East Columbia district seeks director candidates

MOSES LAKE — The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District is looking for a few good people to run for several open director positions this December.

The district has three open director positions. The first, covers Grant County north of Wheeler Road, while the second covers Lincoln County and Adams County north of Providence Road. Both directors will serve three year terms beginning in January, 2018.

The third open director position covers Adams County from the Grant County to the Franklin County line, and will serve for a year. This position was filled by appointment when the previous director resigned.

According to Craig Simpson, secretary-manager of the East Columbia Irrigation District, the district has five directors who meet each month to oversee the district’s operations as well as draft and pass its budget.

Directors receive a small stipend.

“It’s a nominal amount, no one’s going to become rich at this,” Simpson said.

To qualify, directors must own land and vote within the director division — the district represented by a board director — they seek to run for in the irrigation district. Aspiring candidates must also file a petition of candidacy signed by 10 qualified voters in the director division.

Petitions are due by Monday, Nov. 6, 2017. The election for irrigation district directors will take place on Dec. 12, 2017.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com.