHN PESCHONG

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Heather Moreno Running for San Luis Obispo County Supervisor D-5 Current Mayor of Atascadero Building community. Prospering together. John Peschong Current San Luis Obispo County Supervisor D-1 Running unopposed A Voice for Small Businesses and Working Families.

What one part of the County government would receive more attention if you were elected? Funk: Housing. Too many long-time residents end up moving away because their adult children can’t find housing here that they can afford, so their grandchildren are being raised somewhere else. We can’t sustain the SLO county economy, address homelessness, or preserve our quality of life without expanding housing. Specifically, we need to ensure the development of more options for housing that working people, young careerists, and downsizing seniors can afford, and additional supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness. We need to do so without bulldozing all the open space we treasure. Moreno: Homelessness. Treating people with compassion must be the core of how we solve this issue. At the same time, we must recognize and bring accountability to those who break the law. In Atascadero, we proactively partner with community organizations that offer shelters, shower services, and meals to those in need. We have partnered with the County’s Community Action Team, embedding mental health and crisis workers with law enforcement to provide help for some of the most vulnerable and fragile individuals in the homeless community. It is these very actions, combined with enforcement of our local laws,

What do you see as the most pressing needs for infrastructure or capital projects in the County? Funk: In addition to road projects, water and wastewater treatment projects are essential to making sure all residents have access to safe CONTINUED ON PAGE A2

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