CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Charles Miller called the March Regular Board Meeting of the Hermiston Irrigation District (District) Board of Directors to order at 4:03 p.m. The meeting was held in the District office building. Also present at the meeting were Board Members Len Jeppeson, Mike Bergstrom and Wes Locke; District Manager, Chuck Wilcox; Secretary, Annette Rambel; Wilma Shockman representing patron Barbara Reel; Greg Juul for the Hermiston FFA Resource Center, Inc.; and Hermiston FFA Ag Issues Team.

GUESTS

Wilma Shockman appeared before the BOD for patron Barbara Reel. Ms. Shockman wanted to discuss reducing Ms. Reel’s account balance in order to transfer her water rights.

Greg Juul appeared before the BOD representing the Hermiston FFA Resource Center, Inc. regarding the Elm St. property land sale.

The Hermiston FFA Ag Issues Team did a presentation on the Western Juniper issue in preparation for the state competition.

Mike Crismon asked to be put on the agenda, but did not attend the meeting.

MINUTES

The Board reviewed the minutes of the January 20, 2008, Regular Board Meeting, the February 21, 2008, Regular Board Meeting, and the February 27, 2008, Annual Meeting. There were no changes to the minutes suggested. Director Jeppeson moved to approve the minutes as presented. Director Locke seconded the motion. There being no further discussion, the motion carried unanimously.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS & VOUCHERS 

The Board reviewed the Profit & Loss Report for February 2008. The Board reviewed and signed the January 2008 Vouchers Report. Voucher Numbers 34904 through 34974 were reviewed and approved. The Board also reviewed and signed the February 2008 Vouchers Report. Voucher Numbers 34975 through 35055 were reviewed and approved.

OLD BUSINESS

BARBARA REEL ACCOUNT: Wilma Shockman approached the BOD for patron Barbara Reel. The District’s bookkeeper presented the BOD with an overview of Ms. Reel’s account. Ms. Reel does not receive water because she is in the Arlene Estates development. Most of the patrons in that area transferred their water rights years ago. Ms. Reel stopped paying on her account in 2005 and has never signed a Consent to Transfer.

Ms. Shockman explained that Ms. Reel is ill and cannot afford the irrigation payments. She asked the BOD for a discount on the account charges. In exchange, she will pay off the account and have Ms. Reel come down and sign the Consent to Transfer today so that we may resolve this issue.

The balance of Ms. Reel’s account is $1,251.67. After some discussion, Director Bergstrom moved to reverse $464.24, which consisted of finance charges and the 2008 assessment. Director Locke seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Ms. Shockman is to pay $787.43 and Ms. Reel is to sign the Consent to Transfer today.

Ms. Shockman left the meeting at 4:24 p.m.

ELM ST PROPERTY: Greg Juul representing the Hermiston FFA Resource Center, Inc. (FFA) appeared before the BOD and presented some potential options that his committee and the Hermiston School District have put together for the purchase of the Elm St. property. Although they want to move forward with the purchase, they do not want to close the deal until after the November bond election that the school district will be proposing. After further discussion, Mr. Juul was advised to prepare a draft sales agreement which could be reviewed by the BOD for revisions or additions to be sure that the sale of the property assures that the resource center will get the necessary land to accomplish their goals.

Mr. Juul left the meeting at 5:00 p.m.

HERMISTON FFA AG ISSUES TEAM: The Hermiston FFA Ag Issues Team did a presentation on the Western Juniper issue in preparation for the state competition. There was a questions and answers session following the presentation. The District provided a letter acknowledging the presentation.

DROP STRUCTURE: Manager Wilcox reported that the District received good response from the request for proposal for the Drop Structure. On March 18, 2008, there was a meeting for the potential bidders. This meeting was lead by Jeremy Morris of Anderson-Perry. Fifteen people representing about nine contractors attended the meeting. There was a questions and answers session held at the District office followed by a tour of the Drop Structure site.

Bids are due to the District by Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. The bid opening will take place at the District office at that time. The District will not declare an apparent low bidder at that time. The District will get copies of the bids and the originals will go to Anderson-Perry for review. Anderson-Perry will prepare their analysis and suggestions and the BOD will award the contract at the April board meeting.

