CVAG officials give unanimous support to executive director

Thursday night, officials with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) gave unanimous support to Executive Director Tom Kirk, despite controversy swirling around the CV Link project.

Read more about KESQ investigations into the CV Link here.

The announcement comes after Valley leaders received an e-mail sent by Goldenvoice executive, Skip Paige.

In the email, Rancho Mirage City Council Member Dana Hobart said Paige wrote about his support for Kirk and the project.

“Some time ago, it was indicated that he wanted to commercialize part of the CV Link,” Hobart said. “And by doing that, offer some funds that would go towards operations and maintenance.”

But Hobart said Paige also wrote his intentions of not supporting any leader against the project, backing a candidate to defeat him in the upcoming election, and in a separate email, changing his voter registration to Rancho Mirage to vote any city leaders that oppose the project out of office.

“I’ve been a little outspoken on some of the subjects that have to do with the CV Link, and the waste of money, and the extreme amount of operations and maintenance that’s going to be imposed on the various cities at some point and time, and he was probably hoping to silence me,” Hobart said.

Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon, who supports the project, said he was one of the Valley mayors who received the email from Paige.

“He can say anything he wants to,” Moon said. “I think it’s wrong for people to threaten elected officials on one single item.”

As for Hobart and Moon, they said they’re going to move on doing what they believe is right for their cities.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to be sending emails to the electeds of a community, saying he’s going to oppose everybody who does not support the CV Link,” Hobart said.

KESQ and CBS Local 2 reached out to Paige about the emails, but did not hear back.