NRD incumbent responds

Dear Editor,

As a current Middle Republican NRD board member, I feel it is important to inform the voters on the facts involved with board decisions. There seems to be an underlying tone with the group of candidates supported by Citizens United for Sensible Water Solutions, Gene Morris Treasurer, that the board is currently raping the district for personal gain. They insinuate that the board is controlled by irrigators who simply have their own greedy agenda. Granted this board is comprised of people who irrigate, but this community is dependent upon people who irrigate. Economists from the University of Nebraska have shown that a reduction of 15 percent on upland wells and 40 percent on alluvial wells (a plan once proposed by the state) would result in a $90 million reduction to the Republican River Basin economy. This number does not reflect the on-farm workers that would lose their jobs. I am not sure that the businesses and households of the basin would be in favor of that kind of an economic hit.

One candidate expressed that all other businesses have to buy their own tools, so why shouldn't an irrigator buy his water? I contend the water cost is built into the premium price paid for irrigated land versus dry-land, and the subsequent higher real estate taxes that accompany this higher value. No one on the MRNRD board "wanted" to vote to implement the taxing authority in 701. We also didn't have the option to go strictly with an occupation tax because it was viewed as an unproven taxation vehicle. In order to get a favorable bond rating the property tax portion had to be included this first time.

If everyone in the community could have attended the NRD legislative conference in Lincoln, as the board members did, they would have concluded that Southwest Nebraska does not have legislative leverage in Lincoln.

We were faced with the decision: Do we try to help ourselves even if it is not fair, or do we leave ourselves completely at the mercy of a Legislature dominated with eastern Nebraska senators? We made the decision to try to help our own cause and not rely on government bureaucracy.

Please understand that every person on the board that voted to implement 701 did so knowing full well it would hit them hard in higher taxes, but also realizing that the economic viability of the Republican River basin was in jeopardy. Please also understand that the 701 taxing authority that was implemented last year was a one-year deal. The 701 taxing authority is not a part of our budget this year, not because of the Friends of the River lawsuit, simply because we don't need an emergency provision like 701 this year.

The statement has also been made that the general public would be shocked if they saw the way we conduct our meetings. I am not really sure of the basis for that statement or exactly the shock that would be encountered at our meetings. I would simply say that anyone can attend and see for themselves. We have open public meetings. We welcome input; we welcome ideas. We were accused of not doing what the majority of the irrigators in our district wanted. If we are so far removed from the pulse of our irrigating constituency, why have we not had packed meeting halls pointing out our mistakes?

The facts reveal that the Middle Republican NRD was in compliance with the Compact settlement for 2007 (thanks in part to the purchased water) and all indications show that we will be in compliance in 2008. By listening to the Citizens United for Sensible Water Solutions, you would assume that we are continuing to recklessly overuse our water resources. This is simply not true. I feel that the programs we have in place, as well as programs we are continuing to develop, will help to insure future compliance. Granted we cannot do enough as a board to guarantee we will never be out of compliance. It is impossible to always get water into the stream -- even with no pumping. We have to have help from the Good Lord, and He has been very gracious these last two years with good rainfall, helping to get us back in a "normal" pattern. Bottom line: Water levels are actually above average in many area lakes and groundwater levels are rising, which to me indicates that we are moving in the right direction with our water policy.

In conclusion, I ask the voters of the MRNRD to simply be informed. Your current board members have made the tough decisions to maintain economic viability while complying with the compact settlement. Talk to your elected representatives. Read the Sprinkles and Splashes newsletter. Understand that the board currently in place is working diligently for the citizens of our district to maintain our natural resources for future generations as well as keeping them available for the current generation. Be assured that the decisions your NRD board has made are not taken lightly and are made after much thought, research and discussion. Please get out and vote and let us know what you want to see happen with your natural resources.

Respectfully submitted,

Brad Randel

Current Member,

NRD Board of Directors,

McCook