CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Charles Miller called the May Regular Board Meeting of the Hermiston Irrigation District (District) Board of Directors to order at 3:40 p.m. The meeting was held in the District office building. Also present at the meeting were Board Members Mike Bergstrom, Len Jeppeson and John Lybrand; Chuck Wilcox, District Manager; and Annette Rambel, Secretary.

There were no guests present.

MINUTES

The Board reviewed the minutes of the April 12, 2007, Regular Board Meeting. Director Lybrand moved to approve the minutes as presented. Director Jeppeson seconded the motion. There being no further discussion the motion carried unanimously.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS & VOUCHERS: The Board reviewed the Profit & Loss Report for April 2007. The Board reviewed and signed the April 2007 Voucher Report. Voucher Numbers 34310 through 34375 were reviewed and approved.

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT: Manager Wilcox reported that Tim Personius with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) has spoken with the District’s attorney David Filippi. However, there has still been no written progress made on the Agreement.

DROP STRUCTURE: Manager Wilcox reported that he does not have an update from Anderson-Perry recently.

He also reported that he has not received any word back from BOR’s Pacific Northwest Region Director, Bill McDonald as to whether or not the District has to pay for the BOR’s review of the Drop Structure.

ERICKSON EASEMENT: There was nothing new to report on this matter. It is being handled by the District’s attorney Doug Hojem.

KEITH MORGAN-DRAIN FIELD REQUEST: Mr. Morgan did not have any information ready to present to the Board. He did ask Manager Wilcox for permission to drill test holes. Manager Wilcox approved this request with the stipulation that the holes be filled back in.

ELM ST PROPERTY: Manager Wilcox received a call from Glenn Chowning representing the FFA Alumni. The FFA Alumni is interested in moving forward with purchasing the District’s Elm Street property. SDAO is assisting the District with the legal issues that will have to be resolved in order to sell this property. The FFA Alumni is looking to purchase the property within the next two years and will probably require a lease option agreement.

The FFA Alumni is intending to put a practical applications teaching lab on that property. The City of Hermiston is putting in restrooms on the adjacent property for the prospective amphitheater. It was the consensus of the Board to have Manger Wilcox get more details regarding the potential sale and get back to the Board with his progress.

VEHICLE DISPOSAL: Manager Wilcox informed the Board that the 1985 Chevy ½ Ton Pickup, HID Vehicle #19, is excess equipment and should be sold. Director Bergstrom moved to declare Vehicle #19 as excess property and to place an ad in the local paper to sell the pickup with a minimum bid of $200. Director Lybrand seconded the motion. There being no further discussion the motion passed unanimously.

EASEMENT ABANDONMENT: In April 2007 the Board heard the request of William Cramer, a concerned Hermiston citizen. Mr. Cramer wanted to know about the District possibly abandoning an easement on the west side of the Hermiston Butte and notified the Board that there may be a leak on the north end of that easement.

Manager Wilcox informed the Board that District personnel checked for the potential leak and did not find anything. He also told them that the easement on the west side of the Hermiston Butte is not used and probably will never be used by the District.

Director Bergstrom moved to recommend to the Bureau of Reclamation that the easement on the west side of the Hermiston Butte be abandoned. Director Jeppeson seconded the motion and it carried unanimously without further comment.

HEALTH INSURANCE RENEWAL: The District’s health insurance policy for its employees is renewed with SDAO each June. The Board was given an insurance comparison spreadsheet to review. The Board asked Manager Wilcox to meet with the employees to get a feel for their views on the current policy and to report back to the Board.

WATER REPORT: Manager Wilcox reported that as of today there is 30,817 af in CSR and 13,491 af in exchange credits. We are currently running 117 cfs through CSAO. ALTO is running at about 29cfs and the Maxwell canal is running at about 35 cfs. Live flow from the river through the MAXO is 6 cfs.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Manager Wilcox gave the Board an update on bills that could affect the District.

GRANT APPLICATION: Manager Wilcox informed the Board that a grant application was submitted to Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. We should know if it has been approved by September 2007.

LEMMON MEMORIAL: Manager Wilcox informed the Board that the District made a charitable donation to Juvenile Diabetes Research in memory of former Board member Marv Lemmon.

DOROTHY ZINTER PROPERTY: Director Bergstrom asked about the Zinter property that the Board had visited in April 2007. Manager Wilcox responded that so far there have not been any complaints.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by Chairman Miller at 5:07 p.m.

_______________________________             ________________________________

Charles Miller                                                      Annette V. Rambel

Chairman                                                             Recording Secretary

Home