July 20, 2017
Regular Meeting Minutes
Page 2 of 2
Hermiston Irrigation District
Board of Directors
July 20, 2017
Regular Board Meeting Minutes
CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Bergstrom called the July Board Meeting of the Hermiston Irrigation District Board of Directors to order at 4:00 p.m. at the Hermiston Irrigation District office. Also present at the meeting were Directors Ian Findley and Wes Locke; District Manager Annette Kirkpatrick; Field Manager Mike Christley; Bookkeeper Sonia Nash and Patron Jackie Kalberer. Directors Jeremy Bolen and Len Jeppeson were not present.
GUESTS: Patron Jackie Kalberer did not have any business to bring before the Board.
MINUTES: The Board reviewed the minutes of the June 15, 2017 Regular Board Meeting. Director Findley moved to approve the minutes as presented. Director Locke seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS & VOUCHERS: The Board reviewed and approved the June 2017 Profit & Loss Report and the July 2017 Vouchers Report. The Board reviewed and approved the accounts payable receipts. Bookkeeper Nash gave a report of the District’s financial standing.
Bookkeeper Nash advised the Board that collection calls were being made throughout the week and there remains approximately $82,000.00 in outstanding accounts receivable.
OLD BUSINESS:
WATER RIGHTS PROJECT: Manager Kirkpatrick reported to the Board that GIS/Water Rights Specialist Karra Van Fossen has contacted patrons and/or potential patrons who wish to purchase water rights from the District. Manager Kirkpatrick also reported that Ms. Van Fossen has been connecting sellers to buyers who wish to sell their water rights rather than sign them back to District.
Manager Kirkpatrick reported there had been two requests made by potential buyers requesting a discount for water rights if purchasing a large number of acres of water rights. After some discussion, the Board requested that Manager Kirkpatrick look into a leasing program as an alternative.
CTUIR/HID WATER RIGHTS TRADE: District Manager Kirkpatrick reported that she was contacted by Joe Ely who is representing the CTUIR. Mr. Ely stated that he will be scheduling individual meetings with each District on August 29, 2017 at the Bureau of Reclamation Umatilla Field Office. He is also scheduling a joint meeting that will include the irrigation districts, CTUIR, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Oregon Water Resources Department, and the federal negotiating team on August 30, 2017 in Pendleton.
District Manager Kirkpatrick reported that she has contacted a representative from EA Engineering Science & Technology, Inc. regarding the independent water rights assessment and feasibility study and they hope to have the study complete and back to the District prior to August 29, 2017.
HID/HSD LAND TRADE: District Manager Kirkpatrick reported that Barak & Associates has not delivered the appraisal for the HID/HSD Land Trade. HSD Attorney George Anderson has made contact with Mr. Barak to request that the documents be completed as soon as possible.
DISC GOLF COURSE: Manager Kirkpatrick reported that she met with Scott Zielke, Larry Fetter and Kathy Thomas at the Disc Golf Course and gave an update on the project. Manager Kirkpatrick informed the Board that the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the Disc Golf Course is scheduled for September 20, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. and the committee has requested that the HID Board members attend along with District Manager Kirkpatrick.
NEW BUSINESS:
2016 DRAFT AUDIT REPORT: Manager Kirkpatrick reviewed the 2016 draft audit with Board. Director Findley moved to approve and have Chairman Bergstrom sign Management Representation Letter. Director Locke seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
FIELD MANAGER’S REPORT: Field Manager Christley stated that he and the field crew have been treating and mechanically cleaning the main canals for pond weed & algae, they have also been spraying weeds on the banks and canals to control vegetation. Crop Production Services was contracted to spray the entire length of the Feed Canal.
Field Manager Christley reported that the Power City water users stated that they have not received water all season. He also stated that they investigated the issue and found the pipe was clogged. The issue was fixed and the Power City water users were able to receive water.
Field Manager Christley also reported that the field crew has re-concreted a check on the OA Line.
DISTRICT MANAGER’S REPORT: Manager Kirkpatrick reported that on July 8, 2017 she was riding ditch with Wyatt Cleaver when they came upon a leak near the head end of the A-Line Canal that appeared to have been caused by rodent activity. Mr. Cleaver retrieved the bulldozer that was located nearby. They were able to fill in the hole and compact the area before any considerable damage took place. The field crew continued to monitor the issue, went back later that day, added additional soil and recompacted the area.
Manager Kirkpatrick stated that on the evening of July 8, 2017 she received a call from the City of Hermiston’s street department regarding water that was coming up out of a storm drain on SW 7th and Division Avenue that runs down to Highland Ave and goes back into the storm drain system. The water was free from contaminants and did not match the City’s water make-up. After some investigations, we realized that the water was from an old line that was known as the 7th Street Drain that was taken over by the City when the John’s Avenue sub-divisions were put in. The City probed the lines and found numerous root balls in the pipe.
MEETINGS: As listed on the Agenda.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, Director Locke moved to adjourn the meeting at 4:41 p.m. Director Findley seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
_______________________________ ________________________________
Michael Bergstrom Sonia Nash
Chairman Recording Secretary