Office of the Secretary Manager
Kittitas Reclamation District Board of
Directors Meeting
September 4, 2018 Minutes
The Board of Directors of
the Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) met in Regular Session on September 4,
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 One
Director Mark Hansen, Division Three Director Fred Schnebly, Division Five
Director Paul Weaver, Secretary Manager Urban Eberhart, Assistant Manager Kevin
Eslinger, KRD Field Supervisor Bob Main, KRD Lands Clerk & RRA Specialist Keli
Bender, KRD Treasurer Stacy Berg, Legal Counsel Jeff Slothower and Consultant
Walter Larrick. Also, in attendance was KRD land owner Janeice Jump.
The agenda was approved with
the addition of an executive session for reasons consistent with RCW
42.30.110(1)(b) and RCW 42.30.110(1)(i):(i) and (iii). The motion was made by
Director Hansen and the second was made by Director Schnebly. The motion passed
unanimously.
The minutes for the August
7, 2018 Board Meeting were approved with a motion made by Director Schnebly and
the second was made by Director Hansen. The motion passed unanimously.
Public Comment: No comments
Water Master Report: As
of September 4, 2018, the storage in the reservoirs was 98.5% of average. There
has been no measurable precipitation recorded at the five reservoirs for
September 1 to date. Precipitation for the water year to date is 240.92 inches,
or 109% of average. Flip flop begins today, the United States Bureau of
Reclamation (USBR) is putting the buoys in the river and will start out with 50
cfs and increase to a maximum of 200 cfs.
Maintenance Report: Mr.
Main reported that fall maintenance has begun. Maintenance crews have been
mowing, spraying, widening roads and clearing right of way, weed eating around
weir pools and head gates.
Secretary Manager’s Activity
Report: Mr. Eberhart reported that he had a scheduling conflict for the upcoming
October Board Meeting and asked if the board would consider moving the meeting.
Director Schnebly made a motion to change the board meeting date to October 11th
at 1:00 p.m. A second was made by Director Hansen, the motion passed
unanimously.
There was an Upper Yakima
Basin Integrated Plan Legislative Tour on August 13th that was well
attended and included KRD site visits.
Mr. Eberhart presented to
the Northwest Power & Conservation Council on August 15th in
Portland, OR. The emphasis on the presentation was the Columbia Basin
Partnership and how the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan and Collaborative Projects
like the KRD Tributary Supplementation and Storage Projects are good examples
for the system to follow.
On August 21 & 22nd,
Mr. Eberhart attended at the Columbia River Group Meeting in Portland, OR.
The Office of Columbia River
Policy Advisory Group will be meeting in Ellensburg on September 6th.
A Ruckelshaus Luncheon is
scheduled for September 11th in Seattle, WA.
The National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation has a tour scheduled for September 28th that
include stops at KRD. KRD is collaborating with Trout Unlimited and National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation on conservation funding.
Mr. Eberhart will be
presenting at the Northwest Regional Floodplain Management Association (NORFMA)
Conference in Bellingham, WA on September 27th.
On October 2nd &
3rd, Mr. Eberhart will be attending the Marine Fisheries Advisory
Committee Columbia Basin Partnership Meeting in Portland, OR.
The KRD had a meeting last
week with a group of geologists, engineers and geophysicists and looked at three
potential sites for the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN)
Act Storage Study.
The 2018 Watersmart
Application with Trout Unlimited is expected to arrive from the Denver Office of
the USBR. Upon arrival KRD will be able to review and sign the final document.
Once the contract is signed, KRD will begin working with the Washington State
Department of Ecology on the agreement for matching funds.
KRD Consultant Walter
Larrick prepared comments for the draft of the Yakima Basinwide Tributaries
Programmatic Investigation Report. The report is working its way through the
USBR and then will be sent to Congress. It was recommended that letters of
support for the report be submitted.
Tetra Tech is working on a
scope of work for the design of a functional spill at the pumping plant on the
North Branch Canal Lining Project Phase II Project.
