Klamath Irrigation District
Board Meeting Notes
 June 9, 2005

 

Agenda in Blue
Notes in Black

Approval of Minutes 5/12/05 ; executive session
Approval of vouchers and warrants


Old Business

  1. Adjudication

Bill Ganong updated the board on the status of the Adjudication.  The Project Adjudication Committee has recommended a contest settlement with Hickey Farms.  The Hearings officer has received briefs from the Klamath Tribes and the U.S. Government opposing the Project Irrigator’s claim.  Final briefs are due July 15th.  

  1. Lawsuits/legal
    1. Takings

Judge Ellegra is waiting for a Supreme Court decision in the Orff case regarding the rights of 3rd party beneficiaries.  Project water users are 3rd party beneficiaries of the water service contract with the government.  

    1. PCFFA II

The tribes want it sent back to district court.  

    1. Straits Drain

A settlement hearing is scheduled in Eugene on August 4, 2005 .  

  1. A-Canal Fish Screen:  cable

One of the screen cleaner 330 foot cables has broken and replaced by KID.  Estimated cost:  .83

a foot.  Solem has discussed the cost of repairs and the pending O&M agreement with Cecil Lesley. BOR.  

  1. Power
    1. Rate shock bill
    2. 2006 chargers for power

The board discussed the ongoing power rate negotiations, pending “Shock Rate” legislation, and the potential affects on District operations.  

  1. Darrow partition

Solem reported that Ken Darrow’s partition request for property on Reeder Road has been approved by Klamath County .  Solem is waiting for a copy pf the order from Klamath County .  

  1. Other

The Yreka office of the USF&WS is going to be doing a study on chinook salmon in Upper Klamath Lake .  They will be bringing hatchery chinook up, placing them in pens at several locations around the lake and leaving them there for a week or two.  They want to find out if they can survive in Upper Klamath Lake .  

New Business  

  1. Backhoe bid

Oregon Tractor – New Holland :  $61,950; with trade, $46,950.  Service and warranty work to be done in Roseburg , Oregon  

Pape Machinery – John Deere 310G w/turbo:  $64,554; with trade, $47,804.  Service and warranty work to be done in Klamath Falls and delivery date of Sept 1, 2005  

Central Equipment – Case 580 Super M:  $64,223; with trade $44,223.  Service and warranty work to be done in Klamath Falls and delivery date of Sept 1, 2005  

The board awarded Central Equipment the bid.  

  1. Union contract approval

After a discussion, Steve Kandra made a motion to ratify the new 3 year labor contract with the Union of Operating Engineers Local #701.  It passed unanimously.  

3.  Wateruser complaints:  Leann Kostopoulos 6:30

      a. lien search fee  

Leeann Kostopoulos appeared before the board to request that they rescind a $50 lien fee charged to her account.  Kostopoulos is a new land owner in the district.  Due to the timing of her property purchase, she did not receive the original statement for 2005 (mailed December 1, 2004 ).  Kostopoulos did not pick up the April (Certified Mail) delinquency notice, but did sign for and received the notice of lien and foreclosure (mailed in May by Certified Main and regular mail).  Solem explained the billing and collecting policy of the district and attempted to answer Kostopoulos’ questions.  The board agreed that the districts policy has been followed and denied her request.  

The board also discussed a complaint from Karl Scronce regarding the districts billing and collection policy.  The board agreed that the policy had been followed and took no further action.  

  1. Workers Comp

Workers Comp costs through Special Districts Association of Oregon have risen. 

This year it’s costing $44,465.53 for the annual premium (a $2,700.15 increase from last year.  The board unanimously pasted a motion to continue coverage with Special Districts.  

Solem will explore an employee incentive program to encourage a reduction in workers comp claims and potentially reduce rates.  

  1. Pacific Power easement fee

Solem explained that working with Pacific Power regarding installations on and around district facilities is becoming difficult.  The board discussed a draft letter prepared by Solem addressing these problems and suggesting that KID may require an alteration agreement for all installations which may include an administrative fee.  The board directed Solem to send the letter.  

  1. 2005 Klamath Project operations

It looks like all the water bank water will have been sent down river by the end of August.  The downstream users do not want to count early season spill as part of their water bank.  They want flows kept higher throughout the year.  There was very little irrigation going on in April and May due to our rain storms and the Bureau sent extra water down river to keep Upper Klamath Lake at a safe elevation.  The BOR has changed the year classification from ‘dry’ to ‘below average for both the lake and the river.   

And it looks like the annual draw down of Upper Klamath Lake will take place later in the summer.  We probably won’t get a wet August like we did in 1999.  The BOR is predicting that there will be enough water to finish crops in late September and October.  

Solem reported that there does not appear to be a correlation of flows to disease in salmon.  He reported that disease incidence is a major topic of discussion with the fishery agencies.  

  1. Pending issues
    1. bull trout

Though there is no historic proof, the USF&WS will not remove the critical habitat designation for Agency Lake for bull trout.  

    1. Lost River TMDL

Nitrogen is the biggest pollutant in Lost River .  According to Oregon State TMDL standards for Lost River , we need to reduce nitrogen by 90%.  How?  The proposed plan for nitrogen reduction may be unattainable.  The Lost River TMDL should be finalized by 2006.  

    1. Lower Klamath Storage

Because of the April and May rain, irrigators didn’t irrigate so the districts put more water into storage in the lower Klamath refuges.  Per Ron Cole, not as much fall water will be needed.  The board discussed proposals for additional water storage in Lower Klamath by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife and/or Klamath Drainage District.  

  1.  Water Transfers

The board discussed a request from Ken Smith to transfer the KID contracted water right from a portion of his property being purchased by the Oregon Department of Transportation to a portion of his property not covered under the district’s contract with BOR.  The board agreed that until the Klamath River Adjudication is complete, there is no transfer process available to Smith.  

  1. Web page

After some discussion, the board agreed that they are not interested in developing a district web page at this time.  

  1. Other

None

 

 

KID Board Meeting July 14, 2005

 

 

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