Valley Sanitary District employee raises questions about General Manager’s employment

At the Valley Sanitary District in Indio, they collect, treat, and re-use wastewater.

But, a nine-year employee at the agency says there is something else that “doesn’t smell quite right”.

“Taxpayers are being cheated out of pay they’re paying this General Manager,” said Paul Kemp, a Maintenance Technician

Kemp is asking why, the district’s General Manager, Joseph Glowitz, shows up on a 2018 “Senior Staff Organizational Chart”, as “Division Chief Development Services” for the city of Alexandria, Virginia, implying, that at least for some time in 2018, Glowitz was working at another job, while also running the Valley Sanitary District, where his annual pay and benefits totaled more than $259,000 according to the website “Transparent California”.

“He is employed by the taxpayers of Indio to be the General Manager, and here is, six months ago, possibly, and he has another job,” said Kemp.

Kemp says he was told by one of the district’s board members that Glowitz, having employment outside of the district, would be a “violation” of Glowitz’s employment contract.

“I mean, I did speak to one board member that validated that to me,” said Kemp.

Another concern for Kemp has to do with tablet computers. He says he was made aware that some of the district’s surplus tablets were sold to district employees at prices “below fair market value”.

The other issue Kemp says is that he and other employees are aware of behavior by Glowitz that Kemp describes as “harassment” and “hostile”.

Kemp says he is “reluctantly coming forward”, bringing to light what he thinks is wrong.

News Channel 3 requested on-camera interviews with Mr. Glowitz, and each board member. But, the only person who responded was board president Mike Duran, who said, “no comment.”

News Channel 3 also sent an email to board president Duran, with several questions related to Mr. Kemp’s claims, requesting a written response, but did not receive one.

Still looking for answers, we attended the district’s board meeting Tuesday, and still, no one would agree to be interviewed.

During the board meeting, the board discussed the issue of surplus equipment, which was one of the items we asked about in the email sent to Board President Duran.

The board discussed agenda item 5, “Consideration to Authorize Surplus of Equipment”.

The board voted to declare as “surplus”, 5 “Amazon Fire Tablets” valued at $50 each.

The “Equipment Disposition Form” did not identify a buyer or buyers for the tablets.

Regarding Joseph Glowitz’s employment status, Kemp says district employees were notified in December that Glowitz was leaving the district May 1st. But since the notice went out, Kemp says Glowitz is “rarely seen at the office”.

“He wasn’t at work, except maybe to board meetings,” said Kemp.

We called the city of Alexandria and asked to speak with Mr. Glowitz.

We were told “he is no longer with the city”, and that “he may have moved on to a position with Fairfax County”.

We contacted an administrative office for Fairfax County, and a receptionist told us that Joseph Glowitz works in the “Capital Facilities Department” as a “Project Coordinator” for wastewater.