Comments
RANTZ & RAVEZ - I have been reading the continuing attack articles about the current Metropolitan Water District General Manager Mr. Adel Hagekhalil in local publications. The articles have painted a very negative and hostile picture of the man who has been directing all water operations in our region of Southern California since 2021.
The region includes 26 water agencies from Los Angeles to San Diego impacting 19 million people who are connected to the massive and complex water distribution system serving all of Southern California.
I have known and worked with Mr. Hagekhalil for many years from our association with the City of Los Angeles. I was an elected member of the Los Angeles City Council and Mr. Hagekhalil as the General Manager of a variety of city departments with over his 25 years of service to the people of Los Angeles. Namely the Departments of Public Works, Sanitation, Engineering and Streets.
I recently met with Mr. Hagekhalil for lunch and questioned him about the continuing vicious attacks directed at him, his character and leadership to find out how a man I have known for his distinguished and dedicated service to the people of Los Angeles for many years could fall from a long history of Praise, Success, and Accomplishments to one that continues to be attacked by a small group of people who continue to bash and attack him in the local media.
I first met Mr. Hagekhalil when I was a member of the Los Angeles City Council where I served for 12 years. My election to public office followed my 33-year career as a member of the Los Angeles Police Department. An organization I continue to serve with today as a member of the LAPD Reserve Officer Corps.
As the General Manager of the Metropolitan Water District, Mr. Hagekhalil informed me that he has made some significant reforms at the direction of the Board including some management changes that may have ruffled some feathers with those reforms and changes. That has brought about some employees who questioned his direction and his management actions.
The Board of Directors charged him to do those reforms and changes which he has done in a very transparent and respectful way. He created an independent office for EEO complaints, created an office for Diversity Equity and Inclusion, reformed procedures and policies to address bullying, harassment and retaliation, conducted training for all employee in these policies, addressed the living conditions at the desert locations, empowered employees and their unions and created an open and transparent relationship build on open communication, respect and fairness. That while transforming the water management efforts by adapting to climate change and maximizing grants and building bridges with new partners including environmental group, native Indian tribes, labor organizations, local and statewide water agencies.
While the water continues to be delivered to all agencies in a safe, and efficient manner, they say that politics sometimes takes a life of its own. What we need to focus on is not so much the management style of Mr. Hagekhalil but the impact of his direction and management of the Department. Is the Department doing the job we expect it to do under the leadership of Mr. Hagekhalil? If it is, let Mr. Hagekhalil continue to do his job and let the critics find another person to pick on and drag thru the mud.
(Dennis P. Zine is a former and retired LAPD Supervisor, former and retired 12-year Los Angeles City Councilman and current General Manager at Bell Canyon in Ventura County.)
