Cambria CSD candidates outline their visions, goals

Eight candidates are seeking three seats on the Cambria Community Services District Board of Directors.

The field consists of elected incumbents Gail Robinette (board president) and Amanda Rice; appointed incumbent Greg Sanders; challengers Harry Farmer, Tom Kirkey, Dewayne Lee and Jeff Walters; and write-in challenger Stephen Kniffen.

Each of them took time out to respond to questions from The Cambrian about their vision for the district and stands on various issues.

The following are the answers they provided, along with biographical data.

1. Why are you running for the office? Challengers, why do you think you’ll be a good director? Incumbents, why do you think you are a good board member?

Harry Farmer: As a 30-year resident of our special town, I am blessed to call Cambria home. I have a deep affection for the people of our community, and a reverence for the natural beauty that surrounds us.

When I talk with the townspeople, they mostly tell me they’re concerned about two issues — preserving the slow pace, the charm and rural character of Cambia, and ending the acrimony and divisiveness that has increased in recent years regarding the tone and behavior at CCSD board meetings. It is to address these and other issues I am running for CCSD Board of Directors.

In my many years in the mental health and counseling field, I have developed meaningful and insightful listening skills, and the ability to dialogue with others with respect and openness, qualities many folks complain are lacking with our current board. In addition, I am known as an honest, trustworthy, hardworking, responsible person who cares deeply about our town and its future. It is these qualities, my ability to be creative, to have a sense of humor, and other traits, that I feel would make me an excellent director.

Tom Kirkey: I am seeking office because Cambria is a special place. Most everyone I know moved here to escape the congestion caused by urban sprawl and enjoy a quality of life that is hard to find anywhere else. I will be an excellent board member because I am acutely aware of the current and future challenges facing our small community and possess the skills of active listening, accessibility to all Cambrians, successful contract negotiations, and tight budgeting/fiscal management, all of which are necessary to make the right choices as we move forward together as a community.

Stephen Kniffen: I believe politics is the process for which societies create their morals. Local politics, as rough and tumble as it may be, does not scare me. I find this process fascinating as we watch our culture evolve in our very own community. Open debate is the most sacred tool in the arsenal of democracy, but unlimited debate is the weapon of anarchy.

I am making myself available for office because I think the exercise for choosing our leaders is broken. I believe I have identified a process that could lead to a more open and fair election landscape. I despise political signage littering the visual scenery of the public rightaway. I believe that the political process in America has gone askew, both at the federal and local levels. By shunning the trappings of political power and traditions, I believe we can achieve a more balanced, open and fair political landscape.

Dewayne Lee: I am running for the CCSD to represent and serve Cambria residents and ratepayers. I bring 30 years of experience owning and operating my own businesses. With expertise in all areas of budgeting and finance, I will work diligently to achieve a balanced budget for Cambria citizens.

Amanda Rice: Cambrians are the reason I am running for re-election. This town is a collection of thoughtful, smart folks who continue to express their support for me, even when we hold opposing opinions. I have a passion for water policy issues, and my lifelong activism is grounded in my deeply held conviction that we all have a better community when we value and respect our relationships with each other and with our surroundings. My decisions are based on board discussions, backed by data from staff and outside experts, input from Cambrians, my sense of fair play and openness, and the importance of community.

I am proud to be endorsed by the Santa Lucia chapter of the Sierra Club. You can read my full application for endorsement at ElectAmandaRice.com.

I continue to pursue learning opportunities, attending webinars about water policy, open government, resource management and agency regulations, among others. I earned a certificate of distinction by completing California Special Districts Association (CSDA) board member training program.

As the only director who is not a property owner and still in the prime of my working life, I am uniquely positioned to represent the interests of renters and the working class here in town. As a renter, I am sensitive to housing availability and affordability issues. I understand and experience the financial impacts of the board’s decisions differently from other directors.

