Sounding board
Today I finally got around to a record's request that La Puente Valley County Water District has kept for me for about a month now. The request was inspired after I received a series of anonymous calls asking me to look into RC Foster, a contracting company that Valley County and other water agencies in the SGV has used for several years to build water clean up facilities.
I don't know whether there is a story there. I just asked for invoices, bid submittals, contracts and minutes, and still need to review the docs at one more agency.
Back to today. While going through the minutes, I came across a familiar name: La Puente Councilman Louie Lujan, who apparently got his start in politics on the La Puente Valley County Water District. I didn't realize that until I came back to the office and checked out Lujan's bio:
At the age of 23, he was the top vote getter among three candidates vying for two positions on the La Puente Valley County Water District in November of 1999.
In past stories about water districts, some have said that water boards are the springboard of political careers, while I've heard others say it is the landing pad. And then, there is that group that just get stuck there, and end up serving on the board for 20 years plus.
It seems that water politics is a mixture of both, although it would be an interesting story to see how the demographics, including age and gender, on our water boards, and city councils, have shifted today compared to 10 years ago.
Would you guys read that story?
I think you would have to go back 15-20 years to see a real difference in the demographics of local politicians.
They are both. For Lujan, he started his career on a water Board. He owes his success to starting out there and will probably go far in politics.
However sometimes you will find termed out elected officials trying to end there such as Ed Chavez who is currently running for a seat on the water board. Chavez was termed out of the Assembly and then ran for school board and lost. Now he is trying for the water board. He may win and end his career there.
Water Boards are both spring boards and landing pads.
There is that "impressive" hairline! Wow!!!
Lol! Hey does anyone know if it is true that Water Board Members do not have to live in their districts?
This would be a great story. Water boards have become both springboards and landing pads. It would be interesting to which of our elected officials fall in either category.
It would also be interesting to see how much they spent, who donated to them, and what they think about serving on a water board.
Also, what the hell does a water board member do anyway?!
I've noticed many more younger people are running in Azusa, Bassett, Covina, West Covina, and many other cities in the SGV
Water board seats are too important today for career politicians like Chavez. Do you really think Chavez cares about waters issues? Aside from springboards and landing pads, Chavez is simply looking for a troft to feed on while he looks for another elected spot.
I agree. Chavez does not care about water. I think he is only going for the seat because he has no job.
Just out of curiosity...and I'm not saying many of the politicians lambasted on this website don't have a thing or two coming to them....but what kind of person do any of you really do want have in public office?
It seems like anyone who is elected to anything is instantly regarded as a crook, a scoundral and a thief by someone.
Yes, some of the criticism is merited, but you'd thinking reading things here day in and day out that NO ONE (except of course the posters of comments in their own estimatation) has any honesty or integrity.
Do you think this speaks more to our own close mindedness and pettiness; that is, if we disagree with somoene its easier to attack their personality than to explain why a course of action is wrong or why another course of action is better.
Just throwin' that out there...I expect some of you to hit back hard. (Pardon me for simply raising a question....and please spare me your senseless diatribes about how I am advocating CENSORSHIP of your BRILLIANT WHISLTEBLOWING EFFORTS....You know that's not my point).
All the water boards are the same. Their politicians trying to make a name and money for themselves by using public funds to go on their trips, get their friends jobs along with valuable contracts. Look into who is getting these very lucrative contracts. Read the board meeting agendas.
I would love to see an in depth report on various water districts including Central Basin, West Basin,WRD, Metropolitan, etc.
Lastly, how does a mayor who was recently hired by a water district, not have a conflict of interest especially when one of the directors on the board is up for re-election in her city that she is mayor. Give me a break.