U.S. Water News Online
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. -- It's rare -- perhaps even unheard of -- for local government employees to receive cash bonuses for doing their assigned work. But after building a reservoir ahead of time and under budget, managers and certain employees of the Colorado River Water Conservation District have been awarded a $25,000 bonus.
The bonuses were unanimously approved by district directors after completion of the Wolford Mountain Reservoir near Kremmling, Colo. The $42 million dam was built a year ahead of schedule and for $250,000 less than the original construction bid. Although Colorado anti-tax activists generally jumped on the bonus payments with all four feet, district officials pointed out that the payments didn't come from property taxes. Instead, the district maintained, bonuses came from a special enterprise fund that financed construction of the Wolford Reservoir.
Rollie Fischer, district manager, took particular exception to charges that the bonuses were bad public policy. "You bet I'm worth that much," Fischer told the Denver Post. "We did a very good job, and our board was pleased with it ... If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't have built this project."
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