Office of the Secretary Manager

Kittitas Reclamation District Board of Directors Meeting

January 8, 2019 Minutes

 

The Board of Directors of the Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) met in Regular Session on January 8, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. Attending the meeting were Division Four Director and Chairman Larry Bland, Division One Director Mark Hansen, Division Three Director Fred Schnebly, Division Five Director Paul Weaver, Secretary Manager Urban Eberhart, Assistant Manager Kevin Eslinger, Field Supervisor Bob Main, KRD Lands Clerk & RRA Specialist Keli Bender, KRD Treasurer Stacy Berg, Legal Counsel Jeff Slothower. Also, in attendance were KRD land owners Janeice Jump and Mark Charlton.

The agenda was approved with the addition of an executive session for reasons consistent with RCW 42.30.110(1)(i)(i). The motion was made by Director Hansen and the second was made by Director Bland. The motion passed unanimously.

 

Mr. Eberhart presented the Certificate of Election and Oath and Bond documents for Division One Director, Mark Hansen, Division Four Director Larry Bland, and Division Five Director Paul Weaver. The documents were signed and notarized. 

 

A motion was made by Director Hansen to appoint Director Schnebly as the Board Chairmen for 2019. A second was made by Director Bland. The motion passed unanimously.

 

A motion was made by Director Bland to appoint Director Hansen as the Board Vice Chairmen for 2019. A second was made by Director Weaver, the motion passed unanimously.

 

Director Hansen made a motion to approve the Appointment and Bond for Secretary-Manager Urban Eberhart. A second was made by Director Bland. The motion passed unanimously.

 

Director Bland made a motion to retain the Appointment of Legal Counsel Jeff Slothower. A second was made by Director Weaver. The motion passed unanimously.

 

The minutes for the December 4, 2018 and December 17, 2018 Board Meetings were approved with a motion made by Director Bland and the second was made by Director Hansen. The motion passed unanimously.

 

Public Comment: No comments

 

Water Master Report: As of January 8, 2019, the 5 reservoirs are at 41% capacity which is 92.7% of average. Precipitation for the reservoirs from January 1st to date is 6.69 inches, or 74% of average. The Snotel Sites for the Upper Yakima Basin are reporting 82% of average and the Lower Basin sites are at 92% of average. The next River Ops Meeting is scheduled for January 9, 2019. 

 

Maintenance Report: Prior to winter lay-off the maintenance crews completed the replacement of the panels at Tillman that were removed. The ground has yet to freeze, so there are two backhoes and an excavator that have been cleaning laterals. A landowner provided 500 ft of pipeline that the crews have added to the 33.5 lateral. All of the head gates that had been brought into the shop, have been completed and reinstalled. Last week the two remaining structures on the list were poured, stripped and backfilled. 

 

Mr. Eberhart emphasized his appreciation for the efficiency of work that crews are producing. An example of this, is the head gates being completed several months earlier than years prior.

 

Secretary Manager’s Activity Report: Mr. Eberhart attended the Washington State Water Resources Association Annual Conference in Spokane on December 5th-7th. Beyond the regular programs that were occurring at this conference, there were additional meetings with key individuals that occurred in conjunction with the conference. Mr. Eberhart was able to have several meetings while he was there. Those meetings are very valuable for planning the future KRD Projects.

 

There is a Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee Columbia Basin Partnership Task Force Meeting scheduled for January 30th-31st in Boise, ID. Director Bland made a motion to send Mr. Eberhart to the meeting. A second was made by Director Weaver, the motion passed unanimously.

 

Director Bland made a motion to send Mr. Eberhart to Washington DC for Legislative Work for the week of February 4th. A second was made by Director Weaver, the motion passed unanimously.

 

Mr. Eberhart reported that he was drafting an informational insert for the landowners. The board granted approval to send it with the assessments in February.