There was additional discussion regarding the funding of the project. The consensus of the BOD was that the District will finance the whole project and not rely on the land sale funds up front, but use those funds when available to put towards the loan. Manager Wilcox will continue to research additional funding options.

KLOEPPER EASEMENT: To date Mr. Kloepper has got about 25% of the fence moved. He has not followed through on his promise to have it done by February 29, 2008, and is proceeding very slowly.

NEW BUSINESS

OREGON WATER RESOURCES CONGRESS (OWRC) FUNDS REQUEST: The District received a letter from OWRC for special request funding from each district to fund an ongoing project related to water rights ownership within districts. Since 2001 OWRC has faced several aggressive legislative initiatives sponsored by property rights organizations to outright redefine ownership of water rights within districts. OWRC has vigorously and successfully opposed every legislative initiative. As a result of outreach feedback, OWRC has spent significant time developing a "Bill of Rights" legislative concept. OWRC feels that this legislation is critical to the future viability of districts and their patrons.

After some discussion, Director Jeppeson moved that HID make a $500 contribution to OWRC in support of the "Bill of Rights" project. Director Locke seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

QWEST CROSSING AGREEMENT: Qwest Corp. submitted an application for a crossing agreement. Qwest proposed placing a 4" PVC conduit below the Maxwell Canal by boring method. Manager Wilcox did not see a conflict with the crossing agreement. After some discussion, Director Bergstrom moved to approve the crossing agreement submitted by Qwest. Director Jeppeson seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

CORPS OF ENGINEER (COE) PERMIT: Manager Wilcox looked into the District’s need to obtain permits from the COE for the Drop Structure Project. The COE said that they could not determine if the District needed a permit until we applied for one.

FCC LICENSE CANCELLATION: The District maintains an FCC license and call sign for wireless communications. The District no longer uses radios for communication and all field personnel have cellular phones. The issue was raised with the Board whether to renew or cancel the District’s FCC license. After some discussion, it was decided that the District no longer needed to maintain an FCC license and call sign. Director Bergstrom moved to cancel the District’s FCC license. Director Locke seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

MANAGER’S REPORT

WATER REPORT: Today the Feed Canal is running at 219 cfs, with 186 cfs making it into CSR, for a 20% loss in the Feed Canal of about 4,875 af. CSR contains 22,341 af as of this morning. The District has 24,524 af in exchange credits.

NORTHWEST IRRIGATION OPERATORS, INC. (NWIO) CONFERENCE & BOARD APPOINTMENT: Manager Wilcox reported that he attended the NWIO Conference in Boise, ID February 12 – 14, 2008. At the NWOI Board of Directors meeting Manager Wilcox was voted onto their BOD, which he accepted.

PERSONNEL CHANGE: Field Manager Greg Dell’s last day was March 7, 2008. Ditch rider Mike Christley gave his notice and his last day will be March 21, 2008. Manager Wilcox has been looking for a replacement for Mr. Christley.

ANNUAL MEETING RECAP: The total cost for the 2008 Annual Meeting is estimated at $1,665. The District has received numerous appreciation cards. In particular, the District received a letter of appreciation along with a Bureau of Reclamation centennial lapel pins for each board member from Ron Eggers, Area Manger for the BOR.

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT: The District’s attorney, David Filippi received a redline copy of the Exchange Agreement from Tim Personius with the BOR. Mr. Filippi and Manager Wilcox have reviewed the document line by line. They both agree that the document was cleaned-up and is more descriptive with their new boilerplate language. However, the BOR still failed to address the District’s two main issues which were the BOR responsibility to deliver water and the minimum pool of 3,800 af that the BOR wants the District to maintain in Cold Springs Reservoir. It was the consensus of the BOD to continue to let Mr. Filippi negotiate with the BOR.

MOWER PURCHASE: The BOD discussed various options for the purchase of a John Deere HX10 rotary mower and tractor adequate to handle the mower. It was decided to purchase a tractor that did not have the additional options to mount a boom mower in the future. Manager Wilcox was authorized to order the appropriate tractor and JD HX10 rotary mower within the budgeted dollar amount.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by Chairman Miller at 6:52 p.m.

_______________________________             ________________________________

Charles Miller                                                      Annette V. Rambel

Chairman                                                             Recording Secretary

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