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Board declares short‑term emergency to keep county wastewater treatment operations staffed
Summary
After the county's current wastewater operator accepted other employment and will leave July 8, the board declared an emergency to allow immediate onboarding of a vetted local operator while staff completes a final contract.
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors on July 1 declared an emergency to ensure continuity of operations at county water/wastewater treatment facilities after the county's current operator accepted another job and will leave the contract by July 8.
John Gay, Public Works, informed the board staff had been engaged in a request‑for‑proposal process to select a new treatment plant operator and that a second, local proponent responded to the RFP. Gay said the incumbent contractor could have ended service earlier because its contract had expired; the urgency declaration allows the county to onboard the vetted local operator immediately while staff finalizes a five‑year contract. Gay told the board the new operator's proposed price is lower than the incumbent's.
Supervisor Cardenas Singh moved to declare the emergency; Supervisor Price seconded. The motion carried. Gay said staff will return with the final contract for board consideration, and that the emergency action is a short‑term measure to maintain certified operator coverage and regulatory compliance.
Supervisors asked whether the incumbent's contract required continuity of trained staff; Gay said the contract had expired several months earlier and that the county had attempted extensions while pursuing the RFP. The board recorded the emergency declaration and directed staff to execute the short‑term onboarding and present a contract for formal approval.
