February 28, 2010 RID board minute highlights

Highlights of the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Raymond Irrigation District held Thursday, February 28, 2019 commencing at 9:00 AM in the RID Board Room.

 

Attending: John McKee Chairman, Craig Palmer vice Chair, Gordon ZoBell, General Manager and recording clerk, Mark Jensen Operations Manager and Kelvin Kado as needed. Rod Wendorff director was absent due to other responsibilities.

 

The Agenda for the February 28, 2019 meeting was approved on motion by Craig Palmer and carried.

 

The Minutes of the, January 16, 2018 board meeting were approved on motion by Craig Palmer and carried.

 

BUISNESS ARISING

 

  1. IRP Project Update – Mark noted that the 2341 project is progressing but cold weather has slowed the work over the past couple of weeks.

 

  1. Monthly Maintenance report – Mark Jensen showed the board a slide presentation of work performed over the past month

 

  1. Irrican Power – The Irrican Annual meeting was held January 29, 2019. Income for 2018 was far above the 2017 season. The first 2 plants are now paid off and the RID will begin to see reimbursement of debt from Irrican to the RID beginning in the 2019 season of over 300K per year going forward. The Forty Mile solar array was also discussed and a grant application is being made with Irrican as the principal.

 

  1. Main canal costs – It was noted that the RID, SMRID and TID will pay an additional $1.95 per acre beginning in the 2019 season to cover maintenance and capital costs.

 

  1. RID Financial – Kelvin Kado – 2019 Yearend report to go to Auditor March 1 and Doug and his team will be coming out March 4. NRG invoices will be completed for R7-1 and R8-2 will be going out in the next week. A review on the R8-2 billing needs to be completed before the next billing season, this is due to some unused systems and the additional charge to household purposes customers. Budgeting process is getting underway, now that year end figures are completed. Due to increased Main canal costs, I am proposing a $2.00 rate per acre increase to cover the cost. Operation expenses should be covered by irrigation rates. Should a short fall occur we can borrow from in house capital funds. The sale of irrigation acres last year is capital income and should not be used to pay operation expenses. We should set up separate savings account for those funds. This year the grey area is the ICPC income, this is a return on our investment and can be used to assist with operational and help keep rates down January CPI, Canada 1.4% Alberta 1.2% As of November the amount due to RID from ICPC has been changed to a loan with a scheduled payment. The first payment will start in July with the balance paid by October 31. February 21, 2019. Stirling board member nomination, John McKee

 

  1. AIDA – Calgary conference – review – The board felt the conference was very good and worth their while to attend.

 

NEW Business

 

  1. Directors Items – Gordon noted that there was only one application received for the position of Stirling area director on the RID board of Directors. In his capacity as returning office Gordon declared John McKee as the successful candidate for a three-year term beginning immediately.

 

  1. RID Seminar and annual meeting March 21 – Gordon reviewed the proposed agenda with the board.

 

  1. Final approval to add a parcel to the district – NW-31-5-19-4 – The application has been advertised and the 30-day period is complete. The parcel is owned by Paul Hofer. Motion to approve by: Craig Palmer and carried

 

  1. Final approval to add a parcel to the district – SW-5-6-19-W4 – The application has been advertised and the 30-day period is complete. The parcel is owned by Mike Hofer. Motion to approve by: Craig Palmer and carried.

 

  1. Nelson Family Ranches – NW-4-6-19-W4. Other Purposes water ID Act 21(2a). Nelsons wish to acquire 20-acre feet of water for use in their cattle facility located at this location. Approved on motion by John McKee and carried.

 

  1. Raymond 8-2 pump and pipeline – Gordon requested approval to review the energy billing process which includes minimum fee for non-irrigation by a user in a given year and an energy fee for domestic users. Also, approval to investigate the cost to install 3 meters, 1 for each motor. May be cheaper due to lower overall demand? The board also added that a solar array could be investigated for use here to help offset energy costs. Management will bring this forward in the March RID board meeting.

 

  1. Isotope funding monitoring has been approved – 3 sites will be monitored in the RID. District share $15000.00 spread over 2 years. Government grant to RID is $45,000.00. RID has already received $22,500.00 FYI. SMRID will do the books on the project. The board noted this report and asked to have one of the project supervisors attend the next board meeting with a more in-depth report of what the study hopes to achieve.

 

  1. Next meeting date – Wednesday, March 20 2019 at the RID board room.

 

  1. Motion to adjourn and time meeting ended – Having no further business the board ended the meeting at 1:45 PM on motion by John McKee.