From a 2004 Nissan Altima springs a whole mess of accusations of questionable relationships, of impropriety and of special considerations between now-Imperial Irrigation District General Manager Kevin Kelley and the Imperial Valley Press.
Many years ago — nearly a decade — a poor decision was made by a past publisher to purchase a car for the writer/editor of a new Imperial Valley Press acquisition, Valley Grower. When that publication folded, its editor, Kelley, came to work in the newsroom as an opinion page editor and chief editorial writer.
To keep that Altima, after he had been hired away by the IID into a public relations position, he started writing edits in this very spot to work off the car rather than coming up with its $10,000 worth.
Frankly, it should have never happened. The publisher at the time displayed poor judgment in buying that car for Kelley — but the company was within its right as a private, family-owned business to do so. Where we erred was allowing the car to leave the Press’ possession without full payment or simply saying no.
By virtue of his involvement, we do have to say that Kelley was simply doing what he had to do to make sure he kept his car. Whether not reporting that car as income/gift — which we don’t believe it was — on the public employees’ statement of economic interest, Form 700, is up to the conflict of interest policies of the IID, according to the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Regardless, on our end that is in the past, and it gave the Press no insight into IID affairs and it gave the IID no favor with the I.V. Press. We think that is pretty clear from today’s Spin Cycle on Page 1.
Yet this isn’t the point of the accusations, is it? It’s about point of view. It’s about casting dispersions and long shadows, where the truth gets murky and no one really knows what is real and what is not.
When it comes to the IID, there are many people with their own interests at heart that have much to do with what the district does and how it does business. There are the water agencies that surround us, each with their own agenda and their own constituencies to serve, and by serve, we mean trying to find that precious commodity fresh water.
On the home front, there are also those who want their interest served above all else. And some have gone about this by wrapping themselves in the cloak of openness and transparent governance that, too, is questionable.
Yet simply stated: It’s their point of view, valid to them and possibly others. But for every one person who agrees, there are those who disagree. And therein lies the state of the politics of water and the politics of the IID.
What we’re dealing with isn’t about cars and loans and editorials. What we’re dealing with is how the most important resource in Imperial County, in the state, in the country and even in the world is managed. And not all will agree with how it is being managed; they might never.
The laws are sufficient. They spell out who is the caretaker of this natural resource locally, and there are agreements in place that detail how it is to be held in trust, conserved and shared among affected parties and affected states.
No matter how much that is disputed today, the framework remains. Even if replaced, even if done away with and renegotiated for more favorable terms for one or for all, someone will be unhappy, unsatisfied and left out in the cold.
What then? Do the same aggrieved parties or new ones send out more emails, cast more dispersion, throw more relationships into doubt in the hopes that something sticks? That someone with enough dirt and grime will affect an outcome? Maybe.
Today, we got a little dirty in this mudslinging contest, but more than enough dirt landed on all involved that maybe this makes everyone equal. We shall see.
Our View: Kelley, Press flap boils down to judgment lapse
THE ISSUE: Relationship between I.V. Press and IID G.M.
WE SAY: A lapse in judgment leads to a discussion on motives against the IID.
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