Bob Bergman is an endangered species—a Templeton native whose family has been here more than 100 years. He grew up on his family’s ranch, attended Templeton schools where his mother was a teacher, and has been serving his community since 1985 as a member of the Board of Directors.

The key issues that initially caused Bergman to run for office were a burning desire to secure Templeton’s borders and it’s financial future.

The CSD was only 10 years old when Bergman became a Director. The District started in debt to San Luis Obispo County and had a rocky financial beginning. The original and succeeding board almost managed to get the District’s finances in order only to discover later on that the accounting method used by the District did not accurately reflect it’s status.

The District was in financial trouble and was in danger of going bankrupt. Bergman threw his hat into the ring, was elected to the board, and was the originating Director that initiated TCSD’s first Finance Committee.

“I wanted to be involved in the decision making process for the CSD and contribute to getting and keeping it on a good financial footing,” said Bergman. “The board voted in favor of establishing a Finance Committee and we started doing a little bit of research on the discrepancies that we found within the budgeting system.”

Bergman was joined on the finance committee by then Director Bill Engels and shortly after the committee was formed, by TCSD’s newly hired General Manager Bill Van Orden. According to all involved, Templeton resident Len Evers worked tirelessly with the committee members sharing his considerable knowledge of finances and budgeting and along with the committee, played a key role in returning the CSD to the solid financial footing it enjoys today.

While Templeton fought to gain solid ground financially, the City of Paso Robles continued a southward march into areas that had previously been designated within Templeton’s sphere of influence. The city used the sewer inceptor line that ran between Paso and Templeton as leverage and the border gradually moved south.

“Early on Paso had worked their way down little by little on both sides of the freeway from 46 south and people were just up in arms that Templeton was going to get taken over by Paso,” said Bergman.

Bergman played a major role in the negotiations with the City of Paso Robles that ended successfully after more than 7 years of “border wars” between the two entities. Templeton was finally able to purchase the Templeton Interceptor Sewer Line that ran between Templeton and the Paso Robles Wastewater Treatment Plant, effectively ending Paso’s southward march toward Templeton.

The border between Templeton and Paso Robles was further sealed when TCSD recently annexed the Ramada Corridor to Volpi Isabel. The Theater Drive Corridor had been secured several years earlier.

“The annexations were another major jump for the District,” said Bergman. “That’s Templeton’s now and Paso can never take it away from us.”

In the last 10 years Bergman has worked diligently with TCSD staff and board members to further solidify Templeton’s future. After 10, sometimes frustrating years, the first expansion of Templeton’s Meadowbrook Wastewater Treatment Plant has been completed, further solidifying and facilitating Templeton’s autonomy.

After high school Bergman attended a four-year apprenticeship program to become a heavy equipment operator and spent four years running earthmovers, dozers, and graders in the building of Highway 46 West between Jack Creek and Highway 1. He then went on to work in commercial petroleum sales and in 1977 began a career real estate where he continues to work today.