Legislative auditor blasts management of watersheds
The report demonstrates just how bad government can be when state agencies do an inadequate job.
The report singles out the South Two River Watershed District in central Minnesota. For 20 years the district was mostly inactive, yet the Board of Water and Soil resources did nothing. When it finally acted the watershed district was a joke to many of the Stearns County residents it served.
People wanted it shut down. Watershed district meetings were chaotic. People spoke over each other. An armed police officer stood guard.
During a time of rapid change in Stearns County the watershed district failed to keep up. Lake level problems and other concerns went unaddressed.
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State Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul) serves on the House Environment and Natural Resources committee. The committee held a hearing Thursday on the Legislative Auditor's report. He says the Board of Water and Soil Resources clearly mishandled the Stearns County case.
"Unacceptable," he says. "It's unacceptable and finally the citizens in that area, some of whom were in the audience today, they stepped forward and said 'This isn't working.' That annual reports were required and one report was filed."
Hansen says the legislative auditor's report also criticizes the board's oversight of the Hennepin Conservation District in the Twin Cities. Hansen says at one point the district was essentially non-functioning.
He says state lawmakers in the next several days will respond to the Legislative Auditor's report.
John Jaschke is the executive director of the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. He says the auditor's report critical of his agency has value but he disagrees with some of the findings. Jaschke says overall the board is doing a good job.
"The report tends to focus on, of course, the extremes of certain examples. There's many more organizations that are being effective than not. And we'd like to see more focus on the norm rather than the extremes," says Jaschke.
Jaschke just took over the directors position this week. Before him, Ron Harnack was the board's executive director for 15 years. Harnack did not return phone calls requesting an interview.
Marie Zellar is the regional director of Clean Water Action. She says every Minnesota citizen should be interested in the legislative auditor's report because water is something everyone uses. She says the Board of Water and Soil Resources should take the lead on many water issues affecting the state.
"Clearly, yes, they can have a tremendous positive impact on improving water quality at the local level," says Zellar.
When asked if they've done enough in that area Zellar responds "I think they can do more".
She says the board can refuse to fund a local watershed organization which fails to meet state standards. She says that happens, but thinks the board should be more aggressive in using the tool. Zellar says the board's natural constituents tend to be farm and rural interests. She says too often the Board sides with those groups.
"That's not unusual. But their charge is to serve well beyond that client base and to be working for the entirety of the people of the state," says Zellar.
The auditor's report calls on the state Legislature to require the Board of Water and Soil Resources to exercise greater control of the local watershed units.
It also recommends the head of the agency be appointed by the governor. Currently the agency's board makes the appointment.
In a written statement Board Chair Randy Kramer disagreed with the recommendation. He says there's no evidence that the structure of the Board of Water and Soil Resources is broken.