MLIRD forum yields one candidate

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake residents gathered at Frontier Middle School for the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District's candidate forum.

Bill Bailey and Mick Hansen are both vying for incumbent director Norm Benson's title in the Dec. 13 election.

Hansen did not attend the forum Tuesday. Statements were read in his absence.

In his opening statement, Bailey recalled witnessing large mats of blue-green algae on the surface of the lake when he first moved to Moses Lake in the 1970s.

The federal Bureau of Reclamation diluted the lake in the 1980s, resulting in clearer water, he said. An unforeseen consequence was increased weed growth, especially at Parker Horn, he said.

"I believe we must continue to rehabilitate Moses Lake and it's certainly a journey, not a destination," he said.

Hansen, who said he was out of town due to a prior commitment, had his opening remarks read for him.

"First and foremost, if I am elected, I will allow nothing to sacrifice the cleanliness of the water quality of Moses Lake," Hansen wrote.

Hansen questioned whether the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District (MLIRD) needed to spend millions of dollars to keep the lake from "returning to a swamp." The water diverted by the Bureau of Reclamation to the Potholes Reservoir keeps Moses Lake clear, he said.

"This brings in cooler, cleaner water, therefore a cleaner lake," he wrote. "The downside is that the added flow brings in more mud, about 1,854 cubic yards per year."

He questioned the use of a dredge to remove the excess material, saying the dredging process is expensive and inefficient.

Excavating the sand bars at the Alder Street Fill makes sense, but the use of the MLIRD's dredge is slow and costly, he wrote. At the current rate of removal, it would take 150 years to extract the amount of sediment the MLIRD says needs to be removed, he wrote.

The MLIRD should see if excavators can be used, Hansen wrote. If that plan is rejected, he has a backup plan that would cost more than using excavators, but not as much as operating the dredge. He did not provide details about his backup plan.

He was concerned the MLIRD's 2012 operations and maintenance budget increased 71 percent from last year. The budget increased from $504,000 budgeted in 2011 to $861,000 budgeted for 2012.

Hansen described his opponent as a "personal friend" but expressed concern that Bailey's role as landlord of the MLIRD office would present a conflict of interest if he were elected.

Bailey responded to the charge when a member of the audience asked about it during a question and answer period.

He has been the landlord for the district for 20 to 25 years, he said. Because the office is locked into a five year lease, he would not be able to affect the lease during his term, he added.

"I do not believe it will be a problem," he said.

In response to previously prepared questions and questions from the audience, Bailey supported use of the dredge, said he would support changes to promote transparency if necessary, and stressed the importance of representing ratepayers.

The most pressing issue for the district is removing sediment at Parker Horn, he said. Because the district already has a permit to use the dredge for the removal process, it makes more sense to use the dredge before pursuing alternatives that would require additional permits, he said adding that he would ensure the dredge operated as efficiently as possible.

It's important for the district to utilize the money it has available so ratepayers get the "best bang for the buck," he said, adding that the district should manage its money efficiently and with integrity.

In a closing statement he prepared, Hansen questioned the MLIRD election process and asked people voting for him by absentee ballot to photocopy their ballots before sending them in.

People told him that in the past they threw their absentee ballots away because they were confusing, and were turned away at the polls, he wrote.

There would be no sponsored forums of expensive literature telling the public "what a fine job MLIRD is doing," he wrote. "There are better ways to spend your tax dollars."

He also questioned the idea that the dredge project is moving on schedule.

"Look at the little duck pond where they dredged for five months, then look at the little pile of material ready to be hauled off," he wrote. "Then look at the $300,000 dredge that is stuck and soon to be frozen in the lake mud."

Bailey closed by saying he would work to improve transparency in the district if necessary and that the dredging project would continue with necessary modifications if he was elected.

"Vote for me and you'll see improvement, changes in how we operate, changes in transparency," he said.

The MLIRD director election takes place Dec. 13 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 211 N Elder Street, in Moses Lake.

Each parcel of land lying within the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District is entitled to two votes. Absentee ballots may be requested by contacting the district office at 509-765-8716, mlird@mlird.org or mailing a request to PO BOX 98, Moses Lake, WA 98837.

If receiving an absentee ballot by mail, MLIRD suggests requests for absentee ballots be submitted no later than Friday.