Brief by Central Staff
Water – May 2005 – Colorado Central Magazine
In what looks like a sign of changing times, retired river outfitter Reed Dils of Buena Vista has replaced Salida rancher Glen Everett on the board of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District.
Southeastern extends along the Arkansas River from Chaffee County east to the state line, and also includes Colorado Springs. Its major job is administering the Frying Pan-Arkansas Project, which diverts about 69,000 acre-feet each year from the Western Slope, along with associated reservoirs, canals, and similar structures.
Pueblo District Judge Dennis Maes made the appointments in early April, after consulting with judges in the relevant counties. Conservancy district directors are generally appointed by judges, although it is possible to petition for an election.
Dils will represent Chaffee County, and said he wanted to get on the board to represent recreation, now a major industry on the upper river. He will join two other new appointees who replace members who had applied to keep their seats. They are Carl McClure of Crowley County, who replaces Orville Tomky, and Bub Miller of Otero County, who replaces Ron Ascherman.
Meanwhile, three director terms in the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District are expiring soon. The UAWCD covers Chaffee, Custer, and western Frémont counties, and its divisions follow the same lines as the school districts. Two of those directors are Jeff Ollinger of Buena Vista and Tom French of Howard. The third, Tom Young of Cotopaxi, is a director at large.
Ollinger was elected after petitions were circulated and filed in 2001. In the wake of that difficult effort, the election group (Citizens for Water Integrity) reached an agreement with the UAWCD.
Future candidates would be interviewed by a board consisting of one commissioner from each county, thereby involving some elected officials who were politically accountable. The commissioners would then recommend candidates to the appointing judge, who was free to ignore their recommendations.
That happened with one nominee in 2002. In 2003, only incumbents applied for new terms, so all were re-appointed, and no terms expired in 2004.
If you’re interested in such service, applications are available at the UAWCD office, 139 E. Highway 50 in Salida, 719-539-5425. The deadline for applying is May 2, and interviews are scheduled for May 9.
Applicants must reside in the appropriate division (at-large can be from anywhere in the district) and own real property there. State law says they must be persons “with backgrounds reflecting the agricultural, municipal, industrial, and other interests in the beneficial use of water within the district” and “be knowledgeable in water matters.”
UAWCD directors are paid $100 a month plus mileage, and meet in the afternoon of the second Thursday of each month.
