Minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Raymond Irrigation District held Wednesday September 16, 2015 commencing at 9:00 AM in the RID Board Room.
Attending: Byron Wilde Chairman, John McKee Vice Chairman, Craig Palmer Director, Gordon ZoBell, General Manager and recording clerk, Mark Jensen Operations Manager and Kelvin Kado, Office Manager as required.
IRP Project Update given by Mark Jensen
IRP 2307 – W#5 phase 4 – The county road crossing was completed.
IRP 2308 – Ortho Photo’s – Nothing to report.
Maintenance report – Mark showed the board pictures of work completed over the past month by RID staff and equipment.
Irrican Power – All plants still running, power pool prices are poor, July and August generation was high, but power pool prices were poor. August production income has not been confirmed, average pool price was 34.11/MWh, but income looks a little better than July so far. With May and June income we are near annual cash required. Also, a benefit from production is the sale of ECO RECS, even though power pool prices are down, good production gives added income. We have begun year-end preparation of the financial books.
RID Financial – from K Kado – Assessment was completed and we have started receiving payments. We did a casual survey about overtime and ditch riders, their pay and hours worked. Other ID’s policies and procedures are very similar, with a few minor differences.
Expansion Plebiscite in the RID – Waiting now for modeling information from AARD. This will take several months.
RID Strategic Plan and GIS overlay – nothing to report this month.
Irrigation Council tour – To be held September 22, 2015. – The short tour will leave the RID office at 10:00 AM with a meeting following the tour at the RID office. Lunch will be at Luc’s Diamond Restaurant in Raymond commencing at 12:30 PM.
AIPA Directors Meeting – Held August 10, 2015 – Report from Byron and Gordon. Byron noted that the AIPA budget for 2016 will be approved at the November AGM. Byron went over line items from the budget with the board. The board was also requested to review the AIPA by-laws prior to the AGM and also to make any suggestions to changing the by-laws prior to September 30, 2015. These will be forwarded to Ron McMullin.
Town of Raymond Delegation, 10:00 AM – RE: moving canal for KD Jen development and proposed annexation – 10:00 AM. Scott Barton, Ethan Gorner, Kathy Needham, Barry Wolsey and Dustan Ralph from the Town of Raymond and Bonnie Brunner from the ORRSC attended the meeting. Scott Barton led the discussion regarding the boards November 2015 motion relating to the annexation of lands located south of the RID canal R/W in S1/2-9-6-20-W4 and a small triangular piece in NW-4-6-20-W4. The RID board had many questions regarding the future of the proposed annexed area. The board also noted their hopes for the future of the RID canal located within the R/W. The town noted that to begin with the area would simply be annexed into the municipality of the town from the County. The town would then make its utility services available to the subdivision for future development. An area structure plan would then be approved allowing the RID input with regard to controls needed to protect the canal, and access to RID R/W, fencing etc., as it related to the plan. The delegation left the meeting at 12:00 noon. After further discussion and on motion by Byron Wilde the board approved allowing the annexation to proceed without the RID contesting it. The motion was carried. It should be noted that RID manager Gordon ZoBell was asked to draft a letter to the ORRSC outlining the RID boards understanding that the areas structure plan of the future will allow the RID to initiate certain controls to protect the canal and to limit adjacent landowner’s access to the R/W.
RID Employee review (ditch riders) – After further discussion regarding this matter the board asked management to include this information in the March 2016 employee wage review for further consideration. Management was instructed to continue to administer the 8/44 overtime agreement as per the 2015 wage review.
Household Purposes agreement – Plan 0414542 Block 1 Lot 1 – 35-6-21-W4 – beginning in the 2016 season – approved on motion by Byron Wilde and carried
Household Purposes Agreement – Plan 9511404 Block 1 Lot 1 NW-4-6-21-W4 – approved on motion by Byron Wilde and carried.
EID – Mussel Detector Dog Training Program – The board reviewed the budget for the project to date which was supplied by the EID.
West winds Weekly article August 27, 2015 – on irrigation and about the tour held July 29 that Byron attended. The article was noted as very good by the board.
TID board meeting attended September 9, 2015 by Byron and Gord, well received, will attend SMRID board meeting September 17 to discuss further. Gordon also noted that he had met with Trever Helwig of SMRID September 15 to tour syphons and look at alternate access possibilities along SMRID main canal. Byron and Gordon will attend SMRID board meeting on September 17 to discuss same at 1:15 PM.
Next meeting date – Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Motion to adjourn and time meeting ended. – There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 2:35 PM on motion by Byron Wilde.