Election fiasco Board’s fault
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Editor,
The Dec. 20, 2016 and Jan. 2 issues of the Missoulian published former Flathead Joint Board of Control Commissioner Jerry Laskody’s complaints regarding the conduct of the May 2016 irrigation elections. Among other things he criticized our county attorney and Judge Manley’s decision. But the primary causes of this election fiasco lay within the FJBC.
Laskody complains that he was informed of voting procedure changes only two to three weeks before ballots were mailed in mid-April. As a fellow commissioner, I had the same complaint until I learned much later that the county election office had sent an email about voting changes to the FJBC on Feb. 26, 2016. But that email was closely held by some commissioners. Nor was its substance included on the March 8 FJBC meeting agenda when all commissioners and the public could have been informed of voting procedure changes.
Laskody’s Dec. 20, 2016 letter accused our county attorney of malfeasance. But he failed to point out that our county attorney aligned irrigation voting procedures with state law and FJBC by-laws. Given that Laskody believes that the FJBC could unilaterally cancel the election because it is responsible for overseeing elections, he should have taken the initiative earlier to bring voting procedures in accord with FJBC by-laws and state law.
Laskody’s Dec. 20, 2016 letter accused water compact proponents of abetting the County attorney’s alleged malfeasance. But as my wife and I can attest, the new voting procedures applied to compact supporters as well as opponents. We had no difficulties following the new procedures and voting.
Laskody believes Judge Manley’s decision against the FJBC election cancellation defies common sense. But one person’s common sense often is nonsense to another. That is why we are a nation of laws.
Former commissioner Laskody was a vociferous litigation advocate and vociferous appeals advocate whenever the FJBC lost a lawsuit. Irrigators are paying the price for the many failed FJBC lawsuits. Perhaps that is why he lost his election.
Dick Erb
Moiese
