Escobar sustains upbeat note in State of the County address
CALEXICO — Imperial Board of Supervisors Chairman and District 1 Supervisor Jesus Eduardo Escobar underscored in his State of the County address Thursday the high expectations officials have for lithium development in the region.
Speaking to an audience at Gran Plaza Outlets, near the U.S.-Mexico border, Escobor said lithium will help bring new economic investments to the Imperial Valley through the Lithium Valley Economic Opportunity Investment Plan.
“The Imperial Board of Supervisors is fully committed to improving the quality of life for our entire community,” said Escobar.
His speech, entitled “Strength Though Unity,” was the first State of the County address delivered in person since before the pandemic.
“Tonight is the opportunity to highlight the great things that the County of Imperial, its 26 departments and agencies, have accomplished in the last year to improve the quality of life for its residents,” Escobar said.
The program included welcoming remarks by John Moreno, an invocation by Jose Sosa, pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Calexico, a presentation of colors, and the Pledge of Allegiance by the Calexico Police Department Explorer Color Guard, and the National Anthem played by Mariachi Acero.
Escobar’s address, as is typical of these sorts of events, was largely celebratory in nature, notably steering clear of topics such as the scandal in the Auditor-Controller’s Office or the persistent housing shortage within the county. He did, however, acknowledge the staffing predicament that public safety departments face.
“We are committed to a swift and equitable resolution to the problems you are facing,” he promised.
He went on to highlight the achievements of the county Fire Department over the previous year. He said the department responded to almost 6,400 emergency calls, conducted more than 27,000 hours of firefighter training, and secured $1.8 million in grants.
He also acknowledged the community’s losses during the pandemic.
“I would like to take this moment to acknowledge the personal experiences of our workforce and express our sincerest condolences to all those who may have lost a family member or loved one to COVID-19,” said Escobar.
He noted that the Imperial County Public Health Department collaborated with public and private organizations to hold 316 vaccination clinics, and 52 home visits and administered 43,272 COVID-19 vaccines throughout the county.
The county’s Executive Office distributed more than $4 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds in grants to assist with rentals, and utility payments to support business cash flow.
Among the address highlights, Escobar reported that during last year, the Department of Social Services assisted more than 101,000 residents; that signifies an increase of 8 percent of families receiving safety net services from 2020.
The Executive Office secured funding to assist residents in unincorporated areas of the county, examples include $4.5 million for victims of the Niland Fire with housing replacement, $1 million to the Heber Public Utility District and Palo Verde County Water District, and nearly $300,000 to prepare Imperial County Colonias Housing Infrastructure Needs Assessment.
The Division of Community and Economic Development completed construction and improvement projects that included the Winterhaven Water Treatment Plant and the Niland Public Safety Facility for a combined total investment of $6.5 million.
Speaking of the Public
Works Department, Escobar said it will continue to manage road and bridge improvements throughout the county, such as Forrester, Clark and Dogwood, Heber Avenue, Picacho Road, Imperial Highway in Ocotillo, and Rio Vista Street in Seeley.
Escobar added that grant funding for the East and West Anza bridge in Calexico is being pursued. Since fiscal year 2020, the Public Works Department made capital investments of almost $6.37 million on projects, Escobar reported.
Escobar mentioned that despite COVID-19 impacted court operations, the Public Defenders Office represented more than 1,000 felony cases and 2,000 misdemeanor cases.
The Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office’s financial accountability is $936 million across the county; including cash and investment funds from county schools and special districts.
Escobar said the Air Pollution Control District will continue to implement community-focused programs to reduce exposure to air pollution; such as the installation of an air monitoring station near the New River or the paving of over 3 miles of alleys in Calexico.
Before he finished his speech, Escobar recognized Janette Angulo, Imperial County Public Health Department director; Ben Salorio, interim county executive officer; Rodolfo Aguayo, Imperial County Human Resources director, and county administrative staff for their leadership and dedication throughout the year.
“As we proceed with the rest of 2022, the message I want to leave all you with is that there is strength in unity,” Escobar concluded.