County Chair calls to review IV Equity and Justice Coalition grant
EL CENTRO – Imperial County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ryan Kelley has called staff to review the grants awarded to a local nonprofit organization given its alleged recent participation in a pro-Palestinian protest.
During the county’s last meeting of the year held on Dec. 19, Kelley, who represents District 4 in the Board Supervisors, said in his report the authorities have noticed the Imperial Valley Equity and Justice Coalition taking part in a pro-Palestinian protest during El Centro’s Christmas Parade held earlier this month.
Kelley assured the county’s regulations mandate no funds should be spent for political action.
A similar protest took place in Calexico’s Christmas Parade.
A group of close to a dozen protesters walked through Calexico’s parade with Palestinian flags, turning attendants’ heads and making others take pictures that were shared on social media.
In a phone interview, Chairman Kelley said although he was out of town back then a news article about the protest was published by local media.
Kelley insisted in the interview county’s money should not be used for political purposes.
All those awardees sign an agreement with the Executive Officer that mandates funds must be used only for the program’s purposes.
“We want to make sure county funds are not used for political action,” Kelley said.
Chairman Kelley also said the county could ask for the return of $170K in funding awarded back in mid-April for Lithium Valley outreach efforts from the IVEJC.
The item is expected to be discussed next month once supervisors return from Christmas and New Year’s recess.
“The County Administration and legal counsel are currently engaged in a detailed review of the request to ensure compliance with county policies,” County Spokesperson Gilbert Rebollar said in an email. “We will provide more information when ready and available.”
“The comments made by supervisor Kelley are misinformed,” the IVEJC said in a prepared statement. “The
county is very meticulous and strict about what they pay and our organization maintains time accounting.”
According to the coalition, the County would not pay anything that does not strictly adheres to the objectives.
“IV Equity was not the organizer,” the coalition said. “The group that organized this demonstration is called IV for Palestine.”
However, at least one coalition member took part in Palestine’s mission of peace demonstration but made it in her own time.
The coalition has taken part in several initiatives around the valley, including Salud sin Fronteras and the Lithium Valley conversations.
The Imperial Valley Equity and Justice Coalition was formed amid one of the greatest COVID-19 spikes in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Imperial County, one of the hardest hit counties of the state, the coalition’s website reads.
Over the past two years, our collective has come together to bring positive change in the lives of Latinx communities in Imperial Valley experiencing health and social inequities, the coalition continues in its self-description.
“We are committed to building local leadership, expanding capacity and reach, and leading initiatives that reduce inequities among historically excluded Latinx communities,” the website adds. “Our vision is to eliminate health and social disparities and inequities among the Latinx community in Imperial Valley (IV) and build the next generation of Latinx community leaders.”
County Supervisors approved on April 18 disbursing $720,000 to five local nonprofit organizations for community-based education, engagement, participatory research, and outreach efforts on the Salton Sea Renewable Resource Specific Plan and the PEIR created by the county for the lithium and geothermal energy development efforts in the Imperial County.
A county document says CBOs are “trusted messengers and will be crucial to success in ensuring the local community is engaged and informed.”
Other awardees include Los Amigos de la Comunidad, Raizes, the Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center, and Comite Civico del Valle.
The latter was awarded little over half of those funds. Those resources were available after June 30, when Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 125 which helps assist in the development of the Imperial Valley’s lithium resource in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area, or Lithium Valley.
SB 125 also includes $5 million in State General Fund monies to the County of Imperial for various lithium-related activities, including the development of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report, or PEIR, and grant distribution to community-based organizations to conduct engagement on the PEIR.
In July, the county hired Dudek Consulting Inc. to prepare the PEIR and the Lithium Development Infrastructure Assessment that was presented to the board a few weeks ago.
The county’s agreement with local CBOs includes engagement activities like holding or attending public meetings, holding roundtable discussions, conducting door-to-door canvassing and street research, as well as holding community workshops with experts in mineral extraction and public planning.
Also, the agreements mandate that CBOs must attend local events to share information, engage the public, gather input, and coordinate with project service providers.
A selection committee appointed by the CEO reviewed and scored proposals to provide recommendations, county documents show.
The five bidding organizations scored closely in the eight categories and hold unique advantages to ensure the local community is engaged, the document continues.
Those categories included general firm and individual experience, capacity to perform the scope of work ability to conclude the work in a timely manner, and cost of services.
The agreement’s Section 12.1 says either party may terminate the agreement without cause by giving the other party written notice at least thirty days before the date of termination.
In its 17-page grant proposal named “Cultivating Grassroots Engagement and Community Expertise for An Equitable Lithium Valley,” the coalition requested $232,660, but was granted only $170,000, county documents show. The coalition requested $56,760 for its executive organizer, $79,200 for its project coordinator, and $79,200 for its community organizer/ canvasser.
Those positions were going to be occupied by Daniela Flores, Alexis Castro, and Dylan Castillo, respectively.
The coalition’s proposal included funds for mileage, printing, participant incentives, volunteer stipends, and software, with reports expected to be made public in March 2024.