IID seeking to heal from self-inflicted wounds
IMPERIAL – With hotter summers driving up energy demand and costs, and an extreme Western drought increasing competition for water as reservoirs drop to record-low levels, there has perhaps never been a time when the Imperial Irrigation District needs to be more on its game.
However, the public utility providing water and power to Imperial County, and power to parts of Riverside County, faces another potentially formidable foe: internal strife.
IID Board of Directors President James Hanks gaveled a recess when a Feb. 15 meeting lapsed into chaos amid a heated back and forth between directors Alex Cardenas and JB Hamby.
• In December, Director Norma Sierra Galindo, publicly no fan of Hamby’s since he took office a year prior, wrote in an email to this newspaper, “Baby Hamby just got a st burger for dinner! He will not be president this year” after the board voted to retain Hanks as president and not vote in Hamby.
More recently, just last week this newspaper published a flurry of pieces over the board’s 3-2 vote on March 15 to purchase electricity from a power plant in Riverside County. Hanks, Galindo and Cardenas voted in favor while Hamby and Director Javier Gonzalez voted no.
Proponents say the fiveyear agreement with the Desert View Power Plant in Mecca will lock in affordable power to avoid IID having to buy electricity on the more expensive open market when summer demands exceed supply. Those opposed, most prominently Hamby, contend it will result in higher rates.
Despite the contentious – sometimes ugly – back and forth among board members, comments about the
situation were difficult to come by. Among several in the local farming community contacted, just one, Ralph Strahm, agreed to speak on the record.
Likewise, among the 10 members of the IID Energy Consumers Advisory Committee contacted by email for comment, just two responded and one, Eric Montoya Reyes, also director of Los Amigos De La Comunidad, agreed to be quoted.
OPPOSING VIEWS
Strahm and Reyes have views of the situation that could be seen as polar opposites.
“I think the only thing that concerns me is they tend to hold things back. If they want to air their grievances it might be a good thing to know what they’re thinking,” Strahm said.
“As far as the day-to-day, (IID General Manager Enrique) Martinez is handling things,” he added. “They seem to be watching out for their consumers and their voters. We’re lucky we have a public utility. Those for-profit energy entities have different interests than the public.
However, Reyes said he views the rancor as counterproductive.
“I think the fact they’re letting their personalities get in the way is hampering good ideas,” he said. “It doesn’t stop them, but it hurts the decision-making process. I wish they would put that aside and discuss the issues that are vital to our community.”
Of the Cardenas-Hamby dispute, a meeting he attended, he observed: “It was a combination of all this animosity. Even Hamby and Hanks are getting at it. I think it shuts out good dialogue. For me, I’m trying to understand what they’re doing but I can’t because of all this hate. I want them to stick to the issues. That’s what I’m here for. I’m an advocate for public engagement.”
One community member who spoke on the condition of anonymity laid the blame on Hamby, alleging “there were no issues on the board until JB joined. He came in on a coup, inserting himself directly into leadership, throwing the regular decorum and order of executive leadership out the window. So for him to constantly claim the moral high ground is a farce.”
EXPERIENCE MATTERS
As board president and a director for nearly 16 years, Hanks said in an interview that while he isn’t a fan of some of what has happened, he’s not panicking about it either.
“We had two on the old board (Bruce Kuhn and Erik Ortega) that were beat in the 2020 election (by Hamby and Gonzalez). I wouldn’t say the old board had smooth sailing. They had their difficulties, but you get used to people after four years. That’s part of it,” he explained.
“You get new people and it takes them awhile to get into the role of director. I’ve been patient. It’s going to get there,” he added.
Despite that conciliatory tone, there are reasons to conclude the flame on the burner is only going higher. After Hamby penned a column sharply critical of the Desert View deal that appeared in the March 20 edition of this newspaper, Hanks weighed in with a rebuttal letter published March 23.
That led to a side spat with Hamby questioning in emails to IID staff, including General Manager Martinez and General Counsel Wayne K. Strumpfer, whether it was appropriate for IID staff to assist Hanks in preparing the letter if it was from him and not the entire board.
