Diking board seeks community input

To The Eagle:

About government oversight:

As commissioner of Grays River Habitat Enhancement District, a diking and flood control district, I recently needed to take a class to learn how to file our annual report. Thank you, (county Auditor) Diane Tischer for setting this up. Also thanks for helping with our budget, very much appreciated. The class turned out to be a four hour class, and when finished, I was ready to resign my volunteer position as chair commissioner.

Paperwork, especially computer paperwork, is not my strong point and not what I signed up for. I understand the need to check to make sure public money is spent as it should be.

I ran a 126 ft. trawler in Alaska, mostly fishing pollock. A great job, until too much government paperwork, needed to be filled out daily. There were reports for everything from whales, sea lions, porpoises, herring, salmon and a complete report on where and when fished and so on. That, in part, helped me retire from fishing.

Now I am in a similar position, willing to do my meetings, check on dikes and tidegates, etc. But the paperwork is a pain, you know where.

So this is a sort of announcement to Grays River people: I need some participation on a decision to be made, in regards to your money. Usually it is only we commissioners, county Commissioner Blair Brady and a couple of other locals.

Next meeting, March 12 at 5:15; we meet at the Johnson Park, old Rosburg school every second Wednesday of the month. I will be proposing we hire a secretary/accountant to do the paperwork, as it is increasing and "too much" for me to deal with. Please come voice your opinions and perhaps apply for the position.

I have had a lot of personal situations to deal with, so a little overwhelmed at the time.

Sincerely,

Poul Toftemark, Rosburg