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 [email protected].