Flathead Irrigation District Meeting, April 15, 2019
Lake County Community Development
407 Main Street, Ronan, Mt. 1:00 PM
Attending Commissioners: All FID Commissioners were present.
Absent: No one.
Pledge:
Recording: FID (Janette) and David Passieri.
Pete Plant texted Paul and was unable to attend meeting. On Tuesday Pete will meet with district chairs and BIA officials at 3:00 PM followed by Spring BIA meeting with irrigators at 5:30, Ninepipes Lodge.
Ethan Mace Hydrologist from CSKT-Mt Compact Implementation Technical Team, Handed out a Summary Report: The three areas CITT team work on involving FIIP irrigation water are: Water measurement, on farm efficiency and stock water.
Today he was talking pacifically about AgriMet stations. They are an automated weather station that runs continually to determine how much irrigation water will be needed. Anybody can download AgriMet Stations data. As part of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Montana Water Rights Compact the Compact Implementation Technical Team (CITT) is working with the Bureau of Reclamation to improve the AgriMet weather station network that serves the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project area. Three new stations will be added in the Little Bitterroot, Moiese and Arlee Areas to the already existing network of two stations located at Round Butte and St. Ignatius. This plan includes placing a new station at round Butte, maintaining a period of overlap with the existing station, and then moving the existing Round Butte Station to the Arlee area. We propose this because site conditions have changed at the existing Round Butte station, reducing it overall representativeness.
The two existing AgriMet stations are being paid for by FIIP irrigators, either directly through the Flathead Irrigation District or indirectly through the BIA. Existing Memorandum of Understanding for this funding cite the former FJBC which no longer exists as a legal entity. The CITT recommends unburdening the irrigators of this recurring annual operation and maintenance fee. The parties to the Compact have already agreed to execute a CITT recommendation to fund the three new stations. The CITT now recommends using CSKT-Mt Compact contributions to settlement to fund the two existing stations. Operation and maintenance cost for each station is about $1600.00. Estimated building cost for each new station is $10,000.00. As with the three new stations, annual O&M will be administered by the CSKT using an updated MOU with the Reclamation as the funding vehicle for 10 years, paid for using the State settlement funds.
It was Ethan’s suggestion FID would sponsor the proposal he was presenting to CITT Team. Ethan did say the bill would likely be a pass thru BIA. He has not talked to Pete about this yet.
March Minutes were read, motion made by David Lake and second by Dave Vincent, Passed.
2018 Budget was passed out; David Lake made motion to approve the 2018 Budget, Bruce White second. Passed. Paul Greico asked if at the May meeting irrigators would have actual expenditures for 2018. Dave Vincent said it should be simple to have a running balance. Whaley Accounting will provide 2018 budget with actuals for May meeting to determine 2019 budget. Today we approved the 2018 Budget.
2019 Budget was tabled until March meeting Motion made by Dave Vincent, David Lake second. Passed. David Lake will talk to Whaley Accounting.
Warrants were reviewed: District Office warrants: Access Montana $38.30, Blackfoot Telephone $65.58, Mission Valley Power $232.26, Republic Services $19.66, Town of St. Ignatius water/sewer $54.33, Total April expense for District office $410.13. US Treasury 1st Qtr. payroll tax deposit $110.16. Unemployment Insurance Division $2.52.
Whaley & Associates PC monthly accounting fee $479.40. Total FID Warrants $1002.22.
Motion was made by Bruce White, Second by Janette Rosman to approve warrants. Passed. FID Admin,-$651, 429.00. FID O&M $820,286.00. As of 2/28/19
Budgeting methods: Accrual or Cash Basis, Fiscal or Calendar year: David Lake made motion to change from Calendar year to Fiscal Year, November 1-October 31 (covers Tax collection dates of O&M Admin fee) and continue to stay on Cash Bases. Bruce 2nd Passed.
Employee hire: Work on Election/Black Mountain Updates and other secretarial work as needed. David Lake made motion to hire Contract Labor to work with Black Mountain Updates, Dave Vincent second. Passed. Bruce White suggested that we pay Whaley Accounting to find the missing 19,000 acres and then FID needs to verify Whaley’s report. Paul Greico asked if we were going to verify the addresses. Bruce White said Sanders County was not making the address changes to Black Mountain. There lies the problem. Bruce White made the motion to hire Whaley Accounting to find the missing ballots; Paul suggested that David Lake and Bruce White go talk to Whaley Accounting. Motion was worded to hire Contract Labor to find the missing Ballot acreage incase Whaley Accounting was unable to take on project.
Purchase Ad in newspaper with other Districts and explain how election process is going to work. Ray contacted Paul to see if the Districts could work together on getting information out to the public. Susan Lake suggested we have Valley Journal and Missoulian, Karen Peterson and or Patrick Reilly write an article for their respective papers. Item was tabled.
Third and final reading Article IX. FID Bylaws: Dave Vincent made a motion to accept the third and final reading of Article IX, The fiscal year of the District shall be November 1st to October 31st. Bruce Second. Passed.
Public Comments: Paul Greico wants to see actual 2018 FID expenditures. Paul stated the FID total expenditures for 2018 were about $61,000.00. The remaining expenditures were FJBC carry overs. Susan Lake wants minutes and agenda to be included in emails when emailing monthly meeting notices.
Adjourn: David Lake Made motion to adjourn, Dave Vincent second. Passed.