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It's been a rocky year so far for the American Lands Council (ALC), headed by Utah's loudest land-grab advocate, Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported Tuesday that the Washington, D.C.-based Campaign for Accountability filed complaints in Utah, Montana and Arizona, alleging fraud by the ALC, and there are media reports of ethical lapses in Montana when a staffer for a state senator there also performed as an ALC lobbyist.

Now, it's a trifecta.

Ivory's ALC has until week's end to respond to a complaint filed with the Colorado secretary of state by the nonprofit watchdog group Colorado Ethics Watch.

The group alleges the ALC violated Colorado law by lobbying for legislation without registering as a lobbyist.

The ALC, according to the complaint, sent an email to an unknown number of Coloradans in April, urging them to contact their legislators in support of a bill advancing the goal of individual states wresting control of public lands from the federal government.

Colorado law forbids groups from lobbying for or against legislation without registering as a lobbyist.

If the secretary of state deems the ALC guilty, punishments could include banishment from future lobbying in the state and fines.

At the time the complaint was filed, Ivory told Eric Ethington of the political blog Utah Political Capitol, that the ALC simply responded to a request to get the word out from a Colorado senator pushing the bill.

He now has until Saturday to explain that to investigators, according to a letter sent to Ivory by Deputy Secretary of State Suzanne Staiert.

The ALC is pushing legislation in several states aimed at transferring control of federal lands to states. Ivory has advanced such legislation in Utah and travels extensively to promote that agenda. The ALC sells memberships to individuals and groups and recently listed its annual income with the IRS at $209,888 in 2013. Ivory's salary as president of the ALC is $95,000. His wife made $19,000 as communications director.

The Campaign for Accountability complaint alleges Ivory sells memberships to organizations, including local governments, using phony data and legal analysis to advance claims that his organization can facilitate transfers of public lands from the federal government to states.

Water police • Here's an irony: The White City Water Improvement District's pump house in Sandy had its sprinklers running at least twice during, or right after, drenching rainstorms last month.

Neighbors have complained that heavy sprinkling has led to weed overgrowth on the property — a condition that would earn a residential property owner a citation.

In addition, readers have pointed out lawn watering after heavy rains at American Express, 4315 S. 2700 West; Sorenson Research, near 850 West 4500 South; the West Temple Apartments, 185 N. West Temple; the Salt Lake City Water Department's well near 2700 S. 1900 East; the planned-unit development at Diamond Hills Lane (6025 South) on Highland Drive; and the old Cottonwood Mall property where Macy's sits at 4835 S. Highland Drive in Holladay.

Lawmaker follows through • I wrote May 8 about the frustration of Mark Besendorfer, a 60-year-old elementary school teacher, who wanted to talk with his legislator about public education.

He emailed new state Rep. Bruce Cutler, R-Murray, asking for a response but never got one. He then sent an email stating he was interested in making a campaign contribution and got a reply right away. Cutler told me at the time he hadn't seen the earlier emails because they were during the legislative session, when he gets many, and his intern didn't recognize Besendorfer's address as being in his district.

After I called Cutler, he reached out to Besendorfer, and they arranged for the lawmaker to visit his school.

Last week, Cutler attended the fifth grade's patriotic performance at Draper's Willow Springs Elementary and promised Besendorfer he would spend a day with him in his classroom next year to better understand the daily challenges teachers face.