To the younger generation of readers, there was a fella named Will Rogers, who some years back had a newspaper column and a radio program that resonated with the common folks of his day (google “Will Rogers Quotes”). You seasoned citizens may remember Will’s quote: “Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.”
Now, I know we Bitterrooters tend to shoot from the hip, independent cusses that we are, and don’t always have the facts before we let our lips loose. It’s like Will Rogers says, we all have our “ignorances”, but to choose to remain ignorant when the facts are at our fingertips is like leaving the outhouse before we button up!
I believe Cary Hays (a Three Mile irrigator) buttoned it up pretty well recently in his July 20, 2016, Bitterroot Star letter. With his “Oilfield Expertise,” having a career as a negotiator, Cary double checked his facts and outlined the truth concerning the current lawsuit filed by Citizens For Fair Water (CFFW) against the Bitter Root Irrigation District (BRID).
I figure if Will Rogers was around today, he’d probably go on line and check the www. before writing an article, so I decided I would too. I researched all of the Perry Backus articles written about Citizens For Fair Water and it led me to Jim Rokosch – ex-commissioner and self proclaimed environmental consultant who operates Watershed Consultants, LLC, and has global ties as a general partner with Crimson & Co. It is Rokosch who filed the applications for Bitterrooters For Planning, Citizens For Fair Water and a few other non-profits. The Perry Backus articles revealed that this ex-commissioner has cost Ravalli County nearly $1 million dollars! Here’s how:
• Big Sky Development/Morado Mountain Estates
Cost To Taxpayers: $675,000
Sponsored by: Commissioner Rokosch
Payment for Legal Fees & Costs
• Bitterrooters For Planning
Cost to Taxpayers: $70,000
Sponsored by Ex-Commissioner Rokosch
Payment for Legal Fees & Costs
• Citizens For Fair Water
Cost to Taxpayers: $100,000+
Sponsored by Ex-Commissioner Rokosch
Payment for Legal Fees & Costs (Pending)
Here’s an interesting “legal” scam and how it works: File with the state as a non-profit, convince a few people of a conspiracy, hire a lawyer to sue the county, state or other large organization, and ALWAYS ask that your court costs and legal fees be paid by the outfit you’re suing. Now, just sit back and spread undocumented allegations everywhere to support your conspiracy theory. It’s amazing how fast ignorance blooms in the Bitterroot!
As a taxpayer, I paid my share of the $675,000 emergency fund request levied on us Ravalli County citizens, and the $70,000 Legacy Ranch boondoggle. (Side note: Foss Realty is now selling those Legacy Ranch plots to anybody that wants to put up a used trailer – the Bitterroot way. So, NOTHING was gained for the community, but $70,000 was handed to Bitterrooters For Planning). Likewise, Citizens For Fair Water is now suing all 1,400 BRID water users, and maybe all of Ravalli County again, depending on Judge Haynes’ decision. In the meantime, legal fees and costs accumulate (as of July, around $40,000) and BRID has every right to pay these bills by charging us water users.
From one ignorant BRID irrigator to another, when the legal dust has settled, we will still have to pay an organization for irrigation water to come from Lake Como down the ditch. We have trusted BRID since 1920 (see bitterrootirrigationdistrict.net). In 1980, we had no problem signing a petition to get our gravity system, but now, we’re scared to sign a petition to be a sub district of BRID (?). Our other choice is pay a self-proclaimed entity like Citizens For Fair Water (no website), who would love to collect money from you once they have extracted their court costs, lawyer fees and anything else they want. Their plan is to assess users through taxes. They cry, RESCIND!
But, don’t take it from me; you can sit in on any public monthly BRID board meeting, and their books are open.
Or, sit in on any secret CFFW board meeting. Good luck! So far, none have been announced nor are they open to the public and there is no public disclosure of their finances! I wonder why.
TC Richardson
Stevensville