Customers of the Post Rock Rural Water District No. 1 have been shocked to learn of a new $500 account transfer fee imposed by the board of directors. The simple administrative act when a benefit user sells a property to change the name and contact information was formerly processed at no cost.

At their Oct. 18, 2022, monthly meeting, Director Jon Wright, with a second by Director Joel Christy, voted to make this new fee effective immediately. No research or discussion as to usual and customary fees other area districts were charging. Nor were notifications by letter or website made to customers, unlike the recently passed minimum water usage fee sent.

In the December and January monthly meetings, the minutes from October were repeatedly rescinded, amended and corrected regarding this new fee.

Contacting Board Chairman Martin Bland, I received misleading information justifying the exorbitant administrative fee. Attending the January and February meetings, I protested the high cost and submitted a letter showing area districts charge from $0-50 on average, with Riley County an outlier at $250.

Elmer Ronnebaum, general manager at the Kansas Rural Water Association, spoke with me and stated that according to Kansas Rural Water Association and state law, these types of fees should be only to cover the administrative fee of the recordkeeping. The district would be hard-pressed to demonstrate much, if any, cost. Such matters are generally considered ongoing business expenses. Imposition of such a high fee seems confiscatory.

The board should rectify their heavy-handed, “take it or leave it” attitude and acknowledge their error. A fair fee for administrative costs, done in a transparent manner would ease the burden on farmers, ranchers, realtors and landowners who are all working hard for every dollar.

Sincerely, Katrin Kolder, DVM Russell Satisfied Post Rock water user over a decade