As a board member, I will continue to insist on fair, equitable and intelligent stewardship of the resources that belong to all of us: water and its infrastructure; our rare, native forest; fire protection resources; and our shared public spaces, like the Veterans Memorial Building and Fiscalini Ranch.

Gail Robinette: Based on my past performance as a CCSD director, vice president and president, many Cambrians have encouraged me to run for re-election. During my past five years of service, I have gained a deep appreciation for, and understanding of, the issues facing our district, an understanding I believe enables me to respond proactively and effectively to continuing and future community needs. I think that the best solutions to challenges come from engaging all stakeholders as we consider different options and solutions to our challenges. We have the momentum to stay the course.

Greg Sanders: I am running for a CCSD board seat because the future of Cambria is hanging in the balance. As a community, we are at a crossroads. We can either once and for all resolve longstanding challenges that have gridlocked our community by coming together with consensus solutions or be paralyzed by lack of leadership and action. I led the effort to double the district’s water storage capacity to provide adequate fire protection (resulting in construction of the new Pine Knolls water tanks); initiated the Buildout Reduction Program to check and cap growth; supported adoption of the Water Master Plan that led to construction of the Sustainable Water Facility and authored Measure P, an initiative adopted by the voters that prohibits extension of the district’s utilities beyond the present boundaries of Cambria without a vote of the people. I want to continue to bring innovation and energy to the CCSD board to complete the task of resolving Cambria’s longstanding challenges.

Jeff Walters: Cambria is an urban forest and a wonder in peril that I hope to help save and protect; that is the prime reason that I’m running for the CCSD, and everything else about my candidacy hinges on that. To save this forest, I feel some perceptions about it need to change. Cambria’s urban forest may seem like a wilderness but, within this township it is functionally a shared urban garden that must be tended and continues to suffer when left to the ravages of drought and climate change as though it is a wilderness that can recover on its own. It cannot and has not.

Some estimates of our forest have its mortality at 80 percent. We have not tended our garden well, and we will not have a forest in our future if we continue in this way.

My candidacy is the only one that proposes water recharge (from the air) without using groundwater (that is suseptible to subsidence from overpumping, or toxicity from runoff or petroleum extraction/fracking) or brackish/ saline recovery, which can be costly and environmentally challenging.

The system I seek to employ can be put in place by regulatory incentives that offset the hardware and costs to private investment that can increase our water resource, without the burdens of public funding; or, at least substantially reduced cost to restore and rebuild our water supply to the point where we can effectively re-establish our forest and wildlife, which is the ultimate goal in increasing our water supply to protect our environment into the future with surplus irrigation systems that enable wildlife to thrive and protect our forest from fire, drought and disease.

My candidacy is also in part an action to restore a greater civil leadership and a more responsive and effective relationship (a relationship in which many have felt abused) to Cambrians and those they have elected, to set by example and reminder, that all (the elected and citizens alike) have a privilege to be honored in service.

If honored with this charge, I will endeavor to provide to the people I’m in service to and whomever the people I’m in service with, a sense of wit that illuminates more than it cuts, a concern that fosters less worry and more civility, and a humility that engenders a community and collaborative effort that gives all Cambrians a stake in the solutions we can achieve together for our present and our future!

• • • 

2. Do you support the district’s emergency water-supply project and efforts to make it permanent? If so, why? If not, why not, and what would you recommend that the district do instead?

Farmer: It is difficult for me, and many other community members, to understand how an initially proposed, relatively low-cost Emergency Water Facility has so quickly morphed into a multimillion-dollar “Sustainable Water Facility” meant to encourage growth. Most Cambrians saw the initial EWF as a reasonable, adequate approach to any potential perceived water problem.

Before moving forward with the SWF, we must first complete the necessary requirements of the many state and federal regulatory agencies that will then allow us to fully utilize the facility when needed in a drought emergency.

As it appears the main purpose of the SWF is to promote growth in Cambria, let me state that I could support minimal growth that blends in with the aesthetics and the rural character of our town, and that does not impact the social, economic and environmental resources of our community.

