Controversy surrounded last Friday’s special board meeting of the Central Basin Municipal Water District after a Hews Media Group-Community News story called into serious question the agency’s selection process for a new “ethics investigations” attorney.
It was revealed last Thursday, with documentation from a former Water Replenishment District board member, that attorney John W. Harris, one of three attorneys selected to be interviewed for the ethics investigator position, “massively” overbilled the District in 2014.
Adam Kargman, a former attorney of Harris’s, submitted the document in April 2014.
Mr. Kargman outlined the overbillings and provided proof. In that same document, Mr. Kargman notified the District he was resigning because of the fraud.
See story and document, click here.
Mr. Harris eventually settled with the District for an undisclosed amount.
Central Basin General Manager Kevin Hunt and Nossaman’s CB attorney in charge of selecting the firms Alfred E. Smith II had “no idea” of Mr. Harris’s transgressions.
The selection meeting started with Central Basin Director Art Chacon holding up our story, asking if anybody in the room had read it.
Director Phil Hawkins, Mr. Hunt and Mr. Smith indicated they had.
But Central Basin President Bob Apodaca, vice- resident James Roybal and Director Leticia Vasquez said they had not.
“I think this article calls into serious question our selection process, and we need to postpone these interviews for a later date,” said Mr. Chacon.
Mr. Hawkins indicated he wanted to postpone the interviews. “How do we know the other attorneys are not tainted?” he asked.
Mr. Roybal snapped back saying, “these are just allegations, no proof that Harris did anything wrong. You are innocent until proven guilty.”
Ms. Vasquez and Mr. Apodaca echoed Mr. Roybal’s statement.
Mr. Chacon then asked publisher Brian Hews, present at the special meeting, if he had documentation on the overfilling. “I was given documentation by a former WRD board member,” Mr. Hews said. “It is very clear that Harris overbilled WRD on a massive scale, and the documentation has been online since yesterday.”
Mr. Apodaca, Mr. Roybal, Ms. Vasquez and Mr. Hunt disagreed with Mr. Chacon and Mr. Hawkins and allowed the interviews to proceed even though the agency’s own rules in selecting an ethics investigator – that no relationships exist between Central Basin board and employees – were obviously compromised.
“Certain people are watching us,” said Mr. Hunt. “We need to get this done and choose an attorney.”
Mr. Hunt was presumably referring to state lawmakers who are watching the progress of Central Basin after an audit was released weeks ago.
The interview process began, with Mr. Harris the first to interview.
Oddly, Mr. Harris started his statement by noting how small his firm was. “We are a boutique firm,” he said, “only four people including me.”
Mr. Harris outlined the numerous investigations and prosecutions he had been involved in. “But now I defend criminals, which is not fun,” he said.
Mr. Chacon asked if Mr. Harris knew anyone at Central Basin or any “loved ones” of CB board employees or board members.
Mr. Harris first said no, then said he knew Director Vasquez.
A clearly uncomfortable Ms. Vasquez said she knew Mr. Harris, adding “but I have been in politics for 15 years. I know a lot of people.”
“How about any loved ones,” Mr. Chacon questioned.
A perturbed Ms. Vasquez interrupted Mr. Harris. “I think Director Chacon is asking since you are African-American, you know my husband Ron (Wilson) who is also African-American.”
Holding up his hand in obvious disdain Mr. Chacon said “that’s not what I asked.”
Mr. Chacon again held up the story and asked if Harris had seen and read the article about the overbilling.
“I have read it, yes,” Mr. Harris said. “That document the article was referring to was submitted by a disgruntled employee. We denied everything, and settled with WRD.” Harris said.
“You settled?” asked Mr. Hawkins.
“Yes,” replied Mr. Harris.
No further questions were asked by Messrs. Chacon or Hawkins.
Ms. Vasquez, Mr. Apodaca and Mr. Roybal chose not to question Mr. Harris on the overbilling issue or the settlement reached with WRD.
Mr. Harris thanked the board. “When will we know about the decision?” He then walked out of the boardroom.
After interviewing the other two candidates,
Mr. Hunt said with that 10 days to make a decision, “we will decide at the next board meeting — in closed session.”
This story originated at loscerritosnews.net
