We need you to call in or email the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) and tell them you support retaining Adel Hagekhalil as general manager of MWD. MWD is the largest water wholesaler in the country and has some very significant votes coming up in the time it would take to replace him. It took about 18 months to replace the last general manager (GM) of MWD. In the next 18 months, MWD may vote on the construction of the Delta Conveyance Project- a $20.1 billion waste of ratepayer money that will bring irreversible environmental harm to the Bay Delta.
In 2020, MWD employees began calling in to board meetings to tell of how they were facing serious abuses and discrimination and their complaints were unaddressed by MWD HR and leadership. The state audit found supporting evidence for their claims. MWD hired independent investigators who found the same. Adel came in after these reports, but began facing retaliation from other leaders when he tried to follow through on the recommendations.
Since he began, he met with residents throughout the state, including Delta residents and Tribes who were not in the District, but who are impacted by District decisions. He met with community residents, water agencies, and environmental groups, even holding environmental listening sessions, which was a huge departure from previous MWD leadership. He never indicated either way how he would advise the board to vote on the Delta tunnel, but we knew it would be a fair fight and we'd be heard. These progressive changes were welcomed by many, however longtime Board Members wanted to return to less transparent, cooperative and abusive policies.
Last June, Adel was placed on administrative leave after a complaint came in that also targeted the CAMP4W project, which is a tool that would help the board see which projects would waste money, be ineffective, and environmentally harmful. The letter also criticized his hires who have been transparent, helpful, and kind to outsiders. One of our volunteers gave a public comment recounting how she was excited to meet Adel at a party and brought him homemade soap. He gave her the pin off his jacket and later gave her a shout-out in a room full of bigwigs. His hire, Mohsen Mortada, helped her navigate throughout the party as she is visually impaired and took the time to truly listen to her. Others included in the letter have held meetings to listen to the concerns of our members in Compton and surrounding the LA River. We do not know how they will be impacted, or what the future at MWD will look like.
Adel still does not have access to his emails or his office to prepare a defense. As employees and his supporters began to unravel the big picture over the summer, public comments revealed many examples of the toxic culture at MWD, like an employee who had been allegedly shoved to the ground, and many others who allege ADA infractions. They repeatedly spoke of how he defended them to HR and was trying to implement recommendations from the state audit to turn things around. Tribal representatives, Bay Delta environmental justice advocates, environmentalists, and local residents called in to speak to his character and the damage that will be done if he is removed. The only people who spoke against him were a former HR staff member, and two representatives for the HR employee associations. The press has been covering the investigation and Met’s reputation continues to take a hit. Some staff have called for further investigations and a state takeover. These challenges make it harder for the agency to complete their mission.
Adel was found innocent in two other investigations against him by employees from the same social circles.
Most recently, an MWD board member was censured for using an anti-Arab slur against Mohsen Mortada, Adel’s Chief of Staff, who was also accused in the same letter as Adel that began the investigation. Mohsen is the same man who helped one of our vision-impaired volunteers navigate through a crowded event. Other board members are under investigation for similar comments. Adel is of Palestinian descent and lived in Lebanon before emigrating here decades ago. How can we be ensured that the process will be fair when these board members are voting on his future?
We need you to call in or email MWD and tell them you support retaining Adel Hagekhalil as general manager of MWD.
Instructions
On Tuesday, January 21, at 8:30am, call the Special Joint Meeting of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors and give a public comment. Call 1-833-548-0276 and use Code: 815 2066 4276. At public comment (after roll call), they will call out your area code and the last three digits of your phone number, then you can press *6 to unmute yourself. You will have three minutes to speak.
Please put these talking points in your own words so as not to seem redundant.
Talking Points linked here.
If you are unable to call in at public comment, please email dl-boardsupportteam@mwdh2o.com and ask that your comments be entered into the board packet and be forwarded to the entire board ahead of the meeting.
If you have any questions, please email Caty Wagner, Water Campaign Manager, at caty.wagner@sierraclub.org.
Thank you for supporting water sustainability and effective leadership at MWD.