Kirkey: Emergency is the key word. Permanent is what it already is. I believe most Cambrians support an emergency water supply. How the CCSD proceeded with this project from the onset created a more contentious situation in this community. Currently, the EWS-SWF plant cannot operate outside of a Stage 3 permit until various regulatory agencies review and approve the final EIR. In the meantime, the district should be searching for funds to repair our water delivery system and add additional storage tanks for fire protection. If necessary, this water supply can be purchased from our ranchers and farmers.

Kniffen: Yes, I support an EWS of some sort. Yes, I also support a water supply project that is permanent. Yes, the district could have handled the process differently, but government doesn’t work that way. They don’t tell you what to build. They only tell you that what you have built is wrong after you have built it. Some very smart people made mistakes, but it wasn’t negligence. Science can just be a tough nail to hit on the head.

The tax burden of vacant lot holders makes a permanent reliable water source imperative. The State of California demands it. The Constitution demands it. Vacant land owners are being taxed without representation.

Lee: The SWF is permanent. We have built it and will pay for it over the next 20 years. On May 15, 2014, the county planning and building director issued an emergency permit to the CCSD for the construction of an emergency brackish water supply project to serve existing customers within the CCSD service area. The emergency permit only authorizes operation during a CCSD declared Stage 3 water-shortage emergency. The community supported funding the project through Prop 218. Therefore, I feel the board cannot and should not simply relabel the project as SWF without consensus from ratepayers. I would support and honor the voice of the people. Before voting, rate payers should know: how much a unit of water (748 gallons) from the new plant will cost (current cost is $6.50 per unit for groundwater); how much the project modifications, as specified in the EIR, cost; how much it will cost to haul off and process the waste; whether the total cost will be affordable for the ratepayers.

Rice: Yes. The Water Master Plan outlines a need to improve the reliability of our water supply, especially during drought years. This plant, when fully permitted, would address the reliability concerns outlined in the Water Master Plan. We cannot afford a second major project from scratch to meet that need when we have this potential reliability solution already built.

Robinette: Yes, I do. In 2014, California’s ongoing drought raised many serious concerns, not the least of which was its impact on the San Simeon aquifer. The aquifer was vulnerable to irreparable damage through subsidence. After examining alternatives and extensive research, and considering expert recommendations, the board settled on a brackish water desal as our best option. Emergency permit terms required us to obtain a regular permit. With the completion of an SEIR, we are in the final stages of fulfilling that requirement. The regular permit will give us flexibility and eliminate the restrictive water-use regulations in the emergency permit. Our residential growth cap remains unchanged. The 2008 Water Master Plan capped growth at 4,650 connections. The Sustainable Water Facility (SWF) was designed to provide for 4,650 residential connections.

Sanders: I fully support the district’s Emergency Water Supply project and efforts to make if permanent. The project is the product of a process that began with adoption of the Water Master Plan and a transparent investigation of all reasonable alternatives by the district, Army Corps of Engineers and its consultants. None of the alternatives combines the environmental safeguards, drought protection, cost efficiencies and fire protection benefits of the Sustainable Water Facility.

Walters: I feel the EWS should remain as an emergency system that we have already paid for but, for the reasons I’ve already laid out, I feel that ultimately it could be adjunct to the primary system of air to water recharge (which would be a better, more productive and efficient system) paid for by incentives; including using those incentives to rehabilitate our current sewer treatment system and leaking infrastructure.

• • • 

3. Do you support the recent rate increase, and would you vote to approve another one?

Farmer: While I support the recent rate increase, I question the board’s judgement in waiting two years to declare the increase as revenue dropped 40 percent due to the responsible conservation efforts of the citizens of our community. I’d be hard pressed to support another increase while Cambrians on fixed incomes and hard working folks are trying monthly to make ends meet.

