CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Charles Miller called the 2010 Organizational Board Meeting of the Hermiston Irrigation District Board of Directors to order at 4:03 p.m. at the Hermiston Irrigation District office. Also present at the meeting were Board Members Len Jeppeson, Mike Bergstrom and Wes Locke; District Manager, Chuck Wilcox; Field Manager, Jeff Eicher; and Recording Secretary, Annette Rambel.

APPOINTMENT OF DIVISION 3 DIRECTOR: Craig Coleman was unable to attend the Organizational Meeting, but did convey that he would accept the office of Director for the term of January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2010, if he were appointed. Director Bergstrom moved to appoint Craig Coleman to the position of Director of Division 3 for the upcoming year. Director Locke seconded the motion. There being no further discussion, the motion carried unanimously.

GUESTS

There were no guests present.

MINUTES

The Board reviewed the minutes of the December 17, 2009, Regular Board Meeting. There were no changes suggested to the minutes. 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 the Profit & Loss Report for December (Year End) 2009. The Board reviewed and signed the December 2009 Vouchers Report. Vouchers Numbered 36315 through 36348 were reviewed and approved. The Board reviewed and signed the January 2010 Vouchers Report. Vouchers Numbered 36349 through 36378 were reviewed and approved. The Board signed expense checks.

OLD BUSINESS

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT: Manager Wilcox reported that there is no new progress on the Agreement.

POTENTIAL LAND SALE – COLUMBIA LIFE KNOWLEDGE CENTER (CLKC): Manager Wilcox reported that he has not been able to contact Greg Juell. When he last spoke to Jerri Boechter it appeared that the CLKC had not met in the last 2 months. The County is processing the property line adjustment. Chairman Miller told Manager Wilcox postpone the land appraisal.

PAUL BURNS DEVELOPMENT: Manager Wilcox reported that he met with the City of Hermiston and the BOR regarding this development. The last set of plans that Burns submitted had bioswales which extended across the HID easement. The BOR policy is not to take any storm drain water within their easements. The City says that they have to have them. The City wrote a letter to the BOR Yakima Area Office, instead of the local field office that they had met with, requesting a crossing agreement that included the swales. Until they receive a crossing agreement the District cannot sign Burns’ plat. Burns is unable to record or sell any lots until the plat is signed by the District.

Manager Wilcox also expressed his concern over the condition of the existing pipe due to all of the activity and use of large equipment in that area, including HID’s easement. The BOD instructed Manager Wilcox to write a letter to Burns informing him of the District’s concern of the integrity of the pipe.

AQUATIC WEED CONTROL: There is progress being made on Cascade & Teton. Product is being made, but the labels are not officially out yet. On the state level, the Districts that have NPDES permits have Attorney David Filippi working with the Oregon Department of Agriculture on what their requirements will be regarding application of the products. He is also working with DEQ to try to set the ground work for modifying the NPDES permits for the new products.

WATER RIGHTS CERTIFICATION & LIMITED LICENSE: In December 2009, Manager Wilcox spoke with the BOR regarding this matter. The BOR has been in contact with Attorney Filippi and they were to meet regarding the matter. Manager Wilcox has not heard from either party regarding the outcome of that meeting.

2010 BUDGET: The Board received a copy of a balanced proposed budget in their Board packets and reviewed the document prior to this meeting. Manager Wilcox answered some general questions and gave some further detail. Director Bergstrom moved to approve the 2010 Budget as presented. Director Jeppeson seconded the motion. There being no further discussion, the motion carried unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS

ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Director Bergstrom nominated Charles Miller to retain his position as Chairman. Director Jeppeson moved to appoint Charles Miller as Chairman, Mike Bergstrom as Vice-Chairman, Chuck Wilcox as Board Secretary, and Annette Rambel as Recording Secretary. Director Locke seconded that motion. There being no further discussion the motion passed unanimously.

RESOLUTIONS: The Board received a copy of each resolution in their Board packets and reviewed the documents prior to this meeting.

2010 Resolution of Assessments: There were no changes made to the assessments. The first acre charge will remain at $184.60. The second through fifth acre charge will remain at $74.60 per acre. The sixth trough tenth acre charge will remain at $68.60 per acre. Each additional acre beyond 10 acres is $47.60 per acre.

