KXO RADIO - IID - Board Deadlocks on Surplus Land Issue

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Todays is : Thursday, 20 November 2008

Written by George Gale
Thursday, 13 July 2006
(THE IID BOARD DEADLOCKS ON THE SURPLUS LAND ISSUE)…HAVING A FULL BOARD DID NOT BREAK THE DEADLOCK THE IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAVE HAD SURROUNDING THE WESTERN FARM LANDS. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO VOTE TUESDAY, ONE BOARD MEMBERS WAS MISSING. THE ISSUE WAS TO DECLARE AN ADDITIONAL 1,327.8 ACRES OF THE LAND SURPLUS, AND SELL IT TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER, AND TO DECLARE ANOTHER 1,580.5 ACRES SURPLUS, AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION PROCESS. DIRECTORS ANDY HORNE AND STELLA MENDOZA STEADFASTLY REFUSED TO AGREE TO THE DECLARATION, WHILE DIRECTORS JOHN PIERRE MENVIELLE AND JAMES HANKS VOTED IN FAVOR. DIRECTOR RUDY MALDONADO HAD LEFT THE MEETING TUESDAY AND WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO VOTE. MENVIELLE SAID THE DECLARATION WAS IMPERATIVE BECAUSE BIDS ON THE LAND HAD BEEN OPENED, AND WERE TO BE AWARDED THIS WEEK. THE DISTRICTS LEGAL DEPARTMENT SAID, HOWEVER, A CLAUSE IN THE BIDDING PROCESS ALLOWED THE DISTRICT TO REJECT ALL BIDS, AND START THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN, IF THEY WISHED. THE BOARD AGREED TO BRING THE ISSUE BACK FOR ANOTHER VOTE AT THEIR NEXT MEETING. THE DISTRICT HAD PURCHASED THE LAND IN THE HOPES OF USING IT FOR FALLOWING PURPOSES, BUT FOUND IT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE TO KEEP THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED. THEY BEGAN DECLARING PARCELS SURPLUS, AND STARTED SELLING THEM TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. THIS WEEKS REQUEST WAS PART OF THAT PROCESS.