Kirkey: It does not matter if I support, or did not support, the rate increases as they are in effect following the Proposition 218 vote this year. Our EWS-SWF plant is not officially approved for operation, and requiring ratepayers to remain in Stage 3 plus pay for a plant that has not delivered water to our meters is unacceptable. We are currently paying two rate increases: 2014 (for EWS) and a five-year rate increase established in 2016 (for the water/sewer). We have yet to understand the economic impacts of these increases on our retirement community. No one in the community knows the cost per 1 gallon of water produced from the EWS-SWF or of planned modifications and disposal of the concentrate.

Kniffen: Yes. I support a community paying its bills. If we are to have a reliable source of water and we want to have well running infrastructure, that costs money. If you have no infusion of growth or some other kind of economic expansion, then the costs must be borne by the those stakeholders who live within the district.

I would only approve another increase after I squeezed the budget as much as I possibly could. But you can’t complain about lack of service from the district and then demonize the rate increase. Do I think (district General Manager Jerry) Gruber deserves more money? Probably not, but I do want our staff, who work the shovels, to be able to afford to live here. The people who fix my pipes are the ones who matter.

Lee: The rate increase of May 2016 set automatic increases of 4 percent per year for the next four years. Because Cambria’s infrastructure has been woefully neglected while the board focuses on trying to establish a SWF, I support the rate increase for its intended purpose, as have the majority of ratepayers. I would support another rate increase only with sufficient evidence of need.

Rice: Yes to both questions. I have had trouble in the recent past paying these ever-increasing water bills. But Cambria’s water and sewer rates are still below those of many other communities across the state and are still inadequate to cover required maintenance or identified capital improvements. Could we tighten the budget in some places? Yes. But that still won’t cover all the deferred maintenance and personnel costs.

Robinette: Yes. In early 2016, a water-use report comparing Cambria to other SLO County communities revealed that, over the years, Cambria’s water rates remained lower than those of similar communities — the board unanimously approved a rate increase. Most Cambrians supported the increase, as confirmed by a Proposition 218-required assessment of community sentiment. While I do not anticipate another water rate increase in the near future, as a responsible board member I would approve an increase, as necessary, to address needs precipitated by an unforeseeable emergency; e.g. a breakdown in infrastructure.

Sanders: I supported and voted for the recent rate increase. The district’s water and wastewater funds must be operated in a manner that revenues and costs are balanced. The increase was required because water conservation measures made necessary by the recurring drought and mandated by the state resulted in a steep decline in revenues to the water and wastewater funds. After paring costs, the increase was held to the minimum necessary. Cambria is now at about the median of water and wastewater rates charged by the other water and wastewater agencies in San Luis Obispo County. I would not support additional water and wastewater rate increases unless there is a compelling emergency, and then only after it has been clearly demonstrated that costs to run the water and wastewater systems have been cut as much as possible.

Walters: Yes, I do support the current water increase, but would not approve another unless or until full discussion and examination had occurred between the CCSD and the community.

• • • 

4. If you’re elected, what would you add to or delete from the board’s current goals and objectives, and why?

Farmer: Replace Goal 1 with: Do much-needed repairs in the water-delivery system so that millions of gallons of water a month don’t continue to be unaccounted for. Goal 2 should address the fact that infrastructure improvements on the wastewater plant obscure the ultimate need for a total replacement of this aging facility to take place. Assessing this cost to the ratepayers is a major priority. Regarding Goal 3, the community park was on the drawing board when I ran for the CCSD board in 2010. In my opinion, the location off Rodeo Grounds Road has many environmental and traffic safety concerns. The need for this park as planned is problematic at best, even if funds are available to build it.

Kirkey: One is to make the board more accessible to the public. Another is to change board meeting times to early evening and modify the agenda to increase public comment. The board works for the entire community (retired and working), and we as directors need to reflect that. We must incorporate a five-year financial plan to address our current and future needs. Tighter fiscal controls/bidding are required for all major expenditures. We cannot effectively manage the business of water, sewer, parks-recreation-open space and fire protection when operating in deficit spending. With projected spending this fiscal year and revenue generated for the same period, we face a cash-flow negative of $2,338,583, or a 49 percent drop from the current cash balance. Adding in the unknown costs to modify the EWS-SWF we will surely deplete our cash reserve by this time next year or sooner.

