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IID - Board votes to terminate General Manager |
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Written by George Gale
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Wednesday, 18 July 2007 |
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 (The Imperial Irrigation District General Manager is terminated)….On a motion made by Division 3 Director James Hanks and seconded by Division 1 Director Mike Abatti, the IID Board voted to terminate the contract of General Manager Charles Hosken.
The vote was 4-1, with Division 2 Director John Pierre Menvielle voting against the action. Jeff Garber, General Counsel for the Board, said the action was agreed to in closed session. A second vote was taken in open session. Garber said the termination was without cause, for the convenience of the Board. The decision was not popular with the audience, with some even calling for the recall of the Directors who voted to terminate Hosken. Holtville resident Dan Wiggins apologized to Debra Hosken for the Boards action, and he promised they would pay at the next election. Earl Sperber called the action a great injustice. Commenting to the Board, Sperber said apparently they did not want change. He said it is apparent the Board does not want any feathers ruffled. Sperber told the Board if a recall were passed around he would sign it. Don Brock told the Board he deplored their decision, and asked what was next. None of the Board members had any comment at all, other than to say the termination was without cause. The action item on the agenda was for the Board to take action regarding the Hedging investigation and appropriate corrective action. The only action taken was to terminate the General Manager. Following the meeting, Hosken took the action in stride, saying the General Manager serves at the will of the Board, and if they are not happy with his job performance they have every right to take whatever action they deem appropriate. He said he was given six months severance pay. Hosken said he would be taking some time off, but had no immediate plans to leave the Valley. At least one IID management employee said the termination was going to be a great loss to the District. |
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