Office of the Secretary Manager
Kittitas Reclamation District Board of
Directors Meeting
March 6, 2018 Minutes
The Board of Directors of
the Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) met in Regular Session on March 6, 2018
at 1:00 p.m. Attending the meeting were Division Four Director and Chairman
Larry Bland, Division Two Director and Vice Chairman Ed Wakkuri, Division Three
Director Fred Schnebly, Division Five Director Paul Weaver,
Secretary Manager Urban Eberhart, Assistant Manager Kevin Eslinger, Field
Supervisor Bob Main, Treasurer Stacy Berg, GIS IT / Water Quality Specialist
Roger Satnik, and Lands Clerk & RRA Specialist Keli Bender. Also, in attendance
were land owners Janeice Jump, Ralph Kratz, Judith Pierce and Jamie Pierce.
The agenda was approved with
the addition of an executive session for reasons consistent with RCW
42.30.110(1)(f), RCW 42.30.110(1)(g) and RCW 42.30.110(1)(i):(i). The motion was
made by Director Wakkuri and the second was made by Director Schnebly. The
motion passed unanimously.
The minutes for the February
6, 2018 Board Meeting and February 16, 2018 Special Board Meeting were approved
with a motion made by Director Schnebly and the second made by Director Wakkuri.
The motion passed unanimously.
Public Comment: Land Owner
Judith Pierce discussed a turnout that she is requesting KRD work with her on
the terminology of the permit. Legal Counsel Slothower was not in attendance of
the meeting so KRD will follow up with him upon his return.
Water Master Report: As
of March 6, 2018, the reservoirs are at 75% of capacity and storage is 134% of
average. Precipitation at the reservoirs from March 1, 2018 to date is 2.37
inches which is 71% of average and 11% of the months average. Precipitation for
the water year to date is 188.3 inches, or 114% of average. The NRCS Snotel
sites are reporting 98% of average in the upper sites and 100% of average on the
lower sites.
Maintenance Report: Mr.
Main reported that the crews have been burning and cleaning ditches. Reclaim
Company started pouring concrete on the North Branch Lining Project. Global Rope
Access has been working with the KRD Rope Access Team in the Yakima Pressure
Tunnel. There was more damage near the outlet end of the pressure tunnel than
what was originally expected. Robby Main will be welding near the outlet to get
the panels reattached.
Secretary Manager’s Activity
Report: Mr. Eberhart reported that he participated in the Marine Fisheries
Advisory Committee Columbia Basin Partnership Taskforce in Boise, ID on February
21-22, 2018.
The Family Farm Alliance
Annual Conference was held in Reno, NV on February 23-24, 2018. Mr. Eberhart was
part of a panel presentation and had several meetings during the conference with
various government officials.
The Reverse John Keys Tour
scheduled for March 15, 2018 at the Yakima Field Office of the United States
Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). There are several KRD employees who will be
attending.
On March 23, 2018 Mr.
Eberhart will be speaking at the Stanford University Bill Lane Center for the
American West meeting in Yakima.
Mr. Eberhart will be
speaking at the League of Women Voters Conference in Ellensburg on March 24,
2018.
The outreach position with
American Rivers has been filled by Kelsey Green.
The 2018 Tributary
Supplementation Meeting is scheduled for March 19, 2018.
The Upper Yakima System
Storage Assessment Phase II Assessment funding request has been included in a
report by the Department of Interior to the United States House and Senate
Appropriations Committees.
The WaterSmart Application
for the Drought Resiliency Project has been submitted.
Conversations with Kittitas
County Conservation District (KCCD), USBR, Manastash Steering Committee and KRD
continue.
The concrete liner and
turnouts are being poured currently in the North Branch Canal Lining Project
Phase II. Phase III is expected to begin in the fall of 2018.
The Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA) for the South Branch Canal Lining Phase I Project is currently at the
Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. The USBR and KRD are
collaborating on the wording that will be used for the informational kiosks that
will be placed at the Manastash Trailhead and at the Taneum. The construction
for the Phase I portion is expected to start in the fall of 2018. The Phase II
portion of the South Branch Canal will be the next project.
The report for the Easton
Dam Drum Gate Carthodic Protection has been delayed. KRD is expecting to receive
the report in March.
The emergency repair work at
the Yakima Pressure Tunnel has begun. There is a Canadian team that is assisting
with the repair work. Once the team began the repair work it was clear that the
damages were more severe than originally anticipated. The repair work is
expected to take an additional week to finish the project. Director Schnebly
made a motion to approve an additional $40,000.00 to finish the repair work on
the Yakima Pressure Tunnel. A second was made by Director Weaver. The motion
passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report: The
Directors’ monthly payroll vouchers were presented for signatures. Summary
Vouchers for the January 2018 expenses and the February 2018 payroll which
included check numbers 41966-42057, direct deposit numbers 9901334 through
9901349 in the sum of $766,395.27 were approved with a motion made by Director
Wakkuri and the second was made by Director Schnebly. The motion passed
unanimously.
Old Business: The remaining
delinquent account has been paid by a foreclosure company so KRD will not be
moving forward with the foreclosure.
New Business:
Treasurer Berg presented a list of the equipment for disposal. Director
Schnebly made a motion to approve the disposal of equipment. A second was made
by Director Wakkuri. The motion passed unanimously.
Other Business: The Board
adjourned to Executive Session at 1:35 p.m. for 20 minutes per RCW
42.30.110(1)(f), RCW 42.30.110(1)(g) and RCW 42.30.110(1)(i):(i) there was a
motion made by Director Weaver and a second made by Director Schnebly. The
motion passed unanimously. The Board returned to Regular Session at 1:55 p.m.
with a motion made by Director Wakkuri and the second was made by Director
Weaver. The motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Eberhart recommended
that the hourly wage for Temporary Employees increase to $14.12 an hour so that
KRD is providing a competitive wage for the temporaries. There was also a
discussion regarding the incentive pay for the Rope Access Team. Mr. Eberhart
recommended that each Rope Access Team Member receive incentive pay in the
amount of $537.00 per month which was based on an average 179-hour work month at
$3.00 an hour. The board members were in consensus with Mr. Eberhart. The Board
members sustained the termination of Christopher Staloch.
All business having been
concluded the meeting was adjourned.
______________________________________
Mr. Bland KRD Board of
Directors Chairman
______________________________________
Mr. Eberhart KRD Secretary
Manager