Kniffen: My first goal would be to allow Amanda (Rice) to assume chairmanship. Though legal, I found this maneuver disingenuous to representative democracy. Her constituency deserved their turn. This was tantamount to institutional bullying.

My fantasy goal would be for the CTB to change their by-laws to allow for them to help fund the water supply system. If that organization wants “heads in beds,” they may want to secure some water for those heads to take a shower in the morning.

Lee: Goal 1: To date, the board has failed to obtain the required permit for a SWF. As a board member and prior to submitting the request, I would have insisted on evidence of positive tracer test, and satisfying the required modifications specified in the EIR. Only then would I call for a ratepayer vote, assuming costs were made public.

Goal 2: To date, the board has failed to “assess, prioritize and determine actual costs and potential funding sources” for infrastructure improvements, as evidenced by a report from the State Water Resource Control, Division of Financial Assistance — regarding the application for funds for the Fiscalini Tank Project was determined to be “ineligible for funding as the CCSD had commenced construction prior to approval,” and the application for funding for the wastewater treatment facility was “incomplete and without an executed agreement.” As a board member, I would insist that the general manager have knowledgeable staff members with the foresight to submit grant requests with all items completed as required.

Goal 3: Little information is available on this project, so without more detail, I can only provide priorities. We must have knowledgeable and skilled staff to secure funding, plan the project and implement the plan. This might include reviewing organization and detailing staff skill sets; identifying and financing necessary training; ensuring adequate budget for project.

Rice: I would restructure the board goal to better reflect our role as policy makers and fiscal overseers in four major areas: water, wastewater, fire and parks/open space. The goals approved at the start of 2015 and 2016 don’t even mention of our fire department, even as we saw Chief Miller retire, had Cal Fire acting as our chief for a year, were the subject of grand jury investigation and recruited a new fire chief. We must balance the needs of all services of the district better: fire, water, wastewater, open space, Veterans Memorial Building, street lighting and trash pickup.

Robinette: As president of the CCSD board for the last two years, I am proud of the goals/objectives met during my tenure, and look forward to finalizing those in progress. Specifically, beyond completing the SWF, the board continues to make improvements to the wastewater plant; is installing a new Fiscalini water storage tank on Lodge Hill; is close to launching the first component — a dog-friendly enclosure — of the community park on the east side of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. As part of the county funding agreement that helped make the ranch a protected, community-owned property, a community park will provide Cambrians of all ages with an outdoor recreational area to enjoy for years to come.

Some priorities for the next term: Complete the Local Hazardous Mitigation Plan application to provide FEMA disaster funding; purchase a new, state-of-the-art fire engine; monitor progress on lot retirements through the Buildout Reduction Committee annual assessment; investigate alternate energy options to lower CCSD utility costs.

Sanders: The board’s goals should reflect the most urgent priorities of the district. I would replace the board’s current goals with the following: a) complete engineering and construction of the planned additional water tank at the Stuart Street complex for added fire protection; b) certification of the EIR for the Sustainable Water Facility and approval of the permanent permit to operate it so it can be used for the maximum benefit of Cambria’s residents; c) rebuilding of the Rodeo Grounds Pump Station for added fire protection; d) work with the Community Health Care District to better coordinate the delivery of emergency medical services, including paramedic service.

Walters: Regardless of the election, I will work to protect wildlife. I consider a very important initiative for protecting wildlife would be to promote and place wildlife crossings throughout San Luis Obispo County and particularly in Cambria. I also feel that the declaration against fracking by the CCSD board should be revisited and strengthened for the county and Cambria alike.

• • • 

5. What is the most pressing issue facing the district, and what will you do during the first six months of your term to address it?

