September 28, 2011

CALL TO ORDER:  The Board meeting of the Columbia Irrigation District was called to order at 1:30 pm at the District office by Vice President George Janicek.  Present at the meeting were:

          George Janicek, Director                    Keith Martin, Manager
Jim Berger, Director                          Russ Pelleberg, Asst. Manager
Gary Hutchcraft, Director                  Terry Miller, Attorney
                                   Jim Gose, Director                              Bonnie Kulp, Recorder
Jerry Sleater, Director                                                                                 

 WATER CARRIAGE CONTRACT:  As requested by the Board of Directors Attorney Miller was present for this meeting to discuss the amended contract with KID for water carriage.  Director Janicek stated he wanted stipulations in the contract that were more favorable to CID.  He wanted specific details consisting of costs we will assess them, how to control the use of water and have an escalation clause.

Attorney Miller reminded the Board the addition of the reservoir on our canal system is the only leverage we have in amending the 1931 contract in favor of CID.  KID paid for the improvements to allow the carriage of the 54 cfs to the four pump stations identified in the 1931 agreement.  The fact KID wants CID to carry water down to the end of the canal to feed 314 acres gives CID the bargaining power to amend the 1931 contract.   

Specifics discussed to be put into the contract were:  KID install an adequate sized, lined reservoir located within KID boundaries with no taxation to CID, install the necessary infrastructure for operation, reservoir will be controlled by CID, CID will have water storage from this reservoir, electricity costs will be shared, water taken will be monitored and metered at KID expense, have set restrictions for KID’s four pump stations, and KID will have the liability for the reservoir.  The size of reservoir will be determined by Engineer, Gary Weatherly.

Other points discussed for the revised contract were to set the instantaneous cfs limits on the original four pump stations at 3.5 with an over usage penalty and limit the new reservoir at 2.5.  Director Janicek suggested telemetry in the canal system should be included in the revised contract.

Director Gose exited the meeting at 2:45 pm.

The Board discussed the partial payment of the bill sent to KID for the additional acreage in their four PSA’s.  KID remitted payment for three years.  The Board stated the bill must be paid in full before negotiation of the revised contract.

Atorney Miller will re-draft the addendum to the 1931 contract and bring it to the October Board Meeting. Miller reported the City of West Richland Sewer Line Agreement is close to being completed.  The project is located at the intersection of Van Giesen and Bombing Range Road.   Miller also reported the Johnson (aka Rhoades) Sewer Crossing Agreement for the City of Kennewick has been revised.  He needs the legal description and a map before the agreement can be finished. On the matter of the Dayton Street Bridge the City of Kennewick just received the federal grant money for the project and there are details to take care of and the physical work of the project will not begin before the off-season, October of 2012. 

            Attorney Miller exited the meeting at 3:05 pm.

Director Janicek stated the CID should adopt a fee structure to recoup CID attorney and engineer costs to address the projects not initiated by the CID.  There was consensus agreement by the Board of Directors on this proposal.

PROJECTED BUDGET:  The Board further reviewed the new fiscal year budget of 2,684.753.  Director Janicek made a motion to adopt the budget, Jim Berger seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  A copy of the budget is attached to these minutes.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:  The Board reviewed the policies submitted at the September 6, 2011 Board Meeting. 

Manager Martin submitted a revised GSA Policy.  Martin told the Board he and Assistant Manager Pelleberg met with Mike Schwisow, employed by WSWRA to write irrigation laws for the irrigation districts.  Martin and Pelleberg explained the problems CID was having with private lines.  Schwisow stated the law was written in a broad sense so that districts can fix issues with private lines as long as districts charges for those fixes.

The Board reviewed and discussed the policies with Director Janicek’s revisions.  The policies will be retyped for the next Board Meeting. 

ADJOURNMENT:   The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 pm.