The Bear River Association of Governments met Tuesday in Garden City and Cache County Council Member Val Potter, who is chairman of the BRAG governing board, says water was a key topic of discussion. BRAG’s executive director Roger Jones talked about the statewide water infrastructure plan and there was a discussion on the value of water conservancy districts.
Potter says after meeting with water shareholders, canal companies and water experts, he believes Cache County should move toward a conservancy district.
“I don’t like tax increases but this is one situation that I feel like if Cache County is going to get in control of the Bear River development and work with the Bear River development,” Potter says, “and get in synch as a county we need to have a water conservancy district.
“It’s what the state legislature, what the other water districts recognize as the law behind water. I think we have to do it. It gives us a seat at the table at the state with regard to water issues.”
Potter says Cache is one of very few counties in the state that does not already have a water conservancy district. He says that county councilmembers are unanimous in their support for a district. Potter says that is because a district is the best way the county can protect and conserve its water, not just now but into the future.
An effort was made several years ago to form a district and Potter says some mistakes were made at that time. He also says the method of forming a district has been improved and reformed. He says there are people who feel it would be a threat on their water shares.
“It’s not a threat on water shares,” explains Potter. “This will be established so that over half of the board are elected officials who are accountable to the people.
“This wouldn’t be a huge operation with huge overhead, huge salary to anybody who oversees this. It will be a conservative operation and it’s going to be one that will benefit us for the long term.”
Potter says there are two different ways a district can be formed: by petition or by a ballot vote. He says it has not been decided which way Cache County would go.