 

Ellensburg Water Company will not be participating in the Kittitas County Water Purveyors (KCWP) and Cascade Irrigation District has a board meeting later today to determine their participation. With the agencies who have agreed to participate to date, at .76 cents per acre, there is enough funding to cover the KCWP for the participants including equipment and expenses. Legal Counsel Slothower advised that for the groups that don’t participate, KCWP will not be able to provide any support at all. KCWP is unable to use our patron’s money to support other entities. Land owner Mark Charlton asked if private land owners would be able to contribute on their own behalf. Management and legal council will research this further and report back to the board.

 

The USBR drill crew had other responsibilities that took them away from the Upper Yakima System Storage Project. They will return in the near future to work further on this project. KRD is looking at more conservation projects and filling Wymer through gravity, eliminating the need for a pumping plant.  

 

Director Hansen made a motion to accept the WaterSmart Water Marketing memorandum of agreement with Trout Unlimited and KRD. A second was made by Director Bland, the motion passed unanimously.

 

Mr. Eberhart reported that he is participating in the Technology for Trade Advisory Group.

 

KRD is continuing to work with Kittitas County Conservation District (KCCD) and the USBR on funding for Manastash Operations.

 

There were several informational meetings on Floodplains by Design. There was some concern about an invasive species of Canary Grass that was seen in Currier Creek area. That was determined to be a separate issue and the project appears to be progressing.

 

KRD is expecting to get more information on curbing within the next week.

 

There was a single bid submitted for the Geomembrane Liner. Director Weaver made a motion to accept the Western Liner Submittal bid for $118,000.00. A second was made by Director Bland, the motion passed unanimously. 

 

Field Supervisor Bob Main provided photos of the progress at the South Branch Canal Lining Project Phase I. The first 1000 feet is prepped for concrete which is expected to be poured by the end of the week. The complete channel excavation is complete and the next 1000 feet is being prepped for concrete at this time.

 

The engineering estimate was received for the South Branch 13.8/Manastash Water Ditch Association (MWDA) Connection was received in the amount of $186,747.00. Director Hansen made a motion to go to bid based on the estimate. A second was made by Director Weaver, the motion passed unanimously.

 

The Yakima Basin Focused Managed Aquifer Recharge Assessment is a project focused on locating areas that water can be stored underground. Washington State Department of Ecology will be funding the project. Director Bland made a motion to accept the WRYBIP-2019-KittRD-00004 Agreement and the Jacobs Task KRD2017-PS-07.06.0 in the amount of $348,400.00. A second was made by Director Hansen, the motion passed unanimously. 

 

Treasurer’s Report: The Directors’ monthly payroll vouchers were presented for signatures. Summary Vouchers for the November 2018 expenses and the December 2018 payroll which included check numbers 42843-42924, direct deposit numbers 9901553 through 9901570 in the sum of $723,140.68 were approved with a motion made by Director Hansen. The second was made by Director Weaver, the motion passed unanimously.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

Legal Counsel Slothower reported that there are two accounts in the foreclosure process. The documents are currently being prepared that will allow KRD to go to court to establish the Treasurer’s Sale. Both properties are owned by banks and are expected to make the payments before they go to auction. 

 

As an informational item, Legal Counsel Slothower said that the policies and procedures manual was expected to be available in January. As it was proof read there were some typographical errors, broken sentences etc. that are in the process of being repaired. The manual is expected to be completed and presented to the board at a later date.

 

New Business:  Director Bland made a motion to make the USBR Operations and Maintenance 2019 payment of $312,500.00. A Second was made by Director Weaver, the motion passed unanimously.

 

Director Hansen made a motion to change the Board Meeting Date in February to February 12th, at 1:00 p.m. A second was made by Director Bland, the motion passed unanimously.

 

Other Business: The Board adjourned to Executive Session at 1:55 p.m. for 15 minutes per RCW 42.30.110(1)(i)(i) there was a motion made by Director Bland and a second made by Director Hansen. The motion passed unanimously. Executive Session was extended for an additional 5 minutes. The Board returned to Regular Session at 2:15 p.m. with a motion made by Director Hansen and the second was made by Director Bland. The motion passed unanimously.

 

All business having been concluded the meeting was adjourned.

 

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Mr. Schnebly KRD Board of Directors Chairman

 

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Mr. Eberhart KRD Secretary Manager