by Blaine Billman, Airway Heights, WA (formerly Stevensville)
If you own water shares administered by the Supply Ditch Association here in the valley you are given a piece of paper that is your “certificate” showing how many shares you own and you have to pay an annual fee in order to keep ownership of those shares. Fair enough but wait just a minute……..
Now let’s say that a landowner sells his property and needs to transfer his water shares to the new owner. The landowner has official proof that he owns those shares and the Association also has proof of those shares and their owner in their records. But alas, no paper “certificate” can be found. The Association however, will not transfer those shares unless that paper “certificate” can be produced. Unfortunately if no paper “certificate” can be found the Association rules state that it must be replaced by a new one. Okay. Fine. But wait. There’s more:
The Association will be happy to print you a new one for a mere $250 ($150 to replace the “piece of paper”, plus they insist you purchase a special insurance rider for yet another $100). In a nutshell – $250 to REPLACE A PIECE OF PAPER! What a scam! My head hurts! Is that an honest business model?
Water is a very important and valuable resource and water rights need to be managed well. I get that. But this is ridiculous. It’s time for the Association to take the old metal filing cabinet out of the backyard shed and catch up with the times. The way it is now, it is nothing more than a shakedown by a “good old boys/gals” club that holds its shareholders hostage through an antiquated system run by inept managers. They should be ashamed of themselves and replaced by people who will wisely and efficiently manage this system. If you have the time I suggest you look up the term “bend over” in the dictionary. You will find it’s synonymous with the Supply Ditch Association.