IID board approves PLA over bitter objections

EL CENTRO — In an expected 3-2 vote, the Imperial Irrigation District board of directors on Tuesday approved a 10-year project labor agreement that covers any construction projects that cost more than $750,000.

Although the discussion leading up to it was contentious, the outcome of Tuesday’s vote was a foregone conclusion, scheduled just before outgoing Director Erik Ortega’s term ends. He, along with fellow directors Norma Sierra Galindo and Alex Cardenas, on Nov. 23 declined to hold public workshops on the agreement, which would have delayed the vote and put it in the hands of a new board.

Director Jim Hanks, along with Bruce Kuhn, who also is leaving the board, realized Tuesday’s vote more of a formality than anything else.

“Personally, I have lost confidence in management’s duty and its ability to lead,” Hanks said. “Count to three and block opportunities to voice dissenting opinions from fellow board members and the public have now replaced policy.”

Hanks said he has supported more PLAs than any other board member in the history of the IID, but did so on a case-by-case basis where ratepayers’ interest was the driving force.

Hanks also said those who voted in support of the PLA knew they had the three votes necessary before the item was placed on the agenda.

Kuhn said the limit of $750,000 was much too low, and therefore could not vote in support of the PLA.

“With the stroke of a pen, literally, if we raised that threshold from $750,000 to somewhere like $1.5 million or even $2 million, that would allow the non-union contractors who have served the district faithfully for years and years and years to get a little bit of what they are about to lose.

“I think it would be a hell of a lot more equitable if that threshold had been put at $1.7 million, maybe $2 million,” he added.

Kuhn also responded to comments by unions that the PLA would result in more workers living in the county, saying non-union contractors are staying and are still spending their money locally, too.

When asked to vote, he said his mind was made up due to the $750,000 threshold that was not going to change.

Ortega said the PLA will provide a basic equity for workers and their families of Imperial County for the next 10 years.

“I’m for this agreement because for one it raises the bar in the Imperial Valley instead of lowering it,” he said. “The contractors do not really believe a PLA will raise the costs of projects at the IID.”

He said the contractors are opposed to it because they think their costs will increase.

Earlier in the meeting Duggins Construction Inc. President Russell Roben asked Ortega to take back some of the untrue comments he had made about the company.

Ortega refused to, saying he considered asking him to take back his comments as a threat and he does not respond to threats.

Incoming Director JB Hamby, who will take the oath of office Friday, said ramming through a 10-year agreement 72 hours before a new board is seated demonstrates a complete disregard for the many voters who sent a mandate for change on Election Day.

“I can tolerate routine disrespect from board members, but this sort of disrespect to voters and ratepayers is intolerable,” Hamby said. “The Valley deserves better.”

He said after taking the oath he will have to determine whether the PLA improves local hiring and controls costs or does the opposite.

“One of my first responsibilities is to find out exactly what exactly the outgoing board dumped on the new one,” Hamby said. “This is exceedingly unclear at this time.”

More than 10 people called in to the meeting Tuesday with several union shops asking for the IID board to approve the agreement, while most of the other contractors who are not a part of the union, asked for it to not be approved.