Dear editor:

Do you know that the Commissioners of the Shoshone Irrigation District have raised the annual fees an additional $200 per headgate and $4 per acre for all users? Are you as surprised by this as I am? There were NO attempts by the Irrigation District to provide advance notice, seek input from District members or hold informational meetings.

When I asked how this huge increase was going to be communicated, I was told that the decision had been finalized and that the plan was to just send out the annual bills with the new rates.

Since there are no other options for irrigation, other than dig your own well, Shoshone irrigation is basically, if not legally, a monopoly. Monopolies have historically been closely monitored and it seems that we need to do the same with the Irrigation District.

If you should agree that the above increase is excessive, or at least an informational meeting should have been held after normal work hours so everyone can attend, I suggest you contact your Irrigation District Commissioner directly and voice your opinion. If you are not sure who your District Commissioner is, or how to contact them, I suggest you contact the Irrigation District General Manager, Mr. Trent Reed, at 307-754-5741 for help and to voice your opinion.

It may be too late to have input on this increase, but we should inform the irrigation district of our expectations on any future increases — which will surely happen sometime in the future.

Rob Stevens

Powell