Imperial Valley press., 1940-01-09
District Majority
Puts Off Decision
On Jury Findings

Continued from Page One)
cismS as well as recommendations
regarding district policy and prac-
tice.
Most of the points raised by the
jury were either answered or ex-
planned by directors or executives.
Out of the discussion grew a
number of motions and resolutions
that ranged from a threat to dis
miss the legal department to move
to displace HeWes as executive
superintendent. All were advanced
by Rose and without exception
they were tabled. allowed to die or
voted down.
Ginning with Rose IN the voting
was William Young of Calipatria.
With Chairman Hewes were
Charles Morrow of Brawley and
w. J. Gregg of El Centro.
The resolutions, scattered thru
out the session, were:
To carry out the jury's recon-
mendations regarding controlling
and marking district automobiles. ;"
(Tabled by a to vote pending
return of NJ. j. Dowd, general sup
erintendent, who has been ill sew
eral Weeks,l
To require that all purchases of
more than $500 receive direct ap-
proval of the board before being
made. (Tabled by a 3 to 2 vote
pending Dowd's return.)
That the position of executive
superintendent, now held by Hewes,
with its $3.50 a month salary be
discontinued. 0ost in a to 2 tie
when Hewes declined to vote.)
To require that all prospective
employees in executive capacity
whose salary would be in excess of
500 a month be referred to the
board for approval. (Tabled by a
3 to 2 vote.
That the legal department be
notified to discontinue private
practice and devote entire time to
district affairs or suffer dismissal.
dost by 3 to 2 vote.)
The undercurrent of friction be-
tween Rose and HeWes bobbed
above the surface at intervals dur
ing the day and reached a climax
in phrasing the resolution con-
corning prospective employees. At
ter some disagreement between
Rose and Walter Goodson, secre-
tary, Goodson said angrily:
Then some of you write your
own resolution" Rose replied with
Go ahead and ball your records
up if you want tor
Goodson heatediy denied there
was any "balllng up and then de-
clined to reread the motion. Hewes
stepped in to help phrase it and
the incident was over.
District Assessor w. A. McFad-
den was present during the session
but took no active part in discus
sion until the question of varying
land valuations was brought up
He said he was not aware of any
basis for grand jury charges. (The
jury report said in some cases dis
trict valuations were less than
half of county assessments.)
Hewes mentioned the fact that
the county has $40 minimum, SC
that in many cases the district
assessment on submarginal land
would be far less than the county
Directors appeared to agree in
theory with many of the jury's
recommendations and pointed out
that several had already been put
into effect, some even before the
jurys report was released. But the
chief stumbling block appeared tc
be how to put the best of the sug-
gestions into effect. With this ir
mind, the majority favored waiting
until Dowd's return.
The districts land leasing pro-
gram came in for some attack from
Rose during which he advocated
selling all district land to the high
est bidder. A |ote of defense came
from Gregg, who pointed to the
$4,000 a year district revenue anc
$4,000 more from water sales
HeWes commented dryly:
Land affairs aren't being ham
died as inefficiently as when I first
came on the board :" and Rost
answered: