-Editorial
J.B. Hamby and Lewis Pacheco officially took their oaths of office as Imperial Irrigation District (IID) directors during a board meeting on December 9, marking the start of their four-year terms. Hamby begins his second term on the board, continuing his work on water and energy issues. Pacheco joins the board after defeating incumbent Javier Gonzalez in the recent election. They were sworn by Judge Poli Flores.
Lewis Pacheco, the newly sworn-in Imperial Irrigation District (IID) director, outlined his top priorities for his four-year term, emphasizing water security, energy reliability, and economic development for the Imperial Valley. Director Pacheco is a new member of the IID Board, bringing with him extensive experience from two terms on the Calexico City Council, including a stint as mayor, and service on the Imperial County Planning Commission. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Calexico Unified School District. A lifelong Calexico resident, Pacheco has over 30 years of experience in public education, having worked as a teacher, assistant human resources superintendent, and principal for 21 years.
Pacheco stressed the importance of protecting the region’s vital water rights, which are tied to its position as a key recipient of Colorado River water from the lower basin.
“I think the main thing is to make sure that we have the water we’re entitled to, that nothing happens to us,” Pacheco said. “We cannot let the water leave the valley. That’s the primary purpose for us. We’re first. We get the water first because we are the ones that receive it from the lower basin first.”
Pacheco emphasized that water is critical not only for the region’s agricultural sector but also for the well-being of its communities. “Our main concern is having enough water to use it for our farming and for our community, to have water for everybody,” he added.
On the energy front, Pacheco highlighted the need to maintain a stable and sufficient power supply for the Imperial Valley. “We need to provide and generate enough energy so we can have a balanced authority, making sure we don’t have blackouts and brownouts,” he explained. “That’s a big concern.”
Representing Calexico, Pacheco emphasized that his work on the IID board would focus on the broader needs of the entire Imperial Valley, not just his district. “We’re not isolating Calexico. We’re working for the valley,” he said. “What’s good for the valley is good for Calexico, and what’s good for Calexico is good for the valley.”
Pacheco brings years of experience as a school board member and community leader. He believes his prior leadership roles have prepared him for the complex decision-making process required on the IID board. “All the boards, all the meetings, all the agendas — all that ties into what we’re doing here,” he said. “We’re providing a service to the community, and I’m going to do my best to work as hard as I can to make sure we don’t lose any water, that we conserve, and that we have energy for the entire valley.”
Looking ahead, Pacheco also sees an opportunity to bring new industries to the region, leveraging the valley’s abundant land, water, and energy resources. “If there’s a possibility of bringing in an industry, let’s do that,” Pacheco said. “We can attract businesses and employ more people. That’s another area we want to work on — bringing in more jobs and industry to the valley.”
Hamby, who was first elected to the IID Board in 2020, has served as its Vice Chairman and was reelected unopposed in the March 2024 primary. He will continue representing Division 2, which includes southeast El Centro, Heber, Holtville, and Seeley. In addition to his role at IID, Hamby serves as the chairman of the Colorado River Board of California and as the State of California’s Colorado River Commissioner.
Hamby reflected on a transformative period of growth, collaboration, and forward-thinking leadership. Hamby said his tenure has been characterized by a renewed focus on water rights, power generation, and strengthening IID’s influence on the local, state, and national levels.
“Four years ago, it started as a community-led effort to focus on our future,” Hamby said. “The idea is principally focused on the Colorado River and water. Water is life in Imperial Valley — and power. It makes progress possible in our community.”
Hamby emphasized that the work done over the past two years, particularly under the new board composition, has been pivotal in propelling IID into a leadership position. “What we’ve been able to do over the last four years, and particularly over the last two years with this new board, has really been moving IID into the next century,” he explained. “We’ve catapulted IID to a leadership position on the local, state, federal, and interstate levels, especially in these Colorado River negotiations.”
The Colorado River has been at the heart of Hamby’s work, as its future management will shape the region’s water security for decades. Hamby highlighted his role on the Colorado River Board and the collaborative efforts with other states in the Colorado River Basin. “I’m very humbled to have the opportunity to continue to serve in this role for another four years,” Hamby said. “Not only in this role at the Imperial Irrigation District and writing the next chapter of history — a much better one compared to where we were in the last chapter — but also having the support of colleagues here at IID, in our community, on the Colorado River Board, and with the other seven Colorado River Basin states.”
Hamby acknowledged the challenging path that preceded the current era of teamwork and strategic planning. “Twenty years prior to that, there was not really much of a team dynamic historically on the IID board, and IID fell behind as a result of that,” Hamby said. “Our community wasn’t well served as a result of that.”
Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, Hamby remains optimistic about what’s to come. “We’ve got a lot planned for 2025 and beyond,” he said. “There’s a lot to look forward to, and we’ve got a ton done over the last four years, particularly in the last two with the board composition that’s been a team — that’s the most critical thing.”
