BOARD01799

• Board Meeting Date: 9/8/1961
• Description: Minutes and Resolution
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

2576

The REA has done a remarkable job in bring-
ing electricity to the rural areas of this
country. They have every right - every riqht -
to take great pride in it, but they are one of
the nation's most potent pressure groups and
whenever a conflict develops between water con-
servation and power, it is better, it seems to
me, for a water board such as this to keep
preference users at arm's length. I realize
that you came here to criticize and not to
receive advice from me. But I have worked with
this Board a long, long time and hold its mem-
bers in affectionate regard. It has pleased me
to note the progress and effectiveness the Board
has attained under the phenominal leadership of
Felix Sparks. No ,man in Colorado has done more
for water conservation and utilization than he.

In addition, I should like to say this -
I should like to develop a better understanding
and relationship between this Board and the
Upper Colorado River Commission. I think we
should have joint sessions occasionally and an
interchange of views frequently.

Some of the emphasis that has been placed
by Mr. Sparks in his statement I don't feel it
necessary for me to comment on. If I heard
correctly, he stated that the letters from the
utilities - the five letters - had been float-
ing around some place for some little time. I
want to say to you, Mr. Sparks, that the first
time that you saw those letters I saw them.
As many of you will remember, who were at t:he
special meeting, we did recess, we didn't
adjourn. We recessed the meeting for some time
and that's when Mr. Patterson brought up the
five letters and delivered them to us. And
when we got the five letters we had two jobs
outlined to do on that day. One of them was
to work out the Commission's position on the
letters and the other was to receive the letters
officially. Both of those objectives were
achieved and the meeting adjourned.

We did have considerable difficulty, as
Mr. Sparks has indicated, on the resolution.

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