“I am concerned that this issue has the effect of dragging staff unnecessarily – and undesirably – into board politics,” Hamby wrote in the email. “As such, it appears wholly inappropriate on such issues of controversy, notably, directing staff to participate in taking an advocacy role in a policy disagreement between two directors.”
Martinez replied, “In response to your questions, as a practice, staff has prepared draft letters to the editor, responses to organizations, position papers, etc. in (sic) behalf of the board member. The board member will review and edit as necessary and issue under their name.
“As for your question addressing representing the official position of the board, I don’t know if this is the case. In previous letters, the position is the opinion of the board member signing the letter.”
When Hamby asked to have a rebuttal to Hanks’ letter included with its submission to the media, Martinez replied, “Antonio (Ortega, IID government affairs and communications officer) shared your request with Dir Hanks and Dir Hanks did not agree with attaching your letter to his letter. Antonio sent Dur (sic) Hanks letter to the media earlier today.”
In the interview, Hanks complained among the district’s problems are directors who act on their own to involve staff in policy research without the customary practice of obtaining direction from the full board. Compounding the matter are willing staff members.
“You always have what I call ambitious staff seeking to go up the ladder. It tends to undermine the GM, so unless the GM steps up and gets control of that, it just floats through with the board,” Hanks said. “(It’s) misdirection to staff, not (board) consensus. It creates chaos in the rank and file.”
As an example, Hanks cited the Desert View agreement.
“We’ve got staff that says there’s better alternatives out there. Where are they?” he asked. “The board has not had discussions in closed sessions on alternatives to the Desert View option. Those advocating that have not brought the options forth. They just heard from staff.”
MEETING FRACAS
The Feb. 15 fracas began with Hamby suggesting the board consider doing a budget every other year and updating its strategic plan in the in-between years and the ensuing exchange can be viewed on a video recording of the meeting at iid.com. In an interview, Hamby said he got the idea from learning about how other utilities employ that approach.
Cardenas, Galindo and Hanks were critical of the proposal, with Cardenas alleging it was “an attempt to undermine” the district’s newly formed Finance Committee. Martinez suggested having the committee “take a closer look to this whole proposal.”
Hamby then backed off, saying, “It’s all right. I’ll just pull for now.”
Cardenas then quipped, “So you can tell by the disingenuous approach, so we create…” at which point Hamby cut him off and said, “You know what? I’m going to go back to this. I’ve been very patient…”
Hamby and Cardenas then began talking over each other with Cardenas waving his hand and saying to Hamby, “Why don’t you just quit? Just resign and quit. Goodbye. Goodbye.”
Hamby replied, “I’ve had to deal with this with you guys so often. I’ve been very patient.”
Cardenas continued to say “bye, bye,” and wave.
Clearly frustrated, Hanks reached for the gavel, hammered with it several times and said, “All right. We’re taking a five minute break. Thank you.”
The audio on the official IID video ends but in a video recorded by an audience member provided to this newspaper Hamby can be heard complaining to Hanks about the situation, to which Hanks replied, “If you want to talk to me, I’ll be right out here.”
Hanks then left the dais followed quickly by Hamby.
In this video Cardenas pointed several times toward Hanks and Hamby and said “thank you.” He then remained on the other side of the dais, arms folded.
Asked about the incident, Hamby replied, “I introduced it and was called disingenuous. I go through a lot of being called names – mostly by Galindo, but Hanks has his ways of being unkind. If no one else was interested, I decided to withdraw it. I wanted to open it for conversation but immediately got, ‘This is dumb.’”
HAMBY CITES ‘JEALOUSY’
Just 24 when he was elected, less than half the age of some of his board colleagues and the youngest IID board member ever, Hamby said more than his age being an issue he sees “jealousy” because he does his research and comes up with ideas.
“I work my butt off to get things done. Some get elected and don’t do the work. I’m at the district office at 1 a.m. doing research when the cleaning lady is there,” he said.
“I take a super-active role in trying to do something and the work product is pretty polished. That appears threatening to some people. I came in. I promised a lot of things. I think I’ve delivered,” Hamby added
Asked if the current rancor makes it more difficult to do the board’s business, Hamby said, “I would say yes.”
