[img]2737|left|||no_popup[/img]We have learned that former state Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez is being pushed by Central Basin Water Board Directors James Roybal, Leticia Vasquez and Bob Apodaca to become the next General Manager of the besieged public agency as early as tomorrow.
We have been told that current GM Tony Perez will be relieved of his duties at the Wednesday morning 10 o’clock meeting.
Central Basin Director Art Chacon told us, “I suspect a deal has been cut to bring Rudy Bermudez in as Central Basin’s General Manager if Tony Perez is fired on Wednesday”.
Mr. Chacon’s assertion comes after a series of what he refers to as “conflicting” phone calls between Mr. Bermudez, Mr. Perez and himself since last Thursday.
Mr. Chacon said that he and Mr. Perez have spoken to Mr. Bermudez on at least three occasions. Mr. Perez confirmed Mr. that Bermudez had called him earlier on Thursday.
Mr. Bermudez said to Mr. Perez that Mr. Chacon had told him that Directors Roybal, Vasquez and Apodaca were intending to fire Mr. Perez and naming an interim replacement.
Mr. Chacon emphatically told Mr. Perez no such conversation took place and that Mr. Bermudez “was lying.”
Mr. Chacon claims that although Mr. Bermudez had called him inquiring about potential lobbying opportunities at the District, he insisted he didn’t tell Mr. Bermudez about termination plans and that he had just been notified himself.
“For some unknown reason, Bermudez told Perez I was the source disclosing plans to terminate the General Manager, but as I told Perez, that was not true and I question why I was accused.”
We had published reports that Mr. Bermudez was targeted by Ms. Vasquez, Mr. Roybal and Mr. Apodaca to be hired to take over the GM role at Central Basin.
Mr. Bermudez sternly denied those assertions and reiterated that in a text message to us on Saturday. “Someone gave you bad information the last time, and you ran the story anyway. The information is still bad.”
When asked to confirm or deny he could be the new GM with a simple yes or no, Mr. Bermudez responded with the same comment.
According to Mr. Chacon, Central Basin staff had informed him last Thursday, that a special meeting was being scheduled for tomorrow , although the meeting had yet to be finalized.
Mr. Chacon said he was told that Mr. Apodaca and Mr. Roybal had called to schedule a meeting with the sole item on the agenda being the termination and replacement of GM Perez.
Staff also explained that they were told by Mr. Apodaca and Mr. Roybal to “expect” a call shortly from Director Vasquez.
Shortly thereafter we learned about, then published, the story about Mr. Perez’s possible firing.
Interestingly, as of the end of today, Central Basin never had received the phone call from Ms. Vasquez.
Former Central Basin candidate Scott Collins provided a statement to us that he was at Clearman’s Steak n’ Stein in Pico Rivera earlier this year where he witnessed Mr. Bermudez and Mr. Roybal in deep discussion.
Sources at the water wholesaler claim that Mr. Bermudez has been secretly meeting with Mr. Apodaca, Mr. Roybal and Ms. Vasquez to discuss takeover plans at the District.
This would include the extension of contracts with Pacifica Services, the firing of the District’s General Counsel, as well as additional staff reductions
It is believed that Mr. Roybal has been the catalyst behind recruiting Mr. Bermudez.
Shortly after Mr. Bermudez’s meeting with Mr. Roybal, both Director Chacon and Board President Phil Hawkins began receiving messages at the District from Mr. Bermudez requesting meetings.
Sources at the agency confirm that messages were not left for Ms. Vasquez nor Mr. Apodaca, indicating Mr. Bermudez already had secured their support.
When asked to comment on the rumored moves, Director Chacon responded that he “doubted that the water community and political powers-that-be would take such changes lying down.”
We contacted LA County Supervisor Don Knabe about the possible appointment. “They just don’t get it,” he said. “They have tried the political appointments before, and it didn’t work. They are in the water delivery business not appointing political friends to attempt to cover their mismanagement and incompetence. If that happens, you can be sure I will be on the phone to Assembly Member Rendon to ignite the legislation to take them over.”
Central Basin Board President Hawkins added, “This (firing) would be a disaster both financially as well as politically. If they fire Tony, we can’t refinance our bonds, and our reserves will be depleted in 12 months. We have a dysfunctional board. If they see us fire Tony, then we have a dysfunctional administrative team. Tony is negotiating the bonds now. If they see Tony leave, they will drop us, and our payments will go up by $1 million a month.”
Of equal concern is a possible Brown Act Violation by Mr. Roybal, Ms. Vasquez, and Mr. Apodaca. Said one source at Central Basin, “How do you fire someone 45 days before an election and bring another person in within 24 hours without a meeting between Roybal, Vasquez, and Apodaca? It is impossible, likely a Brown Act violation.”
Bermudez is a known associate of convicted seven-time felon Ric Mayer who successfully managed both the 2012 campaigns of Mr. Roybal and Ms. Vasquez. He is suspected of working behind-the-scenes on Mr. Apodaca’s current November re-election race.
Sources have told us that Mr. Mayer, in his capacity as a home contractor, is alleged to have extensively remodeled Mr. Apodaca’s Whittier home.
Mr. Roybal also reported on his most recent 460 campaign finance filings that his over $18,000 indebtedness to Mayer had been “forgiven”.
“It seems that those three are up to their old tricks,” stated a source close to the District. “Roybal needs a GM who will put an end to the ongoing investigation into his acceptance of $25,000 in pay for attending District meetings while also accepting pay from his former employer, LAUSD.”
Mr. Roybal resigned from LAUSD in July following his year and a half long reassignment in “Teacher Jail” amid allegations of improper conduct with children.
Ms. Vasquez is also under investigation at Central Basin for allegedly leaking confidential federal subpoenas to reporter Mike Sprague at the Whittier Daily News as well as her part in the subsequent forgery of subpoenas altered to make it look like President Hawkins was under investigation by the F.B.I.
Ms. Vasquez is also seeking favorable management at Central Basin that would be supportive of her Qui Tam whistleblower case, which has cost the District over $100,000; a case that all agree will be thrown out in October.
It is expected that once Ms. Vasquez’s case is tossed out by the courts, she will be targeted by the named defendants in a series of defamation lawsuits that could expose the former recalled Lynwood Councilwoman to hundreds of thousands in damages.
“Bermudez is seen as someone who would do whatever the majority needed, regardless of the consequences to the ratepayers,” according to sources familiar with the former state assemblyman.
Unlike current GM Tony Perez, Bermudez is not an engineer and has no water-related experience or credentials.
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