Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Director Griffiths must go

Last spring I noticed an increase in the amount of expenses submitted by RMWD Director Jack Griffiths. My curiosity aroused, I searched public records and my own RMWD papers. I found:

1. The remuneration and reimbursement policy of RMWD is spelled out in the district’s Administrative Code, section 2.03.010.

2. The current list of meetings for which payment is authorized was established by unanimous board vote on January 4, 2007.

3. Director Griffiths voted “aye.”

4. Since October of 2007, Director Griffiths has requested and received payments for Santa Margarita Watershed Council, which is not on the list.

I obtained my information from the RMWD Administrative Code, Board of Directors Compensation and Mileage Claim Reports and the minutes of every RMWD meeting since January of 2007 (which I read completely twice, searching for authorization for Santa Margarita. None exists).

I presented my information at the September 23 board meeting and followed up with a letter to the general manager and board members, inviting them to independently verify my findings.

My concern is not only for the money, although $700 is not a negligible amount.

The board of directors sets policy for the district and decides how millions of dollars are spent. When a director votes on a policy and then violates it, whether deliberately or through a lack of understanding of what he voted on, that causes me some anxiety.

Critical issues facing Rainbow need more careful and responsible leadership than Director Griffiths has demonstrated.

Helene Brazier

 

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