Mississippi’s State Auditor says a water management board has illegally paid itself more than $350,000 over the past two decades.

News outlets cite Auditor Shad White as saying commissioners of the Town Creek Master Water Management District paid themselves daily rates higher than the $12.50 state law allows. White demanded repayments Monday of over $500,000, including interest and investigation charges.

White says in a statement that it’s an example of a small board few people know about misusing power. He says by 2014, commissioners were paying themselves $600 each for board meetings.

The district was created by court order in 1961 to help prevent flooding and has taxation authority in Lee, Pontotoc, Prentiss and Union counties.

It’s one of four master water management districts remaining in the nation and the only in Mississippi.