Water adjudication is a bad idea for county

Thanks to Gov. Otter, our local senators and representatives and concerned citizens who petitioned the governor for reining in the rogue Department of Water Resources in its devious attempt to get a foot in the door in Bonner County.

In July, an overwhelming majority of Bonner and Boundary County citizens made it very clear that, for many various and valid reasons, water rights adjudication was not needed or wanted here at this time. Dave Tuthill, director of Water Resources spoke, of course, in favor of the program, receiving a negative response from citizens attending. He listened as our senators and representatives said that this was not a "done deal," not funded, would not happen if not wanted by the people and, in any case, not until 2011.

A recent attempt by Water Resources to include 10 or 15 square miles of Bonner County in adjudication involving the Rathdrum Aquifer must be considered a devious circumvention Bonner County citizens' will. It exposes Mr. Tuthill and his department, for which he is directly responsible, as bureaucratic big brother, self-justifying elitists and not to be trusted in the future. It also questions Mr Tuthill's intelligence as a government bureaucrat in making liars of our senators and representatives. It is, however, to the credit of those same senators and representatives, whether or not they personally favor adjudication, to quickly join together to support the will of their constituents in halting this maneuver.

Would you believe Scott Campbell, the attorney who told us what a hassle adjudication will be, or Mr. Tuthill who said how easy it would be and how helpful his department would be. Easy call, case closed!

PHIL POUTRE

Cocolalla