Wealthy grower John Vidovich has become a lightning rod for discontent in western Kern water district

Growers in the Buena Vista Water Storage District have been working for the past year on a new district map to increase director seats from five to seven specifically to get around a voting block held by John Vidovich.

Vidovich, a wealthy Silicon Valley developer and grower, owns vast sections of land in Buena Vista’s two northern districts. Because Buena Vista votes are apportioned based on land holdings, that means Vidovich, or his designee, can never be voted off the board.

So, growers decided to change the board.

A map with the seven new proposed districts was accepted and an election date set for Oct. 14 during a raucous, accusation-filled Buena Vista meeting on Monday.

Most growers contacted later declined to go on the record and Vidovich did not return phone calls or emails. Board President Jeof Wyrick also did not respond to an email.

But it was clear from comments during the meeting that growers feel Vidovich has not been representing their interests, has been skipping too many meetings, dragging out projects and trying to reverse decisions made in his absence.

“Of late, there’s been some consternation that there’s over representation and over influence by one landowner who owns 28% of the land with 40% voting power who won’t show up for meetings when we’re trying to get a quorum going,” Wyrick said as he introduced the resolution to hold an election for the proposed new districts.

“One solution is to create seven directors to create more local representation in the area.”

The resolution passed 3-2 with “no” votes from Vidovich and Craig Andrew, who works for Sandridge Partners LLC, which Vidovich controls.

Almost on cue to prove growers’ point, Vidovich later sought to reduce water deliveries from 1.5 acre feet per acre of land to 1.25 acre feet.

“I wasn’t at the last meeting when staff increased deliveries to 1.5,” he said as the dozen or so farmers seated around the directors’ table audibly scoffed. “So, I’d like to make a motion to bring it back down to 1.25.”

“Isn’t it your duty to deliver water to growers?” one man hollered from the corner.

Wyrick quickly called a vote on the motion, which lost 3-2, with Vidovich and Andrew the only “aye” votes.

While that issue was the least animated portion of Monday’s meeting, it may have been the most crucial to why farmers want a seven-member board.

In particular, growers want a stronger voice over the district’s stored water, meaning what’s held in Lake Isabella.

But, clearly, that was not the only issue that has Buena Vista farmers up at arms with district leadership.

As Vidovich picked through the rest of the agenda questioning everything from interest rates to the cost of pipe, growers became increasingly annoyed.

Another flashpoint came during a discussion of contracting for earthwork in the sprawling McAllister groundwater recharge basin, which will also include a small solar project.

“Growers support this project,” Jake Cauzza said. “This solar deal, we could lose the tax incentives because you’re stalling.”

Vidovich said he was trying to quantify costs before spending millions but Cauzza didn’t buy it pointing out that Buena Vista staff had provided contract options showing cost differences between vendors.

Things got really ugly, though, over a question of who authorized a district pipeline to be built on a farmer’s land several years ago without obtaining an easement or even permission. The board had been discussing in closed session whether to buy the nearly six acres, which are outside Buena Vista’s boundaries, from the farmer.

But Vice President Tom Toretta said he’d had so many questions from growers he wanted to bring the issue up in open session.  

The pipeline had been planned to go on a slice of open Buena Vista land but then Sandridge Partners planted trees in the way, so it was routed around the orchard onto the outside farmer’s land.

Growers in the room were furious. How much would it cost to buy the farmer’s land? Or, how much to pull up and reroute the line? Who would pay those costs? 

Grower Rick Riccomini suggested the district take over the land where Vidovich had planted, despite a planned line, by eminent domain.

“Why not? You’ve done it to me,” he said.

“It seems like it was just a mistake,” Vidovich said, adding that he had no knowledge his trees caused the line to be rerouted.

The room boiled over.

“There are enough mistakes that it starts smelling funny when this stuff happens over and over,” Board President Wyrick told Vidovich.

“Oh Jeof, you just wanna make anything I do look bad,” Vidovich responded.

“John. John. There’s a lack of trust here for a reason,” Wyrick said.

“That’s why we’re all here,” another man chimed in.

The discussion ended and the issue was moved back to closed session where no action was reported Monday.