Dear Editor:
Last week the RBC County Commissioners voted to exempt themselves from following their own established procedures in approving a $4 million grant to the County Water Conservancy District. This is a CCITF (County Capital Improvement Trust Fund) grant for environmental studies for the proposed Wolf Creek Reservoir. With that approval they also exempted themselves from complying with State Statutes detailing the requirements for CCITF funds use.
The CCITF fund was established in 1982 with $20 million from the oil shale industry. As required by state statute, an advisory committee recommended a County process. Since 1988, that process was used until recent years in which it has been ignored completely. In the past, the taxing districts applied for CCITF grants with an open competitive review by an advisory committee and recommendation to the BOCC for approval.
Until recently, only the annual interest was spent with the principal maintained, and then only for Capital items, stuff like fire engines and buildings. Declining interest has current Commissioners using the principal. The balance has been maintained only because of a one time Anvil Points addition. The $4 million just approved is almost all principal.
State law does give the Commissioners full discretion in fund use, as long as it is within the narrow Statute requirements and follows the established process. The process can be changed with open public involvement but there is no provision for ignoring the requirements for convenience, one time or otherwise.
Faced with this truth, the Commissioners fell back on the idea that the CCITF process was followed, through the regular budget meetings last fall. This was despite the fact that there was no ability for other taxing districts to apply, no review by an advisory committee, no actual application for the grant until two weeks ago, and still no scope of work for the grant. Commissioner Moyer unwittingly, indirectly admitted that the established process was not followed by stating several times in the meeting that “no-one had done so in 35 years.” That statement is false but also instructive.
The Commissioners were asked to delay the decision for a time and allow the process to be followed. Realizing that the end decision on the grant would likely be the same, this would at least allow for open discussion and an informed decision. The BOCC instead, citing the need to not delay the reservoir, voted to allow themselves the exemption from the law.
The tragedy in all this, aside from the lack of respect for the process and the citizens, is that it will likely delay a real solution to the critical and worsening water problems in Rangely specifically and the county as a whole. The county has committed $4 million to a reservoir, which because of practical and financial problems, is unlikely to ever be built.
Wolf Creek Reservoir, as proposed, is a large shallow lake in a desert environment. Evaporation loss will be extreme. Construction costs are estimated at over $200 million. The project is not supported by the state water engineer or federal government. The lake is filled from the White River by pumping at a current annual cost estimate of $600 thousand. This is the same silt laden water that is killing Kenney Reservoir. Wolf Creek itself also runs brown, when it runs.
Yes, Rangely needs a dependable water supply. No doubt. But the upper half of the County is experiencing water problems also. We’ve all seen the effects of dewatering the upper White recently. This is not a Rangely vs Meeker situation that some suggested. We need to look more seriously at county wide solutions that are cost effective, practical in operational design and that benefit all.
My fear is that we will waste $4 million plus (the estimated cost is $6 million) for a study that will gather dust and years from now we will be no closer to any real solutions.
More pressing right now is the need for County Commissioners that respect the law, the Citizens, and the county employees. We need commissioners that seek out and truly listen to voters opinions before decisions are made. It was clear in the last meeting that we don’t have any of this presently. We deserve and should demand better.
Jeff Madison
Meeker
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