Here is some unfortunate Enterprise Zone news. Hal Joseph, who has been an outstanding advocate and champion of the Enterprise Zone Program for many years will be leaving his position as Executive Director of the Coachella Valley EZ. Here is the story from The Desert Sun:

Hal Joseph’s last day as executive director of the Coachella Valley Enterprise Zone Authority is June 30, but circumstances surrounding his departure are unclear.

While Joseph says he was terminated in a 2-1 vote in March, members of the joint powers authority’s executive committee say Joseph is retiring.

Indio, Coachella and the Riverside County Economic Development Agency are partners in the local zone, which spans roughly 60 square miles in the eastern part of the valley. The zone offers businesses incentives to locate there and create jobs.

Indio Councilman Glenn Miller told The Desert Sun on Wednesday that Joseph recently received performance reviews from the partnering entities.

Miller said the city of Indio gave Joseph a “good review” and was satisfied with the work he was doing.

“He did not get a recommendation on his review (from Coachella and Riverside County) that he expected from the board. He took that very much as a negative,” Miller said.

“It was a 2-1 vote if you look at the reviews,” he said. But no formal vote was taken by board members in a closed meeting to discuss Joseph’s performance, he said.

Joseph, who first joined the authority in 2000, insisted on Wednesday that he’s not retiring but is being let go.

“I was terminated by a 2-1 vote of the executive committee,” Joseph said.

He said Coachella Mayor Eduardo Garcia and Riverside County Supervisor John J. Benoit voted to let him go at a March board meeting, while Miller favored keeping him.

Benoit did not return a message seeking his comment, but Garcia refuted Joseph’s claims.

“There absolutely was no decision,” he said. “In fact, the decision was solely on Mr. Hal Joseph, who submitted a letter of early retirement.”

An April 12 letter to Miller said Joseph was deciding “to take an early retirement as of June 30.”

Joseph acknowledged that he signed that letter but then notified executive committee members on Tuesday of his intention to withdraw it.

“I did ask them for termination,” he said. “I don’t want to retire.”

When asked what the board’s reaction was to the about-face, Joseph said: “They were going to consider it.”

A search for a new executive director is under way, board members said Wednesday.

Fifty-seven candidates have already applied, Miller said. The board hopes to find the right hire by the start of the next fiscal year July 1, Garcia said.

“Mr. Joseph’s decision to take an early retirement forces us to take a step back, re-evaluate and reinvigorate our enterprise zone,” he said.