Ross Campbell: Farmers better start paying closer attention to MID board
Re “Shutting down newest member was bad business for MID” (Page 1B, Dec. 10): At the last MID board meeting they were considering five-year salary contracts with Modesto’s three unions. When new board member Stu Gilman requested more time to review the proposed contracts he was told by board member Larry Byrd that constituents trust board members to make these decisions. He went on to say “when you go out to the public on issues like this, which has never historically been done, you open a hornets’ nest.”
I don’t believe the MID board has ever discussed anything of substance in open public meetings. I believe most of their decisions are made in the backroom in violation of the Brown Act.
Board member Byrd does not represent the farmers, he represents his son and the unions. I believe the farmers will be paying full price for raw water from MID by the end of 2018. There will be no more subsidy from electricity customers. Farmers better start paying attention to what the MID does at board meetings because they’re going to pay for it.
Ross Campbell, Modesto
This story was originally published December 12, 2017 at 1:31 PM with the headline "Ross Campbell: Farmers better start paying closer attention to MID board."