February 5, 2018 – As a candidate for the Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors, Division 1, I have been monitoring activities and attending NID board and committee meetings for over a year.
I continually express concern about how NID spends its public monies and how the decisions to spend those monies are made. I just discovered that on February 6th at an NID committee meeting, they are poised to give the General Manager broad spending authority in the amount of $600,000, without Board approval! For emergency situations, it can go higher.
I have checked. In contrast, Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) gives their General Manager budget authority of $30,000. Emergencies are a different matter. The Nevada County CEO has a budget authority of up to $5,000.
My concern is this: How can NID be transparent in its operations when the General Manager is empowered to spend so much money without Board approval or oversight?
I will continue to be vigilant and share my concerns with the customers and rate payers of NID.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ricki Heck, Candidate Division 1