CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Charles Miller called the March Regular Board Meeting of the Hermiston Irrigation District (District) Board of Directors to order at 4:00 p.m. The meeting was held in the District office building. Also present at the meeting were Board Members Len Jeppeson, Craig Coleman and Wes Locke; District Manager, Chuck Wilcox; Field Manager, Jeff Eicher; Secretary, Annette Rambel; Patron, Jacqueline Kalberer; and Bob Coleman.

MINUTES

The Board reviewed the minutes of the February 19, 2009, Regular Board Meeting. Director Locke moved to approve the minutes as presented. Director Jeppeson had not had a chance to read the minutes, so the motion was delayed. After reading the minutes Director Jeppeson seconded the motion. There being no further discussion, the motion carried unanimously.

The Board did not have a chance to review the 2009 Annual Meeting minutes.

OATH OF OFFICE-DIVISION 3: Manager Wilcox read aloud the Oath of Office for the position of Director of Division 3 of the Hermiston Irrigation District. Craig Coleman agreed to the Oath as read, signed it and it was subscribed by the Board Secretary, Chuck Wilcox.

GUESTS

KALBERER: Ms. Kalberer addressed the Board regarding a letter that she received from the District. She was informed in this letter that the Board has spent a considerable amount of time researching and discussing the issue of billing for road repair and has made a decision based on the facts in this matter. The Board considers this matter to be resolved and does not feel that it warrants any further dispute.

She was also informed that as a result of an on-site tour of her property it has come to the attention of the District that she is irrigating a large portion of her 39.4 acres of land. Upon further research it was discovered that OWRD shows her as having 33 acres of land being irrigated and that she needs to decide by March 25, 2009, whether she wants to keep and pay for the additional 10 acres of water rights or transfers them.

When asked directly, Ms. Kalberer stated that she intends to keep and use the additional 10 acres of water rights. The additional 10 acres would increase her assessment for 2009 by $510 and she may have until June 30^th to pay the additional amount. She still owes $75.60 for the first half of her original assessment as her payment was applied according to District procedures, which states that payments are applied to reimbursable charges are before assessments.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS & VOUCHERS 

The Board reviewed the Profit & Loss Report for February 2009. The Board reviewed and signed the February 2009 Vouchers Report. Vouchers Numbered 35742 through 35806 were reviewed and approved. The Board signed expense checks.

OLD BUSINESS

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT: Manager Wilcox spoke to the District’s attorney David Filippi. Mr. Filippi has not heard back from the BOR. There is a teleconference scheduled for March 20, 2009, at 2:00 p.m.

KLOEPPER LAWSUITS: Manager Wilcox represented the District in a small claims hearing regarding the Kloepper matter on February 20, 2009. The District was awarded the counter claim by default, since Mr. Kloepper did not attend the hearing. The District received a Notice from the courts rescheduling the hearing at Mr. Kloepper’s request. Mr. Kloepper claimed that he did not know that he was supposed to attend the hearing on that day. The new hearing is scheduled for April 14, 2009.

Manager Wilcox reported that the next court date regarding the criminal case against Mr. Kloepper is set for April 6, 2009.

In regards to the encroachment issue, the canal has been repaired and the fence has been moved. Some of the fence was moved by the District. The District has not yet repaired or cut the welds on the head gates that supply water to Mr. Kloepper’s land. After some discussion, the Board decided to cut the welds from the head gates and deliver water to the Kloepper lands. Manager Wilcox added that Mr. Kloepper’s gates would be locked open and shut to prevent further abuse of water usage.

CAIN ENCROACHMENT: Manager Wilcox reported that the Cain’s hired men to cut the wall down. The wall was not removed. They cut about two-thirds of the wall down and there has been no progress since.

HERMISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT PROJECTS: The Hermiston School District (HSD) is tearing down the old hospital located on Orchard Street to build the new West Park Elementary. The D-Line goes through that property and HSD’s engineers were concerned about the condition and location of the pipe. Manager Wilcox and Jerry Cheek with BOR met with them. The pipe has been replaced by HSD with C905 schedule 40 pipe from Orchard Avenue to the other end of the property. It is PVC pipe with flex couplers on the ends, the couplers are encased in concrete, the pipe has locator wire and locator ribbon on it, there is a 4-6’ slab poured over the top of the pipe, and the pipe in embedded in ¾ minus rock. That line is ready to receive water.

The new middle school is going to be built near Desert View Elementary. The District’s pipeline serves part of Desert View. That pipe was installed several years ago so that it was off of the easement for the roadway. The City of Hermiston has changed their standards for sidewalks and they are now reviewing the location of that pipe so that it does not end up under the sidewalk.

