1. Some of the more than 600 bicyclists took over downtown San Luis Obispo Sunday for the annual SLO Criterium
and a celebration of bicycling in general. Story and more photos on Page 10. Photo by Christopher Gardner
Volume 19 • Issue 30 • July 24 – 30, 2008
Become an
Art Patron
page 19
Von’s
Donates to
Big Brothers
page 15
More to Fall
in Love With
page 11
Rumble at
the Rock
July 24-26
page 12
INSIDE INFORMATION
YOUR COMMUNITY IN YOUR HANDS
Input
Sought on
LOVR Study
By Jack Beardwood
The County Public Works
Department is continuing to seek
public comments on its Los Osos Valley
Road Corridor Study, which is intended
to serve as a blueprint for future trans-
portation planning for downtown Los
Osos.
At a recent joint meeting of the Los
Osos Community Services District Board
of Directors and the Los Osos Community
Advisory Council, consultants, Rick
Engineering of San Luis Obispo, gave a
power point presentation on the plan that
will affect future development and county
projects.
As part of their traffic analysis, the con-
sultant recommends:
• Construction of a raised median along
LOVR between Bush Drive and South
Bay Boulevard;
• Installation of a signal at the LOVR
and Fairchild Way intersection;
• Continuing to provide a median
break in front of the driveway at Ralph’s
market; and,
• Creation of a median break in front of
Sunset Drive at LOVR allowing full
access at the intersection with a 2-way
stop control for the northbound and
southbound approaches.
With the implementation of the
improvements, the overall traffic flow,
safety, and access along LOVR is expected
to significantly improve under the future
traffic conditions, according to the con-
sultants.
The study calculated average accident
rates on LOVR between Bush Drive and
Oak Ridge Drive at 5.25, which is more
than twice the statewide average of 2.40
for similar roadways.
Mike Britton, project manager for the
County Public Works Department, said
they would be looking to get “acceptance”
of the study by LOCAC. He said there
will be a discussion at LOCAC’s Aug. 28
meeting set for 7 p.m. at the South Bay
Community Center.
He said he hopes to get the communi-
ty’s blessing by September or October.
The document, which carries a price
tag of $80,000, is currently not available
at the library or online. Britton said inter-
ested parties should contact him at Public
Works, 781-5252.
The study area runs along LOVR from
South Bay Boulevard to Palisades Avenue.
The Morro Bay Fire Department’s future is up for discussion
when the city council holds a public hearing in September on
whether to contract with Cal Fire and give up its more than 70-year-
old independent department.
The hearing will come on the heels of a public workshop held July
12 where state and local representatives laid out the contracting
process, discussed the pros and cons, issues with other counties and
their contracts, and explained what could be done and for about how
much.
Solid cost figures for a contract won’t be known unless the coun-
cil votes to move forward with Cal Fire but an ad hoc city commit-
tee had some educated guesses. Bill Murphy, a firefighter, commit-
tee member and union representative, explained that their prelimi-
nary estimate is the city could save some $53,000 the first year and
between $592,000 and $1.2 million a year after about 10 years.
This is based almost entirely because the state doesn’t give as large
a cost of living increase as Morro Bay has in the past. Murphy said
it was a trade off for the local crews. The COLAs are smaller but the
retirement is better, he said.
Dispatching duties would switch over to Cal Fire’s headquarters
in San Luis Obispo but still be routed through Morro Bay police.
Some worried about a potential for delay but Cal Fire Battallion
Chief Steve Beighter said any delay would be a matter of seconds. “It
Morro Bay’s Police Department continues to bleed personnel,
as two more officers are applying to new agencies, and the
department wants to sponsor recruits to the police academy as
potential replacements.
The city council approved hiring two part-time recruits, paying
them $22 an hour without benefits, to attend the academy at
Hancock College in Santa Maria. One recruit is in the testing
process for one position but two other possible recruits didn’t work
out. So, the police chief will interview some unclaimed recruits at
Hancock and at an academy in Fresno to try to fill the other posi-
tion.
The department is expecting to lose Cpl. Robert Root who has
applied to the state Alcoholic Beverage Control agency and Ofc.
Tyler Brooks, the current officer of the year. Brooks is trying to get
on with the Santa Maria PD, his hometown.
With the Hancock academy set to begin July 28, the department
needed to act fast to make sure it has two recruits on line otherwise
Fire Department Future?
Council to Hold Hearing in September
By Neil Farrell
Police to Hire Two Recruits
See Department Future, page 5
See Police Recruits, page 5 See LOVR Study, page 5