Address issues

*Dear Editor, Irrigators in the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District and News Media members:

According to the McCook Gazette, a meeting of the Irrigation Board is scheduled for December 8, 2015 at the Cambridge City Auditorium beginning at 1:30 p.m.

As a concerned member of the Irrigation District as well as a member of the original Frenchman Cambridge board, I urge you to attend this meeting.

The current board will be discussing and possibly approving the proposed 2016 budget as submitted by management. The proposed budget lists the amount approved for 2015, the requested amounts for 2016 and the difference between the two. However, there is no information on actual expenses incurred thus far in 2015. In reality, this proposed budget is simply a wish list not supported by actual information.

During my 16-year tenure on the Board during the 1950s-'60s, we were careful to make sure management was accountable for all expenditures and operations in the district.

According to the audit report of Dec. 31, 2014, the auditors cited lack of internal control over financial reporting and limited segregation of duties which allows errors and omissions in revenue and expenditure reports.

These comments from the auditors serve to help the district improve operations. To my knowledge, these comments have not been addressed by management.

Since Irrigation Board directors are elected in February of each year, it is my belief that the proposed budget should not be approved until then so that the new members will have the time and opportunity to review proposed expenditures.

Please contact your director: Dale Cramer, Cambridge; Jay Schilling, McCook; Steve Henry, Arapahoe to discuss the proposed budget.

Please mark your calendar to attend the Board meeting on Dec. 8 in Cambridge.

We irrigators are paying a premium for water we don't receive so we should at least know that those dollars are being spent responsibly.

Thank you,

Cloyd Hoyt,

McCook, Nebraska