Manager Wilcox added that HSD and their Project Superintendant have been good to work with. They have been upfront and professional about what they want to do and have done things correctly.

DROP STRUCTURE: There has been some erosion on the banks along the sides of the structure. Field Manager Eicher spent a few hours this morning removing a log from the Drop Structure. It appears that someone rolled the log from the parking lot into the canal and it floated down to the Drop Structure creating a blockage.

The reservoir is filling fast. Field Manager Eicher went out into the reservoir in a boat and took pictures of the erosion problem. The pictures have been e-mailed to Anderson-Perry. The contractor’s engineer appears to have a difference in opinion as to why the erosion is happening. Jeremy Morris with Anderson-Perry has informed the contractor’s engineer that once the water recedes in the reservoir, which will be some time in August, they can get together along with BOR and District personnel to reevaluate the structure and assess any problems or concerns.

Mr. Morris and his survey staff have done some sound testing to see how much fill was under the water level and it was about 10-12’ short of what it should have been. That could be the cause for the extensive erosion of the banks. They will also evaluate the structure in August for any warranty type issues that need to be dealt with. The contract for the Drop Structure includes a one year warranty. As the reservoir fills the banks continue to erode, but it does not appear to be threatening the structure itself at this point.

PRESSURE PIPE CLEANING TRUCK PURCHASE: The City of Hermiston (City) has a surplus 1984 Ford Pressure Pipe Cleaning Truck in fair condition for sale. Per Board instruction Manager Wilcox is in contact with the City and is negotiating to purchase the vehicle.

NEW BUSINESS

CITY OF HERMISTON SPRAY PARK: The District received a request from the City of Hermiston (City) to allow the City to discharge water from the Sprayground at Butte Park into the D-Line canal during the 2009 season. The water would originate as domestic drinking water, used once as a sprinkler system for children to play in, flow through a drain to a collection vessel and then be pumped into the ditch. The maximum daily flow rate would be 105,000 gallons.

The City would also like permission to draw matching amounts of water from the ditch to irrigate Butte Park.

Manager Wilcox explained that the City would have to meet BOR’s water quality standards. He does not feel that water quality or quantity will be a concern. The problem is in their request to take out a like amount of water for irrigation of Butte Park. This becomes a Warren Act issue. An exchange is not possible because the City does not have a state water right for this water.

Manager Wilcox has been in contact with the Director of Parks & Recreation, Ivan Anderholm, to try to find a solution to this matter. He added that, if approved, the City must have the facility to put water in the canal in place before the beginning of irrigation season.

Director Locke moved to allow the District to accept the water from the Sprayground as long as it meets BOR’s water quality standards. Director Jeppeson seconded the motion and asked what would happen if the District piped the line at a later date. Manager Wilcox explained that they would just tap into that line. There being no further discussion, the motion passed unanimously.

MANAGER’S REPORT

WATER REPORT: The Umatilla River dropped down last week, but has gone back up this week and we are running at full capacity. The District is diverting 219 cfs and 192 cfs is reaching Cold Springs Reservoir (CSR). There is currently 23,314 af in CSR. The District has 19,998 af in exchange credits accumulated this year and our remaining entitlement in 2,828 af.

UMATILLA BASIN COALITION UPDATE: Manager Wilcox received an e-mail with a notice that Representatives Jenson and Smith will be in town March 20, 2009, for a tour of the proposed recharge area. After the tour there will a luncheon and meeting to discuss the Umatilla Basin Recharge Project study and UEC’s SB 2406.

MAINTENANCE REPORT: Field Manager Eicher reported that the maintenance crew has been busy with repairs. Shane Hoadley has been hired through Barrett’s to replace Don Krein.

GRANTS: The District received a notice from OWEB that funding was recommended for the I-Line Conversion Project in the amount of $163,793. However, the final level of funding and announcement has not been officially made yet. Once the District receives the final notice then we can apply for matching funds through the BOR. Then the District will need to begin notifying patrons of the conversion from flood irrigation to sprinklers. There are numerous encroachments that will have to be dealt with at that time as well.

BOR COMMISSIONER: President Obama has nominated Michael L. Conner as the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation.

NORTHWEST IRRIGATION OPERATORS (NIO): The NIO tour in Lethbridge, Canada is scheduled for July 6-9, 2009. Board members are welcome to attend.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by Chairman Miller at 5:17 p.m.

_______________________________             ________________________________

Charles Miller                                                      Annette V. Rambel

Chairman                                                             Recording Secretary

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