Greater than two months after he was positioned on go away by the board of California’s largest city water provider, embattled Normal Supervisor Adel Hagekhalil defended his efficiency and insisted the accusations in opposition to him are unfounded.
The board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California met in closed session Tuesday to debate the standing of investigations into a number of complaints and voted to increase Hagekhalil’s go away of absence till Oct. 23 because the investigation continues. The go away had been scheduled to finish in September.
“We perceive the need for an expedited investigation, however as troublesome as that is, we consider due course of is paramount above all concerns, for all events concerned,” stated Adán Ortega Jr., chair of the MWD board. “We’re dedicated to making sure a radical, honest and neutral investigation.”
Hagekhalil spoke to the board publicly for the primary time because the company’s leaders introduced they had been putting him on go away on June 13.
“I can guarantee you, the board and all of the Metropolitan staff, that I’ve not dedicated any misconduct,” Hagekhalil stated. “Every thing I’ve accomplished has all the time been for the very best pursuits of Metropolitan.”
Among the accusations surfaced in a letter to the board from Chief Monetary Officer Katano Kasaine, who alleged Hagekhalil had harassed, demeaned and sidelined her and created a hostile work surroundings. Hagekhalil denied the accusations, saying he has all the time handled the workers with respect and professionalism.
“These complaints are nothing greater than disagreements on administration choices,” Hagekhalil advised board members. “Over 74 days in the past, you unfairly positioned me on go away, and as of in the present day, I nonetheless haven’t been contacted concerning the investigation.”
Kerry Garvis Wright, a lawyer for Hagekhalil, stated her consumer has been locked out of his electronic mail account and denied entry to company paperwork, “hampering his capacity to arrange for his interviews within the investigations.”
“Now we have important considerations concerning the investigative course of, together with however not restricted to the shortage of independence, lack of impartiality and the shortage of confidentiality,” Wright stated.
She urged the board to deal with the considerations promptly and reinstate Hagekhalil.
The sidelining of Hagekhalil has left in query the long run management of the nation’s largest wholesale provider of consuming water, which serves cities and companies that provide 19 million individuals throughout Southern California.
Within the greater than three years that Hagekhalil has led the company, he has sought to deal with adaptation to local weather change, partly by decreasing reliance on water provides from distant sources and investing in native water provides. His efforts to shift priorities at MWD have additionally included administration modifications that he and his supporters say have helped tackle issues of office harassment and retaliation.
“Now we have had many successes and accomplishments,” Hagekhalil stated. “You tasked me to vary this poisonous tradition and put the company again on monitor. I’m proud to say all of us did. We supported a tradition of transparency and accountability.”
Hagekhalil stated, nevertheless, that some inside the company have sought to undermine his reform efforts.
In a letter to the board, Hagekhalil stated that “each motion I took in your behalf and at your course was confronted with a frivolous grievance to undermine and cease the reform that you just directed.”
He stated when he was employed by MWD, he arrived “at a time of turmoil following harassment and retaliation complaints by staff, unhealthy office situations” in desert outposts, and outdated human assets insurance policies and hiring practices.
Hagekhalil famous that earlier than he was employed, the Los Angeles Instances had revealed an investigation about ladies’s complaints of harassment, discrimination and retaliation, and that some MWD board members had pushed for an unbiased investigation by Shaw Legislation Group, a Sacramento agency.
The complete investigative report, which stays confidential, substantiated the ladies’s complaints, Hagekhalil stated. A scathing state audit later decided that the district had didn’t commit assets to correctly examine complaints of misconduct and had engaged in unfair hiring practices, amongst different issues.
“We needed a therapeutic and a reset to the group. You charged me to do this,” Hagekhalil stated. These efforts, he stated, included creating an unbiased workplace for discrimination complaints, creating an workplace of range, fairness and inclusion, and reforming insurance policies to deal with bullying and harassment, amongst different issues.