Farmer: Establishing a trusting and mutually respectful relationship between the board, management, staff and the citizens of Cambria. Open dialogue and honest communication at board meetings must take place! Only then can we address and resolve the many financial challenges faced by the district and our community.

Kirkey: The drought. An update of the 2008 MWP is necessary to reflect current water supply and delivery from all sources especially if we continue to experience severe drought conditions in the years ahead. We must acquire funds to repair our crumbling water-delivery infrastructure. 2016 year-to-date water losses, prior to reaching our meters, are approximately 15 MM gallons (just under 44 acre-feet). This loss accounts for 13.3 percent of water produced YTD. The revenue loss alone is also disturbing. We cannot afford this if we are forced to eventually operate the EWS-SWF to make expensive water as our only emergency source of supply. I will also support reinstatement of water overuse penalty fees. Without them we are walking away from a revenue source that can easily generate roughly $225,000 a year.

Kniffen: Securing the water supply for the residents is paramount. If we are not allowed to use the new water system, I would propose drastic social measures such as deporting everyone who has bought a house and moved to town in the past 15 years. Seeing as they are the ones who have put so much strain on our aquifers, they will need to get back in line. Residency will be based on longevity in town: first come, first served.

Since tourists will be outlawed, leaving town or tourism on the part of our local residents will be denied on reciprocal fairness. If people can’t come here and use our resources, then we can’t go there and use theirs. It is only fair.

Lee: In my opinion, understaffing at the water treatment and wastewater treatment plants is a critical issue, underscored by absence of affordable housing for potential staff. Although housing is not an area of board responsibility, the issue should be a top priority for the general manager.

Rice: There are many issues that must be addressed: fiscal policies and budget oversight, lack of long-range plans for capital improvement and fire services, immediate infrastructure needs in wastewater, among others. All of these would be addressed if we take on the most pressing issue: strengthening trust and confidence in the district and reaffirm that Cambrians are the reason CCSD exists.

Create standing committees made up of members from the community and the board (either per department, per budget category or one for each board goal). Engage in district-wide, long-range strategic planning through deliberate and inclusive process.

Robinette: While I believe one of Cambria’s most distressing issues is mistrust of the CCSD board among a minority of Cambrians — as evinced y their angst at board meetings, in the press and on social media — I also believe that the majority opinion in the community favors a solution to the most pressing issue: water security. That issue is my priority, and I will work diligently to make Cambria a water-secure community. We are on our way, and staying the course will make it happen. Would I like a kinder, more cohesive community? Definitely. And we have the opportunity to make that happen. Collaboration works: Let’s sit down, look at the facts and talk.

Sanders: The most pressing issue facing the district is protection of the community from the threat of fire. The recurring drought has resulted in an extraordinarily high rate of pine tree mortality. There is an urgent need to remove the dead trees from public and private property to eliminate the dangerous fire fuel load these dead trees represent. During the first six months of my term, I will push the district to pursue a) grant funds to pay the cost of removal of the dead trees from the forest; and b) acquisition of a biomass facility that will destroy the dead trees in an environmentally safe manner (with the added benefit of generating electricity to power the district’s wastewater plant).

Walters: Water is our most pressing issue. May the above be fodder for useful solutions.

Age: 72

Birthplace: Los Angeles

Years on North Coast: 30

Education: Graduated from California State University, Northridge, 1969, focusing on history, political science, sociology and social work

Employment: Self-employed gardener, counseling astrologer

Civic Involvement: 7-year volunteer as a gardener at the Cambria Historical Museum; cares for planter boxes atop the Beautify Cambria trash and recycling wooden containers in the business district

Hobbies: Volunteer disc jockey at a noncommercial Morro Bay radio station; loves to dance, do gardening, all things astrology, and surprise people in person by remembering to wish them Happy Birthday

