IID Director John Pierre Menvielle gives his state of the IID speech Friday in Brawley. (Alejandro Davila) |
BRAWLEY — Though discussion began and ended on a positive note, there was a definite amount of criticism for the local utility company at the State of the County/District breakfast held Friday.
The Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business held its annual event Friday morning at the Stockmen’s Club here allowing both Imperial County and the Imperial Irrigation District to explain their plans for the new year as it relates to the group of more than 200 businesses in the Valley.
IID officials faced the most scrutiny at the 1 1/2-hour-long event during a question-and-answer period after Board President John Pierre Menvielle gave his remarks. The about 10-minute speech was a version of the state of the city/state of the county addresses that take place throughout the county at the beginning of the year.
“In 2011, IID marked its 100-year anniversary,” he said. “In 2012, it embarks on its second century of service, and I believe the decisions we make in the next 11 months will shape the future direction of the district and, indeed, the region in the next decade and beyond.”
The district is facing challenges, including issues with the nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer the Quantification Settlement Agreement, renewable energy requirements and its own internal practices of bidding for services and construction, Menvielle said. IID has to “adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances we find all around us.”
IID was formed as and continues to be a public agency, and that is how it has to reinvent itself, he said. If it redoubles its commitment to serve the public and acts as a bona fide public agency, it may rise above the current debate over whether IID is good or bad.
“Is it top-heavy and still too slow to make rapid adjustments? I think this is a fair criticism. Is it suspended between the old century and the new and now finds itself straddling the crossroads of change? I believe it is,” he said. “But is it relevant to the needs of the people it serves and indispensable to the economic and civic growth of the region? In a word, yes.”
While some of the issues of concern were touched on in Menvielle’s speech, the crowd wanted more specifics on the bidding process, state water code, high salaries and the district’s debt.
COLAB Board Chair Jim Duggins was quick to ask about the district’s bidding and procurement policy, an issue the coalition has taken an interest in since early December. The coalition’s objective is to assist government agencies and officials to become more efficient and more effective, while also using taxpayers’ money wisely, he said. He critiqued the district’s bid process, saying it’s possible to manipulate the system now, and unless drastic changes are made, it’s going to continue to be manipulated.
From a business’ perspective it’s an easy fix, he said. But the same staff members who worked on the last bid process are working on the changes, he said. He told Menvielle to be cautious of modifying the old procedure, instead asking that it use the state bid process as a model instead of the water code the district currently uses.
“If we’re going to correct it, let’s correct it right,” he said.
IID staff and board members are currently working on the bid policy, which will be brought out to the public within the next few weeks and given to COLAB for review, Menvielle answered. District General Manager Kevin Kelley also answered previous concerns raised by COLAB, saying staff has been directed to include within a revised policy a prequalification requirement, an appeals process and justification from staff should the lowest bidder not be recommended to the Board of Directors.
Another concern raised by a COLAB Board of Director member was how the district falls partially under the state water code instead of policies that other government agencies follow.
Steve Scaroni, a frequent critic of the IID who gave Menvielle a poster Friday of Scaroni’s face with a target on it, asked whether it was the district’s legal position that it was exempt from the state bidding process.
Kelley responded that while a legal opinion is still pending, IID is responsible to the public.
“IID is either a public agency, or it is not, and the water code, while it does provide this latitude you’ve talked about, it can’t be trotted out as an excuse when it’s convenient and ignore it when it’s not,” Kelley said. “In those instances when IID does pick the water code … IID’s going to have to account for it in a public way and make a case for it. …
“IID does not have a problem with this watchdog role from COLAB,” he said. “The back and forth, we welcome it.”
Staff Writer Elizabeth Varin can be reached at evarin@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3441.
The Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business held its annual event Friday morning at the Stockmen’s Club here allowing both Imperial County and the Imperial Irrigation District to explain their plans for the new year as it relates to the group of more than 200 businesses in the Valley.
IID officials faced the most scrutiny at the 1 1/2-hour-long event during a question-and-answer period after Board President John Pierre Menvielle gave his remarks. The about 10-minute speech was a version of the state of the city/state of the county addresses that take place throughout the county at the beginning of the year.
“In 2011, IID marked its 100-year anniversary,” he said. “In 2012, it embarks on its second century of service, and I believe the decisions we make in the next 11 months will shape the future direction of the district and, indeed, the region in the next decade and beyond.”
The district is facing challenges, including issues with the nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer the Quantification Settlement Agreement, renewable energy requirements and its own internal practices of bidding for services and construction, Menvielle said. IID has to “adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances we find all around us.”
IID was formed as and continues to be a public agency, and that is how it has to reinvent itself, he said. If it redoubles its commitment to serve the public and acts as a bona fide public agency, it may rise above the current debate over whether IID is good or bad.
“Is it top-heavy and still too slow to make rapid adjustments? I think this is a fair criticism. Is it suspended between the old century and the new and now finds itself straddling the crossroads of change? I believe it is,” he said. “But is it relevant to the needs of the people it serves and indispensable to the economic and civic growth of the region? In a word, yes.”
While some of the issues of concern were touched on in Menvielle’s speech, the crowd wanted more specifics on the bidding process, state water code, high salaries and the district’s debt.
COLAB Board Chair Jim Duggins was quick to ask about the district’s bidding and procurement policy, an issue the coalition has taken an interest in since early December. The coalition’s objective is to assist government agencies and officials to become more efficient and more effective, while also using taxpayers’ money wisely, he said. He critiqued the district’s bid process, saying it’s possible to manipulate the system now, and unless drastic changes are made, it’s going to continue to be manipulated.
From a business’ perspective it’s an easy fix, he said. But the same staff members who worked on the last bid process are working on the changes, he said. He told Menvielle to be cautious of modifying the old procedure, instead asking that it use the state bid process as a model instead of the water code the district currently uses.
“If we’re going to correct it, let’s correct it right,” he said.
IID staff and board members are currently working on the bid policy, which will be brought out to the public within the next few weeks and given to COLAB for review, Menvielle answered. District General Manager Kevin Kelley also answered previous concerns raised by COLAB, saying staff has been directed to include within a revised policy a prequalification requirement, an appeals process and justification from staff should the lowest bidder not be recommended to the Board of Directors.
Another concern raised by a COLAB Board of Director member was how the district falls partially under the state water code instead of policies that other government agencies follow.
Steve Scaroni, a frequent critic of the IID who gave Menvielle a poster Friday of Scaroni’s face with a target on it, asked whether it was the district’s legal position that it was exempt from the state bidding process.
Kelley responded that while a legal opinion is still pending, IID is responsible to the public.
“IID is either a public agency, or it is not, and the water code, while it does provide this latitude you’ve talked about, it can’t be trotted out as an excuse when it’s convenient and ignore it when it’s not,” Kelley said. “In those instances when IID does pick the water code … IID’s going to have to account for it in a public way and make a case for it. …
“IID does not have a problem with this watchdog role from COLAB,” he said. “The back and forth, we welcome it.”
Staff Writer Elizabeth Varin can be reached at evarin@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3441.
