CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Charles Miller called the September 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 Len Jeppeson and John Lybrand; District Manager, Chuck Wilcox; Secretary, Annette Rambel; and Robin Harris along with Jeremy Morris of Anderson-Perry.

GUESTS

Robin Harris with Anderson-Perry introduced his colleague Jeremy Morris. Mr. Morris explained that the Drop Structure is showing extreme wear. The project is expected to last for months. They expect to be able to start on September 1, 2008, sooner if possible depending on water levels.

First there will need to be some excavation work done and then the demolition work on bays 3–8 will begin. Bays 9 and 10 are underground and will be used for anchoring, as they are still in good condition.

They will need to use a high strength fast drying concrete. One problem with the existing structure is the settling. In order to hold the fines in place for the structure and to form the back side of the weir wall they will use a geotextile wall. They will be using 1-1/2" crushed pit run without the fines to allow the water to move through it while still holding the structure in place. In addition to that they will install some drain pipes on the outside edge, so that water can flow out.

Bays 1 & 2 were retrofitted with a 6" or 8" wall. That is in good enough condition that they can Gunite surface treat it. The walls are good structurally, but show scours, exposed aggregate, etc.

They are proposing to put canal liner from the apron up to the headgates. They suggested using an additive alternative that they have used in a project in Hood River. The additive alternative is steel armor plating with Gunite for increased durability. This is a possible alternative if the cost benefits the long term durability.

They are also going to put a cut-off wall at the front of the apron. The cutoff wall will be 20’ feet deep. They are going to use shoring in order to do that. The cutoff wall makes a hard gradient so that the water goes around.

Then they discussed the 2007 cost estimate which was about $623,000. Possible additives were estimated at about $110,000. A 10% contingency is built into the cost estimate.

The Bureau of Reclamation should have the plans for review in October 2007. They will have about three months to review it. Once they get comments back from the BOR and the District, they will get the plans to contractors in late January to early February 2008. They will have a pre-bid walk through with the contractors. Bids will be received from contractors in late February to early March 2008.

Manager Wilcox presented a draft letter from Bill McDonald, BOR, that stated that the Bureau’s approval of this work is not required and that the BOR will review the plans and provide comments at no cost to the District.

Mr. Harris and Mr. Morris left the meeting after there presentation.

MINUTES 

The Board reviewed the minutes of the August 9, 2007, Regular Board Meeting. There were no changes suggested. Director Jeppeson moved to approve the minutes as presented. Director Lybrand seconded the motion. There being no further discussion the motion carried unanimously.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS & VOUCHERS

The Board reviewed the Profit & Loss Report for August 2007. The Board reviewed and signed the August 2007 Voucher Report. Voucher Numbers 34569 through 34641 were reviewed and approved.

DROP STRUCTURE: Chairman Miller asked Manager Wilcox about financing for the Drop Structure. Manager Wilcox explained that the funds from the sale of the Elm Street property would go towards the project. Other options are a Flexlease through SDAO or if passed through Congress, the District could possibly borrow with a guaranty loan through a local financial institution with a government approved low interest rate. To date no grants have been located for the project and there are no other properties owned by the District that could reasonably be sold at this time.

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT: Manager Wilcox reported that there has still been no written progress made on the Agreement. He has, however, spoken with Tim Personius of the BOR. Mr. Personius asked if the Board would be willing to meet with him to discuss negotiations of the contract or if he needs to go through our attorney. Manager Wilcox again explained that we have provided the wording to the BOR that the District wants. Manager Wilcox encouraged Mr. Personius to try to get something done quickly, as the District has a good working relationship with the local field office until someone up the chain of command tells them to do things that the District has not agreed to.

The Board decided to stay with their decision that Mr. Personius will have to negotiate directly with the District’s attorney, David Filippi.

ELM ST PROPERTY: Manager Wilcox reported that the purchasers had hoped to have a presentation ready in time for this meeting. Since that presentation is not ready, they hope to have it available for the next Board meeting. Manager Wilcox explained that they hope to have ½ of the funds to purchase the property by March 2008 and the remainder of the funds by the end of 2008. Chairman Miller expressed his concern over their ability to raise the funds and what affect that would have on paying for the drop structure project.

KEITH MORGAN-DRAIN FIELD REQUEST: Manager Wilcox reported that Mr. Morgan is still trying to work out an easement agreement.

EXCLUSION REQUEST FOR PAUL BURNS/RITE-AID PROPERTY: Paul Burns owned part of the property that Rite-Aid was built on. He was supposed to transfer the water rights off of the property. It is too late for him to transfer the water rights off now and he is requesting an exclusion. Director Lybrand moved to approve the Request for Exclusion made by Paul Burns. Director Jeppeson seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

ELECTIONS: Director Lybrand informed the board that he would not be running for the position of Director of Division 4 for another term. The Board discussed some possible candidates, but to date no nominating petitions have been received.

ENCROACHMENTS: Manager Wilcox has sent out encroachment notice letters to patrons on the A-Line. There are numerous fence, trees, bushes, etc. One patron has a fence bordering the A-Line and the R-line. The patron removed the fence on the R-Line and put in a retaining wall. Manager Wilcox asked the Board how they wanted to handle the situation. The Board instructed him to stick to the policy and inform the patron to remove his new retaining wall.

WATER REPORT: Manager Wilcox reported that as of today there is 880 af in CSR. We are currently running 128 cfs through CSAO. ALTO is running at about 36 cfs and the Maxwell canal is running at about 34 cfs.

WATER LAW SEMINAR: OWRC is holding their annual Water Law Seminar October 17, 2007.

PHASE III-TRIBAL WATER NEEDS: A printed flyer prepared by CTUIR was distributed showing that the tribal needs for water amounts to 74% of the total annual flow in the Umatilla River. A portion of these needs are currently being met by Phases I and II of the Umatilla Basin Plan. The proposed solution to meeting the balance of their needs would be construction of Phase III which would include a pumping facility to take McKay stored water to the reservation for tribal use.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by Chairman Miller at 6:03 p.m.

_______________________________             ________________________________

Charles Miller                                                      Annette V. Rambel

Chairman                                                             Recording Secretary

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