The Nov. 8 action was a shift from years past when the five board members were appointed by the Grand County Council. The election followed a petition drive last summer, conducted by residents and two board members, to change the selection process for the district that provides water and sewer services to more than 1,300 properties in the valley south of Moab.

Last Tuesday, voters elected current board member Dan Holyoak to serve, along with his cousin Mike Holyoak, Gary Wilson, John Hartley and Lance Christie.

"There were six of us who were running as a group, and I'm sorry that the ones who didn't win didn't," Dan Holyoak said. "Now we've got at least two people who may have different ideas. Hopefully, we'll all get along and do the best we can. I don't know what the future will bring."

The push to make the board elected was spurred, in part, by a proposal to consolidate the three existing water boards into a single district. Petition supporters argued that the consolidation would hand over control of the improvement district's $13 million is assets and $1 million in annual revenues to a board that could vote to expand boundaries to include portions of northern San Juan County, where much of Spanish Valley's development is occurring.

So far, the improvement district board has turned down requests from developers to provide water and sewer service outside existing boundaries. In September, Moab officials also spurned the plan.

An attorney hired by the umbrella agency for the water districts told district officials the city's consent was not required, agency direct Dale Pierson said last month. County officials now are trying to iron out an agreement with the city.

Al McLeod, who lost by eight votes being on the newly elected board says "voters threw a monkey wrench into [developers'] plans. I trust the voters. And even though I lost, it's a good idea to have that board be elected by the people."

lchurch@citlink.net