Welcome to Black Canyon Irrigation District

MEMORANDUM

To: BCID Employees and Landowners

From: BCID Board of Directors

In January 2014, the BCID Board of Directors hired Catherine Skidmore as Secretary/Treasurer of the District. On July 6, 2022, the Board terminated Ms. Skidmore's employment with the District.

After Ms. Skidmore's termination, the Board discovered various financial irregularities arising during Ms. Skidmore's term of employment. These irregularities came as a surprise because the District's outside, independent auditor (annual financial audits by independent auditors are a statutory requirement of irrigation districts under Title 43, Idaho Code) failed to discover the irregularities. Instead, the District's annual outside financial audits performed during Ms. Skidmore's tenure always came back clean and without concern.

Upon this discovery in July 2022, the Board hired a specialized forensic auditor to further investigate and evaluate the financial irregularities arising during Ms. Skidmore's tenure. That investigation is ongoing. The forensic auditor's scope of work also includes advising the Board concerning additional security measures that can be taken to protect against further irregularities in the future.

In addition to hiring the forensic auditor, the Board also retained legal counsel to evaluate and pursue claims against Ms. Skidmore. That litigation is ongoing in civil proceedings pending in state district court for the Third Judicial District. Pleadings and other court documents from the litigation are available for review on the District's website:   https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8sqmnfd436htsfo/AAADw0cnnRzHPYWsZ8DpXzLaa?dl=0