Follow the money

At recent board meeting of the Central Shoshone County Water District we learned the board feels that they need to increase fees and rates that we, the district patrons, pay.

This may seem normal, but some of us remember that in the Spring of 2016 the board made huge pitch to us in order to pass a “$4.0 million-dollar bond project that will not raise rates.”

They warned us that “Our water lines are in very poor condition” and the work was needed to “protect public health and position the District for future growth.”

It was a great pitch and we, the district patrons, voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bond.

Now two years later, we are being told $1.5 million of the bond has been spent, but work that needed to be done, like the water main on McKinley Ave. in Kellogg which is one of the busiest streets in the city, was not done and we’re supposed to believe that rates need to increase? Why isn’t it being spent on some of the oldest lines around while the street is torn up for other work? Isn’t that what they told us they were doing

Then within days after the paving on McKinley was completed, leaks start popping up and the new asphalt had to be dug so that work which should have been before the street was paved could be done. There had already been numerous leaks in other sections of the water line during the sewer replacement and road work so you would think a light might have gone on telling someone at the water district that this one of those lines in “very poor condition “ that should been be replaced.

Now we learn that the newly paved road up Big Creek has to be torn up in several spots across the entire road because the water lines need to be replaced and that the water district knew this before the pavement was put down.

What in the world is going on at the Central Shoshone County Water District and where is the money going?

Doug and Gloria Burmeister.

Big Creek