GGCD Joins Water Lobbying Group
The Glasscock Groundwater Conservation District’s board of directors voted April 20 to join a group that can lobby Texas lawmakers on groundwater issues. The Texas Groundwater District Coalition for Legislative Services will have two lobbyists and a minimum-level membership will cost GGCD $1,336 through June, 2005, according to Rick Harston, GGCD manager. The number of votes each member district has will be determined by the amount of money it puts into the organization, with GGCD having one vote. Harston explained that “super majority” of 80 percent of member districts must agree on an issue for it to become the coalition’s policy.
GGCD directors voiced disapproval concerning the votes-for-dollars structure of the organization, and Director Mike Hughes said he would like more time to study whether to join. However, they decided “being able to sit at the table” and be informed about what is going on in Austin regarding groundwater issues is worth the money, and voted unanimously to join the group.
GGCD has long been a member of the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, which is composed of 80 counties, each of which gets one vote. Dues to that group are $150 annually. TAGD is a 501 (C) (3) organization, and is prohibited from hiring lobbyists.
Harston reported that cloud seeding started April 18 with two planes based in San Angelo, one in Midland and one in Ozona. He said the weather modification group’s new 10 centimeter radar in San Angelo is up and running and should give much better coverage of the area. A link to the weather modification association’s website is at GGCD’s homepage, http://www.angelfire.com/tx/gcuwd, or you can go directly to www.wtwma.com. Harston says no precipitation data or flight tracking are live online as yet.
The GGCD election, which had been set for May, was cancelled and the unopposed directors (Kenneth Braden, Mike Hughes and Dennis Seidenberger) were certified.