Highlights of the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Raymond Irrigation District held Thursday June 22, 2017 commencing at 9:00 AM in the RID Board Room.
Attending: John McKee Chairman, Craig Palmer Vice Chair, Rod Wendorff Director, Gordon ZoBell, General Manager and recording clerk, Mark Jensen Operations Manager. Kelvin Kado as needed.
The Agenda for the, June 22, 2017 meeting was approved on motion by Craig Palmer and carried.
The Minutes of the, May 17, 2017 board meeting were approved on motion by Rod Wendorff and carried.
BUISNESS ARISING
IRP Project Update given by Mark Jensen
IRP 2321 W#5 phase #5 – The new pipeline is in operation and working well.
Growing Forward 2 grant – Gordon distributed a draft copy of the Emergency
Preparedness Plan being completed for the RID by MPE. Board members were
requested to read the document and make comments back to the manager within
the next two week period.
IRP 2334 Stirling #16 – easements are being generated by Kelvin and the manager
will get them approved by landowners within the next couple of weeks.
Maintenance report – Mark showed the board a slide presentation of work completed under the district’s IRP and maintenance program over the past month
Irrican Power – (KK) Loan payments for June 15 were made as per usual, There was not available funds in the general account. We did have to draw on the new ATB term loan for $1,000,000.00 of which there was $1,650,000.00 available. Power pool prices are still low as expected, steady canal flow gave some income for May. No news about hedging or improved income possibilities yet this year. A hot summer may give some help.
RID financial – (Kelvin Kado) – Kelvin was away this morning at AIPA benefits meeting in Lethbridge at last meeting. No changes to our basic benefit package. There was an annual rate increase of 6% for the coming year. There will be a small increase of use in the benefits, this is due to our continual aging group. Last year we borrowed $30,000.00 from the Health & Dental reserve to fund our self-administrated STD fund rather than go back to the districts for money, It was paid back this year. A goal was to fund a universal HSA for the whole group and not go back to the districts for more money as well ($60,000.00), this was achieved, by under spending on STD and Health benefit spending. So for 2017 all employees will have a $250 universal HSA, this will be tacked on to our existing plan. The plan will be different for each district, as per their old HAS plan. Our group benefit use is about 4 – 5% below industry average. Thus, giving us lower annual increases and added benefits. An added value to the districts.
ATB transfer, employee payroll to be initialled
- Report/review of Irrigation purchase applications since last meeting
- IRP 2321 Progress certificate to April 30, 2017 is to be completed.
- Statements of A/R sent out June 6, 2017
- FOIP permission forms to be added to the RID web page to allow permission to make public any personal information. Eg: sale of irrigation acres, rental of irrigation acres, wanting to purchase land or irrigation acres, equipment etc.
Expansion Plebiscite in the RID – Gordon noted that Jollin Charest had asked if the RID board was still interested in modelling aimed at determining what level of expansion may be available to the RID. On motion by Craig Palmer the board approved modelling of 10, 15 and 20% expansion in the RID, carried.
NEW BUISNESS
Directors Items – John McKee requested that the AIPA sign trailer be sited on Hwy 4 south of Stirling on land farmed by him. Mark Jensen will take care of this soon.
Transfer acres section 26 of ID Act – 10 irrigation acres from Scott Turner SW-18-6-20-W4 -10634 – To: Louis Ravoy Jr – NE-14-6-20-W4 – 40 acres in parcel, currently 20 irrigation acres – Approved by the board on motion by Rod Wendorff and carried.
Transfer acres section 26 of ID Act – John Heatwole – 5 irrigation acres from NW-6-6-19-W4 parcel 10222 To: SW-6-6-19-W4 parcel 10418 – Approved by the board on motion by Craig Palmer and carried.
Transfer acres section 26 of ID Act – John Heatwole – 10 acres from NW-6-6-19-W4 parcel 10223 To: SW-6-6-19-W4 parcel 10418 – Approved by the board on motion by Craig Palmer and carried.
SMRID Aquatic Invasive Species prevention program – May 30 and June 21 meeting reports given by G. ZoBell. Gordon noted that Brent Patterson and two separate consultants are working on a report to assist AIPA in understanding mussels better, including their life cycle, environment, controls etc. Mussels don’t do well in water under 20 degrees. There is several mussel inspection stations located throughout Alberta now with several more employees being hired this year. The province is taking this very seriously. It should be noted that mussels in Tiber reservoir east of Shelby Montana have not been substantiated. Some DNA was found but nothing more. The potassium injection study is still carrying forward but with freezing winter temperatures it is felt that mussels would have a difficult time overwintering in pipelines in southern Alberta.
Irrigation water quality research steering committee – report of May 23 meeting – Gordon attended this meeting and reviewed with the board the agenda of the meeting. There is at least 28 collection sites within 5 irrigation districts being completed monthly through the irrigation season. These samples are aimed at determining what levels of pesticides and E.coli are present. To date samples have been very acceptable.
Retirement of RID employees – The board went over the ages and numbers of RID employees and discussed what some options are available as employees leave.
June 30, 2017 – Raymond Chamber of commerce pancake breakfast Senior’s Center – need volunteers. Mark Jensen, Kelvin Kado, Craig Palmer and Rod Wendorff will assist as needed.
Stirling Solar Project – June 24 open house Stirling Community Center. – Gordon will meet with officials from Suncrafte energy on June 23, 2017 at the RID office. The board determined that they were not in favor of giving up R/W here. They would like the owner of the parcel to understand that the parcel is slated for a pipeline delivery on the 3rd year of our three year plan. The sun project would also render the parcel non irrigable and make it not feasible for a pivot to be installed.
Irrigation Council – ID rates and rights review – This information was distributed to the board.
Next meeting date – Wednesday July 19, 2017 at the RID board room.
Motion to adjourn and time meeting ended. – There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 3:04 PM on motion by Craig Palmer.