Oceano engineering head resigns from post

John Wallace, whose San Luis Obispo-based engineering firm has served the Oceano Community Services District for the past five years, has resigned effective Wednesday.

Since 2007, Wallace Group has handed the Oceano services district’s day-to-day engineering needs as well as provided consulting engineering and permitting services for various projects, according to a letter Wallace wrote to the district board Oct. 15.

The Oceano services district provides water, sewer, street lighting and fire services to the unincorporated South County community.

The district paid Wallace Group about $47,000 in the 2010-11 fiscal year; $20,665 in 2011-12, and about $12,000 from July through September, Oceano district General Manager Tom Geaslen said.

Wallace assigned other engineers to handle the district’s engineering needs, primarily Doug Groshart, who recently left the firm to pursue another job. Wallace then temporarily assigned Steve Tanaka to assist with the Oceano district’s engineering needs.

“Given my very active role within our organization and Steve’s existing workload, it will be increasingly more difficult for us to personally provide the time needed to provide the high level of service that the district deserves,” Wallace wrote.

He said Wallace Group would continue to provide on-call engineering services and assist the district in transitioning to a new engineer.

Wallace also serves as administrator of the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District, which serves residents in Oceano as well as Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach.

His contracts for his service to the Oceano services district and to the sanitation district are separate.

The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board recently voted to issue a $1.1 million fine against the sanitation district for a large sewage spill that happened in Oceano in December 2010.

The sanitation district voted to appeal the decision to the state water board and has until the end of this week to do so.

This story was originally published October 31, 2012 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Oceano engineering head resigns from post."