Cástulo Estrada to Address Democratic Club

Cástulo Estrada will be featured speaker at Palm Desert Greens Democratic Club

PALM DESERT — Cástulo Estrada, vice president of the Coachella Valley Water District, will be the featured speaker when the Palm Desert Greens Democratic Club meets in April.

It is the second consecutive month the Club’s speaker is from Coachella. In March, Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez was the featured speaker.

Amalia Deaztlan, president of Democratic Women of the Desert, suggested Estrada as a featured speaker, Ralph Perry, president, told Uken Report.

“Mr. Estrada is well-versed and qualified with information regarding water and the Salton Sea,” Perry said.

The meeting is set for Friday, April 14 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Palm Desert Greens Rec Center.

Estrada attended the Club’s March 10 meeting; however, Perry said he didn’t get a chance to meet him. One of the Club’s members also spoke of Estrada, Perry said.

“Our members are very interested in the Salton Sea,” Perry said.

But having speakers from the East Valley transcends interest in the Salton Sea.

“There seems to be tension between people in the West Valley with leaders in the East Valley,” Perry said. “I never knew about this before. But I’m a new president. This tension is regarding endorsements that were made, and things written some time ago about (Palm Springs City Council member) Christy (Holstege). I’m hoping we can move beyond the past. Everyone needs to be humble, just forgive and move on.

“I also think there is more to this tension than just endorsement complaints and such,” Perry said. “It’s a broader issue touching on socio-economic resentments. I have no information to back this up. That’s just my perception. We have to do better with inclusion.”

Personally, I believe for the 2024 election year; we need to work out internal differences among Democrats, Perry said.

“We need to support each other to overcome our common opponent, the Republicans,” Perry said. “And, with Republicans, we need to find ways locally that promote bipartisanship. People do appreciate that!”

Estrada was elected to a four-year term on the CVWD board in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. He is the Utilities Manager at the City of Coachella. He is a native of the Eastern Coachella Valley, a graduate of Coachella Valley High School, and has a civil engineering degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He has served on the Salton Sea Authority Board of Directors since 2014, including serving as President of the Board in 2019/2020.

Cástulo formed the Coachella Valley Disadvantaged Communities Task Force which works to secure access to safe affordable drinking water, wastewater and flood control services in historically disadvantaged Coachella Valley regions through strategic planning, funding procurement, needs assessment, and reporting – all in collaboration with community members and stakeholders. Cástulo was appointed in 2019, and reappointed in 2020 and 2022, as a member of the State Water Resources Control Board’s SAFER Program Advisory Group.

He lives in the City of Coachella with his wife, Cindy, and two children. Cástulo’s term ends in 2026.