Central Basin Water District Director Roybal Violates Teacher Jail Policy Once Again

 

He Attends Monday’s Meeting To Avoid Excessive Central Basin Meeting Absences In Order To Keep His Elected Position.

By Randy Economy

Central Basin Municipal Water District Director James Roybal once again violated LAUSD Teacher Jail policy by attending Monday’s marathon four-hour meeting at the embattled agency headquarters in Commerce.

HMG-CN reported exclusively that Roybal was in teacher jail back in November of 2013, months before any other media outlet reported it.

Teachers are paid their regular salary while in jail, and are forbidden to earn additional money.

Roybal has attended upwards of 40 meeting since he was sent to jail February of 2013. The LAUSD’s Office of Inspector General  is now investigating Roybal.

One of the actions looked at during the meeting was how the district would deal with the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority’s recent recommendation to drop them as insurance client.

Without having insurance coverage, the Central Basin Municipal Water District would be forced to shop for coverage directly with insurance companies on their own instead of being part of the powerful pool of taxpayer supported agencies that are under the JPIA banner.

With lack of insurance, the district could face a total financial meltdown.

Officials with the JPIA could take final action on the water agencies as early as next week. The decision was put off until this past Wednesday when a special meeting was called, but three directors inexplicably did not show.

The three directors who did not attend the meeting were Leticia Vasquez, Robert Apodaca and James Roybal.

Board Chairman Phil Hawkins and Director Art Chacon did attend the meeting that was never legally commenced due to the of lack of the legally required quorum.

“They (Vasquez, Roybal and Apodaca) decided to boycott the meeting, and didn’t show up on purpose.  This is an outrage, and very irresponsible” said Chacon.

“How can you be an elected official and not show up to do the work of The People, especially for a meeting that was this important,” Chacon added.

General Manager Tony Perez told Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper in an interview after the cancelled meeting that he has no authority to address the current insurance situation.

HMG-CN also contacted Andy Sells, Chief Executive Officer with the California JPIA in Sacramento on Wednesday to get his reaction to the cancellation of the meeting.

Sells did not return the phone call.