CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Charles Miller called the November Regular Board Meeting of the Hermiston Irrigation District Board of Directors (BOD) to order at 4:07 p.m. The meeting was held in the District office building. Also present at the meeting were Board Members Mike Bergstrom, Len Jeppeson, Craig Coleman & Wes Locke; District Manager, Chuck Wilcox; Secretary, Annette Rambel; and patron, Jackie Kalberer.

GUESTS 

Patron, Jackie Kalberer attended the meeting to discuss her concerns over water regulation and to continue to dispute an invoice for road repairs caused by run-off water.

MINUTES

The Board reviewed the minutes of the October 16, 2008, Regular Board Meeting and the November 5, 2008, Special Board Meeting. Director Bergstrom 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 and signed the October 2008 Vouchers Report. Voucher Numbers 35488 through 35552 were reviewed and approved.

OLD BUSINESS

JACKIE KALBERER: Chairman Miller recapped the information from Ms. Kalberer file. At the September 18, 2008, Board meeting, the Board decided to cut back Ms. Kalberer’s water time to prevent excess run-off, schedule her delivery times to be turned on and off when a ditchrider would be regularly scheduled to work and to bring in rock to improve the location that gets washed-out.

Ms. Kalberer mentioned that there is not a lot that she can do with the water that runs down her hillside. She does not want to be responsible for any more repairs to the road if she pays the current bill owed. Ms. Kalberer stated that she probably did not need as much water as she was receiving. She questioned again why the water is turned on to run during the night. Manager Wilcox tried again to explain that the water was scheduled at the District’s convenience, so that the water can be diverted if it needs to be shut-off at her place.

Chairman Miller suggested that the invoice for repairs be deferred and discussion of water allocation be dealt with next water season when the Board would have a chance to evaluate the situation. Ms. Kalberer attempted to continue her discussion. Director Coleman again reminded her that this operational discussion is to take place next spring.

ELM ST PROPERTY: Manager Wilcox reported that on November 19, 2008, he met with Dr. Fred Maiocco, Ph.D, Dr. Phil Hamm and Dr. David Drotzmann representing the Hermiston School District. The HSD Board has decided that they can not purchase the property at this time.

DROP STRUCTURE: Manager Wilcox reported that the Drop Structure project was scheduled to be completed by October 27, 2008. On the evening of November 14, 2008, the structure became ready, willing and able to accept water. The District began receiving exchange credits on November 15, 2008. The District lost +/- 2,600 acre feet in exchange credits. Their current expected completion date is November 26, 2008.

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT/WATER RIGHTS: Manager Wilcox reported that there is a meeting scheduled for the BOD to meet with BOR personnel prior to the OWRC annual conference.

KLOEPPER: Manager Wilcox reported that about 3 weeks ago Mr. Kloepper stopped him as he was getting out of his vehicle and asked if the District was going to refund him for the water that he did not get this year. Manager Wilcox answered "No". Mr. Kloepper informed Manager Wilcox that he was going to sue the District.

CITY OF ECHO: Manager Wilcox met with the City of Echo and the Echo School District. The two entities are concerned about seepage from the Feed Canal where it goes through Echo. They claim that it gets their baseball fields wet and now the City thinks that seepage from the canal could be getting into their sewage system which creates excess water for them to treat.

They contacted Senator, Gordon Smith’s office and his local representative attended the meeting and offered to help with any grants that they apply for. Manager Wilcox proposed that the District would install lining if the City of Echo and ESD could come up with the funding.

UMATILLA BASIN COALITION MOU: Manager Wilcox reported that the Coalition is not taking the place of the Critical Groundwater Taskforce. The Coalition has put together a list of potential things that they would like to work on this legislative session such as Echo Meadows/County Line Recharge Project, efficient use of Phase II facilities, etc. UEC has a groundwater basin plan that they would like the Coalition to consider. Some of these projects would include the District and some would not.

The Coalition wants confirmation that the District will be apart of the Coalition. Manager Wilcox expressed concern that in the scope of work and budget it states that all parties shall contribute financially based on a formula to be determined. Chairman Miller expressed that he is also concerned with the District committing itself financially.

Manager Wilcox stated that there are three options. The District can opt to not be involved at all, to take it the way it is or opt to participate with the condition that the District will not be obligated to any financial contributions.

Director Coleman moved to participate in the Umatilla Basin Coalition with the condition that the District will not be obligated to any financial contributions. Director Bergstrom seconded the motion. There being no further discussion, the motion passed with a majority. Director Jeppeson abstained from the vote.

CRITICAL GROUNDWATER TASKFORCE: Chairman Miller informed the BOD that the 2050 Plan has been completed by the Taskforce and adopted by the Umatilla County Board of Commissioners. The consensus of the Board was for Chairman Miller to continue to stay involved in the Taskforce.

DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT: David Hadley has completed the written Development Agreement. It includes an Engineer’s Project Certification and a Project Requirements Checklist. It has been reviewed by two engineers.

Manager Wilcox called Paul Burns office to inform him that the Agreement is ready if he wishes to proceed.

NEW BUSINESS

2009 BUDGET: The BOD was given a rough draft of the 2009 Budget. Manager Wilcox explained that the main pump on the Barton line went out a couple of weeks before the end of the season and needs to be replaced. The budget included a 5% increase in assessments and wages.

OWRC ANNUAL CONFERENCE: Tuesday morning there is meeting scheduled with the BOR regarding the Exchange Agreement, Tuesday afternoon the BOR is holding a meeting on how they allocate costs. They are going to give the Districts the results of their Managing for Excellence program. The actual conference begins on Wednesday morning.

MANAGER’S REPORT

WATER REPORT: There is currently 761 af in Cold Springs Reservoir. There are approximately 2,800 af in exchange credits remaining.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by Chairman Miller at about 6:00 p.m.

_______________________________             ________________________________

Charles Miller                                                      Annette Rambel

Chairman                                                             Recording Secretary

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