Opinion No. 51-5390
July 23, 1951
TO: Mr. J. Grady Wilson Administrative Officer State Soil Conservation Committee State College, New Mexico
{*80} This is in reply to your letter of April 24, 1951, in which you request an opinion on the advisability of a Soil Conservation District subscribing funds to the Southwestern Water Development Corporation. The specific question you propound is whether or not the board of supervisors has the authority to provide financial assistance to a rainmaking project from district funds.
I have carefully checked the powers of the districts and of the supervisors as set forth in the Soil Conservation District statute, § 48-508, NMSA., 1941 Compilation, and I fail to find wherein the supervisor of any district has the power to invest funds of the district in a rainmaking venture.
It is my opinion that no committee or supervisor of any Soil Conservation District has the authority to invest, or to spend funds of the district for rainmaking purposes.
Trusting that this fully answers your inquiry, I remain,