Public Service Spotlight: Charles Riha
Charles Riha was hired by the Planning and Building Department on February 10th, 1997. He prides himself on being the oldest employee in the department. At nearly 74 years of age, he has no plans of retiring anytime soon! Lovingly nicknamed The Machine, a few years ago Charles was awarded a plaque that celebrated his achievement of reviewing 8,000 plans during his career. Since then, he estimates he has reviewed an additional 700, bringing his total above 8,700 plans reviewed in over 27 years. No wonder he is considered The Machine!
While assessing building plans is something he is enthusiastic about, the true love of his life is his wife of 33 years, Marian. They met in November of 1988 and were married a year and a half later. As he described his wife to me, the look on his face showed such admiration for her. She unfortunately was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and is in the care of nurses in their home but his deep love for her has never wavered. He stated, “I was there for the party and [I will be] there for the rest, in sickness and in health. Thanks for picking me [Marian]!”
Charles standing in front of a custom art piece of chilis hung in his office
Prior to working for the County, he utilized his Engineering degree from Cal Poly to design high-end homes in the greater LA area. He was also a Hearst Castle tour guide and played the piano on Wednesday evenings at the Port San Luis restaurant, next to the airport.
When he first started with the County in 1997, Charles was hired as a Construction Tech, which is similar to the current Land Use Tech classification. He viewed this job opportunity as a way to get his foot in the door with the public sector. Eventually, he worked his way up to Examiner III. Charles enjoys sharing his vast knowledge of building plans while mentoring the newer employees of the department. He expressed he has a special understanding, and he writes his plan reviews as if he is writing to himself and really tries to communicate precisely to the clients what he is looking for in the plans.
Outside of work, Charles has a few unique hobbies, including collecting American Indian pottery and antique bottles of hot sauce. He converted his home office into his “Collection’s Room” where he is showcasing over 200 pieces of pottery dating back to the 1400’s, and 200 AD era. When asked what his favorite piece of poetry was, Charles described a very rare, and intact feather box approximately 6 inches in size from the 1550’s. It was crafted by the Hopi Tribe. “Sikyatki pottery is considered to be some of the best pottery made to date.” He claimed, “These pieces have such a complexity. It really opened up my eyes to pottery. I feel very fortunate to have that piece.” In his collection of hot sauces, he has some bottles that date back to the 1850’s that he has accumulated from bottle shows or from the internet. He said he has tasted a few of them, but mostly just enjoys collecting them.
Photos that Charles keeps above his desk. The license plate is from his late Mini Couper. “MAS AJI” meaning “More Chilis.”
Charles also grows his own chili plants. Adding approximately 20 plants a year to his garden, he has grown over 300 varieties over the years, and he is still adding to his garden annually. After harvesting his chilis, he pickles and jars them; he estimates that he preserves about 70-80 jars of chilis a year. He gives some away but mostly he keeps them for himself. He says “it’s just like eating an olive for lunch or dinner. I have been doing that for a long time.”
He has in the past dabbled in making his own hot sauce, but he found that making habanero ice cream was much tastier. Using a vanilla ice cream recipe as the base, Charles adds cooked carrots to get the orange color, pureeing the carrots and pepper together to create the right flavors. “It turned out amazingly well,” he expressed. He once had the desire to open a restaurant called Extreme Food, where he would grow his chilis all over the restaurant and make delicious foods with varying levels of heat.
When asked if Charles had any advice for newer employees of the County, he said, “Stick with the job! Don’t get discouraged. Find your passion and go for it! Listen to the people who have been here for a while for advice. Enjoy it, it’s a great place to work.”
Charles has built a strong network through the 8,700 plans he has completed over his career with the County. The positive feedback is what keeps him going and he is proud to say that he even has some architects who consider him a friend. But he is most thankful for the great support system and companionship he has built with his coworkers, and you can tell that they share that same camaraderie. As we completed the interview and I turned to leave, his coworkers took the time to tell me, “He is such a wonderful person to work with and such a pleasure.” Charles has established a family within the Planning and Building Department and has built an impressive legacy with both his work product and his mentorship.
By Briana Dickey, Administrative Assistant
