Public officials consider ways to increase taxes for their personal financial gain at the expense of taxpayers
Recent developments at the Central Basin Water District have raised questions about the conduct of its directors, Juan Garza, Nem Ochoa, Joanna Moreno, and Gary Mendez. The issues revolve around paid meetings, term limits, and conflicts of interest.
A major point of contention is the directors' involvement in voting to hire a law firm with a questionable past, which has raised serious conflict of interest concerns. This decision has attracted public scrutiny over the directors' ethics, particularly in light of the firm's previous settlement with Central Basin for its role in a secret $2.75 million slush fund.
A significant legal controversy arose when the same directors led the effort to illegally fire then-General Manager Dr. Alex Rojas. The firing did not meet the required number of board votes mandated by a 2015 California State Audit (six votes) and the GM’s contract (7/8 vote, which equated to six votes). Rojas has since filed a lawsuit to regain his position, citing violations of public agency rules, government code, and state laws.
The involvement of the directors in controversial legal proceedings and the hiring of a questionable law firm implies problematic governance practices, which may include unauthorized or excessive paid meetings contributing to the conflict.
The term limits of Directors Ochoa and Moreno, whose terms ended on February 28, 2025, have not been respected, as they remain on the CB Board and committees, illegally voting for items such as increasing meetings. The additional meetings seem to benefit only certain directors, namely Garza, who owns a public relations firm, and Mendez, a teacher.
The new list of meetings will only affect Directors Garza, Mendez, Chacon, and Vasquez, but Ochoa and Moreno voted to move the item to the CB Board. Garza, who cashes a $5,000 check every month as the Executive Director for California Cities for Self-Reliance-JPA, has earned nearly $17,739 in five months from meetings, a car, and a cell phone. He cashed the largest meeting checks between February 2024 and June 2024, totaling $14,754.
Garza's financial troubles were further highlighted when a $49,000 tax lien was filed against his house by the FTB related to his public relations firm in May. He owed nearly $60,000 when he paid off the lien, including interest and penalties.
Gary Mendez, elected in November 2024, was appointed Vice President and proposed adding more meetings, including "inspections and tours of facilities." He voted to pay CB lawyer Victor Ponto $134,000 without asking questions after being appointed VP. The committee, chaired by Director Juan Garza, is responsible for addressing issues such as declining water sales, malfunctioning water pumps, and halted revenue-generating projects.
The Central Basin Administration and Finance Committee will face continued scrutiny as its actions potentially contravene established procedures designed to ensure accountability, and may implicitly call into question practices like extending terms or circumventing limits. The committee's decisions may have broader consequences on the directors' ability to serve or receive compensation for meetings.
[1] Sources: Central Basin Water District website, Los Angeles Times, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and court documents.
- The controversy surrounding the Central Basin Water District's directors extends beyond water management, involving questions about their involvement in community news, politics, and finance, including conflicts of interest in business dealings and questionable financial practices, such as excessive payment for meetings and tax liens.
- The environment, in terms of the district's water resources, is under threat as the conduct of directors like Garza, Mendez, and others is under investigation for possible negligence in their duties and failure to ensure proper maintenance of water facilities.
- The community has shown strong interest in general-news updates related to the Central Basin Water District, with increasing concerns about potential mismanagement, ethical violations, and conflicts of interest, particularly within the Administration and Finance Committee.
