Opinion:

Make The Board Of Directors Accountable To The People

Quasi-Governmental Agencies Should Be Responsible To Those They Serve

by Johnny Gunn

Yet another governmental agency is being formed in which we the people have no voice in its operation, and again, we say, this is wrong.  The agency will oversee all aspects of water in Washoe County, but it isn't the agency itself that we will rail against, it is the concept of another quasi-governmental group having control over our lives, but not being responsible to us.  Water is the most precious commodity in a human's existence and should not be toyed with by politicians looking to leave some kind of legacy of their service or lack of. 

This new super agency will bring all other water agencies in Washoe County under its umbrella including Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA), Washoe County Water agency, and various General Improvement Districts, but its board of directors will not be elected, they will be appointed by the several political entities in the county.  There is a good reason for this, in the eyes of the politicians; the board won't have to answer to the public, the ones that pay the way.

Such things as water acquisition, distribution, rates, and availability will be under the control of a group of people who will not be accountable to the public for their decisions.  There is a reason that boards of directors for school systems are elected not appointed.  It makes them accountable to those that elected them.  They must act responsibly or they will be tossed out at the next election.  That's the same reason that those attempting to form super agencies that are led by appointed officials like their system.  They don't have to be accountable.

The board of directors of TMWA for instance felt they could raise rates at will and not justify them if they didn't want to.  Luckily the legislature stepped in and ordered an audit of the agency and TMWA was forced to change their ways.  Their board of directors is appointed from the area political entities and includes city council members and county commissioners.  Those people were elected to the city council, not to TMWA.  They were appointed to TMWA.  The Reno City Council member might not feel accountable to someone in Sparks.

Municipal Utility Districts (MUD) are not something new and in cases where the boards are elected, the districts run far more efficiently compared to districts with appointed boards.  In the case of a water agency that is county wide, in a county that seems to be controlled by developers and companies that sell, buy, and trade water, the safest way for the general public has to be by way of an elected board.

Water in Washoe County is already at a premium.  Local availability is all but used up according to hydrologists that have been testifying before planning agencies.  Water from outside the county is being purchased by water distributors such as TMWA and the Sun Valley General Improvement District.  Developers are buying water rights at outrageous prices; Truckee River Water Rights are being sold for as much as $50,000 or more per acre foot.  One acre foot will provide water for about four families over a year's time.  Wait till you get that water bill.

An agency to be in charge of acquisition, distribution, rates, and availability isn't wrong in its concept, it's the final makeup of its board of directors that needs to be looked at.  The legislature will be discussing this project in the upcoming session, and it is our desire that they look at creating a board of directors that will be elected, on the same principle as boards of education.

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Cartoon by Thomas Nast, April 12, 1874