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Klamath Irrigation District
 Board Meeting Minutes

November 9, 2006

 

Agenda in Blue
Minutes in Black  

Approval of Minutes 10/19/06

Approval of vouchers and warrants  

 

Old Business

 

  1. Adjudication  

Bill Ganong updated the Board on the Klamath River Adjudication.  Oregon Water Resources Department now has their adjudication maps in a digital format and will soon require a digital set of maps for each claim.  The maps must be certified by a water rights examiner.  The Bureau of Reclamation may help with the cost.  The Joint Prosecution Committee will request cost proposals from water right engineers.  

 

  1. Lawsuit/legal  

    1. Takings  

Nothing to report.  

 

    1. PCFFA II, Straits Drain, ONRC v DEQ  

Solem reported that Pacific Legal Foundation continues to work on an appeal of the 9th Circuit Court decision in the PCFFA II suit.

 

Solem reported that the Klamath Straits Drain suit settlement process is still on hold.

 

  1. Power  
    1. PP&L credit, RHT  

PacifiCorp has offered to settle a claim for past unpaid Bonneville Power Credits from September, 2001 to October, 2006.  The amount of the proposed settlement is $34,565.09.  Solem has reviewed the spread sheet of past charges and could find no discrepancies.  The Board agreed to accept the settlement and signed the release.  

 

    1. Executive Session:  FERC  

  1. Other  

New Business  

 

  1. Headgate bid  

The Board reviewed the following bids for headgates needed for winter maintenance:

 

                        JW Kerns                                           $13,211.70 (Waterman)

                        Appling Co.                                        $11,555.00 (A&M)

 

The Board awarded the bid to the low bidder, Appling Co.  

 

  1. Maintenance  

    1. A Canal box culvert under crossing at KOA  

The Board discussed a letter from Klamath County to the BOR regarding the responsibility of the repair or replacement of a box culvert under the A Canal near the KOA Campground on Shasta Way .   Klamath County feels the responsibility is the BOR and KID’s, but stated they would be willing to participate in the project.  The BOR has not responded.  Solem will write to Pablo Arroyave, Area Manager of the BOR for a response.  

 

    1. A-3 piping request  

Ben Johnson, owner of Mountain Valley Gardens off Washburn Way , has requested to have the A-3 lateral behind his property piped.  Johnson is willing to share the cost of the project.  The Board denied his request but agreed to allow him to proceed with the piping project at his expense, upon completion of an Alteration Agreement and the project must meet District specifications.  

 

    1. Rental water access T  

The Board discussed a request from a “Contract Water” user to be provided access as a part of the piping project on the A-3-a and A-3-c laterals.  Solem will prepare a cost estimate and a list of pros and cons for further discussion by the Board.  

 

  1. Easements  

    1. Ellen Crawford request  

Ellen Crawford has proposed dedicating a portion of her property along the D-21 lateral, south of the Malin Highway for a right-of-way/  Ganong will prepare an agreement for the transfer.  

    1. Aspen mobile village  

Ganong will prepare an easement agreement between the District and Fred Owen, owner of the Aspen Mobile Village, 3950 Homedale Road, for a portion of the A-2 ½ lateral that crossed the back of his property.  In exchange, Owen will be allowed to drain water into the lateral during the winter months.  

 

    1. A-3-c  

Ganong will prepare an easement agreement for land owners along the A-3-c lateral between Altamont and Hilyard.  The existing ditch does not follow the right-of-way.  Current landowners have agreed to grant the easement if the District will pipe the A-3-c lateral as it now exists.  

 

  1. Budget  

The Board discussed the 2007 budget.  The Board agreed that $50,000. should be set aside to hire someone to work towards developing power generation facilities for the District.  

 

Solem will adjust budget line items for Board discussion and approval at the December 14, 2006 Board meeting.

 

The Board agreed that effective January 1, 2007 Non-Union employees will receive a 4% cost of living pay increase.

 

The Board set the 2007 billing rate at $30.50/acre O&M and $5.50/acre for Klamath Water Users Association.  The total rate for 2007 will be $36.00/acre (no increase from 2006).  

 

    1. Executive Session

 

  1. Audit review  

The Board accepted the December 31, 2005 year end audit report as prepared by Molatore, Scroggin, Peterson & Co. LLP.  The Board agreed that they have no questions to be discussed with the auditor.

 

  1. BOR  

    1. ability to pay study  

Solem reported that the recent Reclamation Safety of Dams “ability to pay” study has determined that KID has no ability to pay.  It is not clear whether the study was prepared for other purposes.  

 

    1. GIS demo/mapping  

Dave Solem reported that he had attended a demonstration on an Internet based GIS system developed and supported by GSS, a Bend , Oregon firm.  Tulelake Irrigation District is in the process of converting to this GIS system.  The Board discussed the District’s need for a GIS system and agreed that before the Adjudication is complete, the District would need to convert to a GIS system.  

 

  1. Other  

Solem reported that on October 19, 2006 the District received a billing from BOR for the estimated O&M charges for 2006, due October 27, 2006 .  The billing seems to be incorrect.  Solem has contacted Cecil Lesley at BOR for a corrected statement and has received no response.  The Board agreed to wait until the issue can be resolved before paying the billing.  Solem and the Board will discuss this and other issues with Arroyave at a meeting scheduled for November 17, 2006 .  

 

The Board approved one exclusion.

 

The Board discussed the difference in liability from flooding out a grain/alfalfa field compared to flooding out someone’s home.  It’s OK to flood a farmers field but not a house because the liability is higher for a house.

 

The Board discussed other districts charging an “Accounting Fee” on top of the yearly O&M charges.  Modoc Irrigation District charges all landowners a yearly $500 fee whether they own one acre or 500.  The board discussed charging an accounting fee to just the rental water users but Ganong stated that according to Special District rules, if you charge one type of water user, you have to charge all.

 

 

KID Board meeting December 14

GIS Demo Oct. 31, 10:30 at BOR

OWRC annual meeting December 6-8, Hood River

CIP meeting December 6-7, Medford

      

 

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