Board of Control going in wrong direction
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Editor,
Irrigators, being on the Flathead Joint Board of Control for many years and when the turnover (Cooperative Management Entity) was formed, I don’t think the FJBC is presently going in the right direction. From my experience litigation got us nowhere and progress only came when we negotiated. I was extremely disappointed when the Flathead District voted to reject the terms of the CME and the project was taken over by the BIA losing local management. The turnover effort presently being proposed will never happen. The Department of Interior has to approve it.
The majority of the FJBC in recent years has doubled your admin fees, alienated project management, allowed influence by non-irrigator interests and is ignoring the wishes of a large number of irrigators.
In my opinion irrigators’ money would be much better spent improving the aging project, lining canals and ditches, repairing Crow Reservoir, and redesigning and replacing structures to increase water to the irrigators.
The legal fees for the Mission and Jocko Districts are the direct result of the FJBC board filing suit against the four commissioners requiring them to seek legal counsel, they did not initiate the action.
The situation with the FJBC and the compact has torn this valley apart. I hope some good finally comes from this without bankrupting us all.
I will not vote for any incumbent in this FJBC election.
Roy Lake
Ronan