The Barton Pipeline reserve charge will remain at $20.00 per acre due to all of the needed repairs and maintenance. Minnehaha and Z-Line Pipeline reserve charges will remain at $10.00 per acre.

Director Bergstrom moved to accept the resolution as presented. Director Jeppeson seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion carried unanimously and the Directors signed the resolution.

2010 Resolution of Banking: The Resolution of Banking states that the District shall maintain a two signature checking account and a VISA account with a $4,000 limit with Banner Bank.

Director Bergstrom moved to accept the resolution as presented. Director Jeppeson seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion carried unanimously and the Directors signed the resolution.

2010 Resolution of Fees: Lien Fees were raised from $150 to $180 to cover the increased cost of filing fees charged by the County. The Pipe Cleaning Truck fees were added and the mileage rates were changed to current IRS rates.

Director Bergstrom moved to accept the resolution as presented. Director Locke seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion carried unanimously and the Directors signed the resolution.

2010 Resolution of Board Meetings: The Resolution of Board Meetings states that the board meetings will take place on the second Thursday of each month, with the exception of November which will be held on the third Thursday, at 4:00 p.m. in the HID board room. The 2011 Organizational Meeting is scheduled to be held January 13, 2011.

Director Bergstrom moved to accept the resolution as presented. Director Jeppeson seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion carried unanimously and the Directors signed the resolution.

ANNUAL MEETING: After some discussion, Director Bergstrom moved to hold the annual meeting on Wednesday, February 24, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. It will be held in the District’s shop building and we will serve a steak & beans dinner prepared by the FFA Alumni as in the past. Director Locke seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. Suggested topics were Oregon Strategic Water Planning, upcoming Legislation, Umatilla Basin Coalition and conservation/grant opportunities.

MOVE RESERVE FUNDS: Business Manager, Annette Rambel requested that the balance of the Barton and Minnehaha R&M funds be transferred to the Reserve Account. The amount of the Barton funds to be moved into reserves is $906.70. The amount of the Minnehaha funds to be moved into reserves is $2,025.38. Director Jeppeson moved to transfer the funds as requested. Director Locke seconded the motion. There being no further discussion, the motion carried unanimously.

MANAGER’S REPORT

WATER REPORT: Today the Feed Canal is running at 148 cfs, with 116 cfs making it into CSR. There is 5,480 af in CSR as of this morning. The District has 18,904 af in exchange credits.

MAINTENANCE REPORT I-LINE: The cement has been taken out of the old line, trees and brush have been removed up to 17^th Street, and the box at the A-Line has been poured. There have been some delays, but the crew has started laying the pipe.

FYI 

Oregon Water Coalition Annual Meeting and Water Conference is scheduled for January 26, 2010, at the Hermiston Conference Center. Chairman Miller, Manager Wilcox and Field Manager Eicher plan to attend.

There will be a joint meeting of the Boards of the local irrigation district’s including HID, Stanfield ID, Westland ID and West Extension ID, held at the Stafford-Hansell Building on February 5, 2010, at 1:30 p.m.

The Board received a copy of an e-mail regarding OWRC fish passage legislation. COID wanted to install a turbine in a pipe line that was away from a dam. ODF&W is trying to use this as a means to try to get them to do fish passage back at their dam.

Northwest Irrigation Operator’s meeting is being held in Boise, ID on February 17-18, 2010.

Director Bergstrom asked about the lawsuit that he saw in the local newspaper. Manager Wilcox informed the Board that the District has not been served with any notice of this lawsuit, but it appears that the Ellis’ in Stanfield have filed a suit against the District for property damage. The Ellis’ claim that the District did not properly maintain the Feed Canal and that water from the Feed Canal was flooding their back yard and basement. This matter was referred to the District’s insurance company, SDAO, when it was originally brought to our attention in 2008 and no progress has been made in the last year. They were offered a settlement of $5,000, the offer was not accepted or countered.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by Chairman Miller at 5:28 p.m.

_______________________________             ________________________________

Charles Miller                                                      Annette Rambel

Chairman                                                             Recording Secretary

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