However he stated some inside the company “didn’t settle for that and continued to attempt to undermine us by weaponizing the grievance course of with unhealthy religion claims.” He stated that “a small variety of individuals resisted change and accountability” and that “each motion I took was confronted with frivolous complaints.”
Hagekhalil stated he has been subjected to different nameless complaints which have been investigated and proven to be unfounded. In a single case, he stated, an nameless grievance concerning the hiring of a chief of workers led to an investigation that ended on Aug. 15, when MWD’s ethics workplace notified him there was no violation and the matter was closed.
“I’m very involved concerning the equity and objectivity of the investigation course of. It is extremely clear that these are unfounded and frivolous allegations and complaints, leaks, lies getting used to smear us with the purpose to pressure the board’s hand,” Hagekhalil stated in his letter, urging board members to not “fall for these techniques.”
About 20 individuals spoke in favor of Hagekhalil through the assembly, together with staff, environmental advocates, residents and others.
Bruce Reznik, govt director of the group Los Angeles Waterkeeper, known as for reinstating Hagekhalil whereas the investigations are accomplished “with as a lot transparency as is feasible.”
“My expertise with Adel has all the time been extraordinarily constructive,” Reznik stated, calling him a “considerate, inclusive, clear chief.”
Caty Wagner, water marketing campaign supervisor for the Sierra Membership, stated that there seems to be a gaggle at MWD “who need to take the district again in time,” and that Hagekhalil is being focused for standing in opposition to them.
“I’m shocked by what I heard from Adel’s lawyer this morning — that he has not but been contacted by investigators and didn’t know what in the present day’s assembly can be about,” Wagner stated. “The general public is watching and we’re appalled.”
Others who voiced help included Marty Adams, the previous normal supervisor of the Los Angeles Division of Water and Energy, who stated Hagekhalil has “introduced the water group collectively all through the entire state.”
Some praised Hagekhalil’s efforts to have higher communication with communities and tribes within the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the place water is pumped to supply a portion of Southern California’s provides.
“We’d like extra California water leaders like Adel, not much less,” Krystal Moreno of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians stated.
Others had been vital of Hagekhalil and stated the investigations ought to unravel the complaints.
“I’m right here in the present day talking for many who can’t communicate due to concern of retaliation and harassment,” stated Trish Gonzales, a retired worker who labored within the human assets division. She stated some staff are “fearful for talking up and have been harmed and traumatized by Adel and his individuals.”
Gonzales stated the final supervisor has engaged in “unethical practices” and urged the board to “do the best factor.”
John Vrsalovich, president of the Administration and Professionals Workers Assn., which represents some MWD staff, urged the board to “proceed methodically investigating the allegations and never be swayed by the clearly solicited help coming from inside and out of doors the company in the present day and over the previous few months, which we consider was orchestrated to sow doubt throughout the varied investigations.”
Vrsalovich stated the intense allegations “demand a radical investigation to pretty resolve points for all events so the group can transfer ahead.”
The board has quickly appointed Assistant Normal Supervisor Deven Upadhyay, who has been on the company for 29 years, because the interim normal supervisor.
A number of union members and leaders of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers Native 1902 stated staff have continued to face unfair therapy, harassment and retaliation.
Gonzalo Pantoja, an electrician, stated one supervisor lately “felt comfy sufficient to shove an worker to the bottom and, to today, has acquired little to no self-discipline for his actions.”
Alan Shanahan, president of Native 1902, stated that Hagekhalil introduced constructive efforts towards change, however that since his elimination “now we have seen an entire disconnect of HR and administration from collaboration.”
Ellen Mackey, a senior ecologist and chief of the MWD ladies’s caucus, stated the perspective of the supervisor who shoved the worker is “indicative of the abusive perspective in direction of staff that Adel sought to vary.”
Mackey stated she believes “some center, higher and retired managers have colluded to oust Adel.”
“We’re nonetheless uncertain of the variety of sides concerned on this ‘Sport of Thrones’ farce,” she stated. “The investigation ought to observe the traces of proof wherever they go.”
