Stanislaus Workforce Alliance keeps county funding despite concerns

Stanislaus group isn't worth $125G it gets for job it does, DeMartini says

By TIM MORAN
tmoran@modbee.com

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Stanislaus County Supervisor Jim DeMartini was on the losing end of a 4-1 vote Tuesday over funding of the Stanislaus Economic Development and Workforce Alliance.

DeMartini said the $125,000 the county gives to the alliance could be better spent elsewhere. He accused alliance officials of withholding information about private contributors to the organization, ramrodding the agency's economic development plan past the county and failing to meet state guidelines for job development.

Alliance Chief Executive Officer Bill Bassitt disputed DeMartini's allegations. "I don't want facts to get in the way of a good speech, but we need to be open and honest here," Bassitt said.

Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors Watch

The alliance is a public-private partnership that promotes economic development in the county, and it has taken over the county's Department of Employment and Training responsibilities. It receives money from the county and its nine cities as well as funding from businesses in the county.

DeMartini has clashed publicly with the alliance over the PCCP West Park LLC development near Patterson over the past 18 months, suggesting that the organization has received money from West Park developer Gerry Kamilos and has supported the Kamilos development over another proposal at the site.

Kamilos is proposing to develop 4,800 acres in and around the Crows Landing Air Facility into a business and industrial park with a rail link to the Port of Oakland.

Many on the West Side oppose the project, and DeMartini has been a vocal critic of West Park.

"The alliance has not been a good partner to Stanislaus County," DeMartini said. "They are trying to solicit $3 million from other businesses and it's all done in secret. The contributors are never listed."

DeMartini said the alliance's economic development strategic plan was formed without county input, and he urged the other county supervisors and the cities to rescind funding. The county also should take back the Department of Employment and Training duties, DeMartini said. He contended that the alliance is not meeting state performance standards for employment and training funding.

Bassitt and Supervisor Jeff Grover came to the defense of the alliance.

Bassitt told the supervisors that the alliance is run by a broad-based board of directors that includes representatives from the county and all the cities as well as the private sector. Meetings of the 52-member board and the smaller executive board are open to the public, he said.

The alliance's private contributors are listed on the organization's Web site and have been for at least four years, Bassitt said. The economic development strategic plan was created through meetings with every city manager, he said, and council members were invited. Bassitt said he met with county CEO Rick Robinson and sent the plan through the alliance board three times for comment.

"We altered the plan at Supervisor DeMartini's request, to minimize our participation in the Crows Landing project," Bassitt said.

Bassitt said DeMartini had asked for documents related to money the alliance had received from Kamilos. Kamilos has not given any money to the alliance, so he could not provide the information, Bassitt said.

"I couldn't provide what didn't exist," he said.

Grover defended the alliance's handling of the Department of Employment and Training. The training efforts are aimed at jobs that exist in Stanislaus County for the first time in his memory, Grover said.

Grover sits on the alliance board as a private sector member. He said it is not a secretive organization.

"There is more information available to me than I can absorb at times," he said.

DeMartini said he was still not satisfied.

"I think we are better off without you than with you," he told Bassitt.

"I'm sorry that's your opinion," Bassitt replied. "My opinion differs significantly."

Bee staff writer Tim Moran can be reached at tmoran@modbee.com or 578-2349.