Age: 66

Birthplace: Massena, New York

Years in Cambria: 13

Education: BS in biology/chemistry; post-graduate in cost accounting/economics

Employment: 35 years in energy-related industries; retired Dec. 31, 2015

Civic involvement: Recently retired; will join Lions Club this year

Hobbies: Golf, reading, investment research, gardening

Age: 50

Birthplace: Santa Cruz

Years in Cambria: 31

Education: Coast Union

Employment: Sea Chest

Civic involvement: I get around…

Hobbies: Civic involvement

Birthplace: Clovis, New Mexico

Years in Cambria: 3 years, 10 months

Education: BA in business and finance

Employment: Retired business owner

Civic involvement: Discovery Center docent, San Simeon; past president and board member, Chamber of Commerce, Lamesa, Texas; Board of Directors, West Texas Girl Scout Council; Board of Directors, Rotary Club

Hobbies: woodworking, hiking the trails along the central coast, checking off my “Bucket List” of National Park visits, gardening

Age: 46

Birthplace: Walnut Creek

Years in Cambria: 16.8

Education: High school diploma, Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland; BA English for secondary educators, CSU Chico; master of arts, teaching, Tulane University, New Orleans

Employment: High school teacher of English, New Orleans public schools (retired); web development, ACE Solutions, owner; legal billing support services

Civic involvement: Homeless Animal Rescue Team (HART), Cambria Youth Center and Cambria Anonymous Neighbors; member, Cambria Forest Committee; former chair and member; North Coast Advisory Council (NCAC); curator and writer, AboutCambria.com (2007-12) focused on informing Cambrians about local issues; co-organizer of Cambria’s 2009 Worldwide Day of Action on Climate Change (a 350.org action)

Hobbies: Making rock towers on the beach; singing (karaoke and backup singing with live bands); mixed media artwork; learning, learning, learning

Age: 73

Birthplace: Richmond, California

Years in Cambria: Homeowner since 1977; full-time resident since 2002

Education: Master’s degree, education administration/mathematics education

Employment: District-level mathematics coordinator, Fresno Unified School District (FUSD); state and federal budget coordinator ($40 million annual budget), FUSD; mathematics educator, California State University Fresno; senior author for mathematics, Scott Foresman Publishing Co.; business owner, approved by California Department of Education to support at-risk schools; California K-12 representative to the Higher Education Round Table and the California Business Round table.

Civic involvement: PROS member; served as vice chair and chair — orchestrated California Coastal Trail connection between Moonstone trail and Park Hill trail; HART volunteer; classic car participant in local sponsored events; coordinator, after-school, water-conservation banner project for Santa Lucia Middle School — student-designed banners are currently displayed along Main Street; Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve Kitchen Tour coordinator; served as land-use committee member for NCAC; CCSD board member, 2012 to present, serving as board president for 2015 and 2016

Hobbies: Walking, birding, photography, watching good movies, listening to the ocean, cat watching, dancing, pursuing meditative insights.

Age: 69

Birthplace: Alameda

Years in Cambria: 28 (20 full time)

Education: BA, history/political science; MA, history; J.D.

Employment: Attorney-at-Law (Nossaman LLP)

Civic involvement: Past president, Rotary Club of Cambria (current board member); past commander, American Legion Post 432 (current first vice-commander); co-founder, Veterans Treatment Court; past board member, Camp Ocean Pines; Honor Flight Guardian; JAG Officer, California Military Department; pro-bono legal work for low-income residents and nonprofit organizations

Hobbies: Military history (book in progress); travel; classic automobiles

Age: 51

Years in Cambria: 5

Education: Pasadena City College, student of anthropology

Employment: Certified massage therapist since 1986; caregiver with Cherish House, Cambria, since 2012

Civic involvement: Active in civic issues with the CCSD since moving to Cambria in 2012; Pewter Plough Playhouse board member since 2013

Hobbies: Astronomy, archery, canoeing, sailing, horseback riding, community theater, wine tasting, train travel, Renaissance fair and pirate re-enactments, astrology; looking forward to getting into gyrocoptering and kite boarding

This story was originally published October 26, 2016 at 9:54 AM with the headline "Cambria CSD candidates outline their visions, goals."