Templeton advisory group on the chopping block

The volunteer board that has served as Templeton's official voice to San Luis Obispo County government is on the verge of dissolution, following the criminal conviction of its former chair and a wave of resignations that has left the panel unable to hold meetings.

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors is expected to vote to no longer recognize the Templeton Area Advisory Group (TAAG), CalCoastNews reported. The move would end — at least for now — the community's formal channel for input on planning, land use, public safety, and development decisions that county leaders make on Templeton's behalf.

How the board collapsed

The group's unraveling began with the criminal case against its chair, David Leader. According to CalCoastNews, Leader originally faced 32 criminal charges related to violating restraining and court orders, vandalism, and petty theft. He ultimately pleaded guilty to eight counts, including one felony.

In August, a judge sentenced the 71-year-old Leader to 30 days in jail for one felony count of vandalism and seven misdemeanor counts of violating restraining orders, the outlet reported.

Court orders stemming from the case require Leader to stay at least 100 yards away from eight victims. When several of those victims attended an advisory group meeting in late August, Leader resigned from the board, according to CalCoastNews.

His departure came only after the group had already taken an extraordinary step: members voted to change the organization's bylaws to allow people with felony convictions to serve, a move widely interpreted as an attempt to keep Leader on the board despite his conviction.

The resignations that followed left the group with just three members — below the threshold needed for a quorum. Without a quorum, the board cannot call meetings, conduct business, or appoint new members, effectively freezing the organization in place and setting the stage for the Board of Supervisors to withdraw county recognition.

What the group does

The Templeton Area Advisory Group has functioned as an advisory body giving Templeton residents a structured way to weigh in on county decisions affecting their unincorporated community. It provides input to SLO County on planning, land use, public safety, and community development matters — though the county retains final authority on all decisions.

For residents of the North County town, the group has been one of the few formal venues for local input before county approvals. If recognition is withdrawn, Templeton residents would lose that seat at the table unless the county moves to reconstitute the body or establish a replacement.

A history of friction

The group's final months were marked by dysfunction that went beyond the criminal case. CalCoastNews reported that disagreements over the body's bylaws had for years produced contentious meetings and even threats among members.

Tensions were on public display as recently as this March. During a March 19 meeting, as board members argued among themselves, SLO County Supervisor John Peschong — whose district includes the North County — asked whether he could deliver his report with updates and information relevant to the Templeton area. According to CalCoastNews, members failed to address his request, and Peschong eventually left without giving his report.

The episode underscored a breakdown in the basic functioning of a body whose core purpose is facilitating communication between Templeton residents and county government.

What comes next

The Board of Supervisors' expected vote to stop recognizing the group would formalize what has already become a practical reality: with only three members remaining and no ability to reach a quorum, the group cannot operate.

It remains unclear what, if any, mechanism county officials might pursue to restore formal community representation for Templeton. Advisory bodies in other unincorporated SLO County communities have historically provided a pipeline for resident input on development proposals, road and safety concerns, and community planning priorities — functions Templeton residents would now be without.

For now, the likely outcome is that decisions affecting Templeton will continue to be made by the Board of Supervisors, as they always ultimately were, but without a recognized local advisory group to channel community sentiment in advance.

This article is based on reporting by [CalCoastNews](https://calcoastnews.com/2026/09/templeton-advisory-group-on-the-chopping-block/). 805.life will follow the Board of Supervisors' action and update this story as more details become available.