Labor costs excessive

Dear Editor,

To the Irrigators of the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District:

I have followed the irrigation district budget hearing for the last two years.

I am concerned with the labor cost. With the 3 percent raise, and another 3 percent increase for health insurance this year's labor costs will run over $510,000.

The workload is highly exaggerated, with 10 full- time employees and only two months of water delivery on 1,7000 acres of the Cambridge canal. In my opinion two part-time em-ployees could handle that load.

In my opinion, there is an effort to use our reserve for labor costs.

The financial audit statement 1/14/04 states that "the largest district expenses are for employee salary and benefits." This audit carries no inventory sheet.

The reserve belongs to the irrigators and should be used for construction costs. We owe the United States government for maintenance of the canal lateral and improvement of the canal efficiency.

When we installed underground pipe on the lateral systems we went a long way in cutting water loss and decreasing work load.

This was the type of management that would cut costs and increase efficiency.

Water loss in the Cambridge canal could be reduced to where the full water supply could be delivered to the irrigators out of the Cambridge reservoir at no extra cost.

The directors are responsible for efficient business of the district. Excessive spending has been allowed to go on.

We should be having water user meetings. The business of the district should be a part of every irrigators irrigation business.

The district's water rights could be lost in the future. This would be great for Kansas but not for the Republican Valley economy.

Get a copy of the budget and go over it with your director. See for yourself it is your district, and your money.

Sincerely

Cloyd F. Hoyt,

McCook