Re “Water Board Postpones a Vote on Filling Little Seat”
Yesterday for the second consecutive meeting, members of the sedate, extremely low profile West Basin Municipal Water District board were unable to decide if they want to fill the vacancy created by Ed Little’s abrupt retirement six weeks ago.
Should they tap their toes until November and let voters decide in the general election?
Or should they select one of the four finalists from a preliminary round of interviews?
Like an octopus, members spent June saying to each other, “On the third hand,” and “on the 14th hand.”
By law, the Water Board has until July 18, two weeks from this afternoon, to make up their minds or make up the minds of persons standing nearby.
Therefore, the Board has scheduled a meeting for a week from Monday, July 14, when they may fill the Little seat, may put off their call altogether, or they may order a chocolate banana milkshake from McDonald’s, four straws on the side, please.
How confused are the Water Board members?
In one round of voting, Scott Houston of El Segundo drew two votes.
In another round, Jeff Ebenstein of West Hollywood, a wall-shakingly aggressive campaigner who has flashed endrsements from U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Culver City),the City of Los Angeles, and the electrical workers union.
Reportedly, Mr. Ebenstein, who lost a state Assembly race in his last try, moved during the spring from his home in the San Fernando Valley – unrelated to the Water Board – to West Hiollywood.
Still, he, too, only was able to poll a deadlocked two votes.
A wit in the room cracked that he should not feel badly. T The Board deadlocked at 2-2 on whether yesterday was Wednesday or Thursday.
Former City Councilman Steve Rose, a candidate, sounded confident that he was the No. 2 choice of a number of Water Board members.