The target to have the North
Branch Canal Lining Project Phase III sole source language completed and
negotiations to occur on costs is during September. The funding will be from the
5-year agreement from the USBR, in addition KRD is working with the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Trout Unlimited for additional funding.
The South Branch Canal
Lining Phase I Construction Project is expected to begin at Robinson Canyon and
work up to the Swede Tunnel. Director Weaver made a motion to accept the grant
agreement RA18AP00036 from the USBR in the amount of $5,751,700.00. A second was
made by Director Schnebly, the motion passed unanimously. There was extensive
conversation about future planning, including animal ramps.
Jacobs Engineering is
working on the South Branch 13.8 MWDA Connection Project.
KRD is working with Jacobs
Engineering on the KRD Managed Aquifer Recharge Design Contract Package which
will be submitted to Ecology in a request for funding.
Jacobs Engineering stated
that hand core piping would not be sufficient, for the Manastash Ridge Trail
Pipeline, KRD will be working on funding sources to accommodate the change.
Treasurer’s Report: The
Directors’ monthly payroll vouchers were presented for signatures. Summary
Vouchers for the July 2018 expenses and the August 2018 payroll which included
check numbers 42516-42592, direct deposit numbers 9901462 through 9901478 in the
sum of $283,574.64 were approved with a motion made by Director Hansen and the
second was made by Director Weaver. The motion passed unanimously.
Old Business: Mr. Eberhart
reported that during the 2017 Federal Grant and Financial Audit there were some
misclassifications that were reflected. The publication will be forthcoming.
Treasurer Berg reported that
the Call for Bids for the new trucks was published and has ended. In this
process KRD received two bids that met the qualifications. There were other
responses that came in however the vehicles were not available to meet the bid
specifications. Legal Counsel Slothower advised that if the board approved the
purchase KRD would be within the legal parameters to purchase the vehicles in
the Call for Bids. Director Hansen made a motion to purchase two 2018 Chevrolet
Silverado trucks from Harvest Auto. A second was made by Director Weaver, the
motion passed unanimously.
There was one landowner who
fulfilled their obligation for the 2015 Delinquent Accounts. There are six
remaining accounts. The deadline to fulfill payments is September 14th
and for those remaining accounts will begin the foreclosure process.
New Business: Treasurer Berg
presented a banking proposal from U.S. Bank for the review and discussion.
Discussion followed with the consensus that KRD accept the proposal and continue
banking services with U.S. Bank.
Mr. Eberhart reported that
the USBR notified KRD that the Storage Cost Allocation for 2018 are projected to
be $723,000.00. This was meant to be informational only at this time. Further
information will be forthcoming.
Legal Counsel Slothower
reported that KRD has updated the Public Disclosure Policy to reflect some
legislative changes. A draft of the policy was sent to the Attorney General’s
office for review. Edits from the Attorney General’s Office were received and
incorporated into the policy. Director Weaver made a motion to adopt the Public
Disclosure Policy. A second was made by Director Schnebly, the motion passed
unanimously. As a side note, Legal Counsel Slothower mentioned that his office
will be working with KRD to establish an updated administrative policy manual.
Mr. Eberhart provided
memorial information for former KRD Director Laurin Mellergaard who recently
passed away.
Other Business: The Board
adjourned to Executive Session at 2:05 p.m. for 30 minutes per RCW
42.30.110(1)(b) and RCW 42.30.110(1)(i):(i) and (iii) there was a motion made by
Director Hansen and a second made by Director Weaver. The motion passed
unanimously. The Board returned to Regular Session at 2:35 p.m. with a motion
made by Director Hansen and the second was made by Director Weaver. The motion
passed unanimously.
All business having been
concluded the meeting was adjourned.
______________________________________
Mr. Bland KRD Board of
Directors Chairman
______________________________________
Mr. Eberhart KRD Secretary
Manager