Hamby then explained how he is dealing with the criticism from other board members.
“I’ve tried to adjust to stay mostly silent in closed session, unless something is going completely off the rails. I could keep ratcheted up if I keep talking, or I can just hold off until we can deal with issues instead of personalities” he said.
“I’ve been making a conscious decision to keep order because some board members have an allergy to me. If I do speak, it causes problems,” he added.
On the approach of picking his battles, Hamby admitted, “I don’t think that’s a good strategy; it’s just one that has to be done.”
Galindo did not respond to phone and email messages seeking comment for this story. In the email thread from December in which she commented on Hamby, she was critical of Gonzalez and referred to him as “the thumb tack.”
Said Hamby, “People really hate Galindo. She’s like (U.S. House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi. She’s been the object of a lot disdain.”
Voters will decide that later this year as both Galindo and Cardenas have filed to retain their seats.
CARDENAS RESPONDS
For his part, though, Cardenas expressed regret over the Feb. 15 incident, and maintained he is optimistic about what the board has, and will, achieve.
“We’re already past this. We have some very important decisions to make. I want to apologize to the public for my behavior at the past board meeting,” he said. “That type of behavior should never be repeated. I am prepared to move forward with the public’s business.”
What irritated him at that meeting was “interruptions” from Hamby, Cardenas said, explaining, “I asked to be heard. He interrupted me. That led to Hanks gaveling down and saying he (Hamby) was out of order.”
Commenting on the board’s situation, Cardenas said, “Have we reached a level of dysfunction? Absolutely not. The level of policy is at an all-time high. We have adopted a $1.1 billion budget. To reach a unanimous consent on a $1.1 billion budget should give some level of comfort.”
In that regard, General Manager Martinez was in agreement.
“No. The IID Board of Directors continues to do its job,” he said when asked if current disputes among IID directors is affecting the board’s ability to do its job. “With any publicly elected board there can be differences of opinion and each board member is entitled to his or her opinion.”
He added, “Ultimately, the job of the board is to vote on important matters in the best interests of its customers, the public, and set the direction for the district. The IID board is doing that and staff is carrying out that direction in providing reliable water and energy services.” Cardenas said his quitting reference at the Feb. 15 meeting was because he was critical of Hamby for leaving the Water Conservation Advisory Board in March 2021. Hamby said he did so because of conflict with another Advisory Board member that caused him to conclude his energies were better spent elsewhere.
However, Cardenas noted he and Hamby are working well together so far in the new IID Legislative Committee.
“There was harmony. There was action. He did a very effective job. The development of lithium (extraction) is going to require board members to come together to create a blended economy with agriculture,” Cardenas said.
Hamby agreed, but not without taking a jab. He called the Legislative Committee “productive” and also said lithium was discussed, including a possible joint meeting between the IID board and the county Board of Supervisors to maximize community benefits from the expected new industry.
But he added, “I would say any time myself or my family are not attacked on the most violent terms, I would say that’s positive.”
BOARD OUTLOOK
For his part, Hanks noted he is strongly considering a tactic he hopes might bring the flame down a bit.
“We can evaluate ourselves. It may be time to do our own self-evaluation. We have done this before. The board president would have to put it on the agenda. Have H.R. (human resources) bring in a form. How do we rate ourselves?” Hanks explained.
Noting he was a school superintendent in Calipatria for 20 years and has been on the IID board for 16, Hanks added he is prepared for the important work in the coming months before he leaves office at year’s end. He did not file for another term.
“I’m seasoned. I’m beat up. I ran schools. I can handle that,” he said. “With what we’re being faced with on the river (water rights issues and shortages) at some point this board is going to have to defend our water.”
He added, “We’re reaching a point of endless compromise. I’m not a Chamberlain fan (British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain who tried unsuccessfully to appease Hitler before World War II). There’s certain things you don’t compromise on: water rights, balancing authority (being an independent provider of electric power), our governing structure.”
The last item was in reference to a bill introduced in 2019 by a state Assembly member from Riverside County that would have stacked the IID board with more representatives from that county to give it a majority.