Flathead Irrigation District, May 24, 2023 minutes
Mission West Community Development Partners
407 Main Street SW., Ronan, Mt. 1:00 PM
Attending: Paul Guenzler, David Lake, Bruce White, Trent Coleman and Janette Rosman Absent: No one.
BIA: No report.
Safety of Dams: Jace Smith gave a report on pumping plant. Bureau of Reclamation slope review is presently not on priority list. Charlo Study Meeting to be held in June. Dave Vincent and Trent Coleman have been working with Dr. Berg who has a PHD in irrigation and has been at Cal Poly for 50+ years. There will be a public meeting for Charlo/Moiese irrigators in July. Fixing Crow pump Is a high priority to build water flows at Ninepipes. Stream flows can be monitored at CSKTHydrology.org. Jocko projects shift to Charlo, then blend Charlo/Mission and small projects up North.
April Minutes: David Lake made motion to approve April minutes, Bruce White second, passed.
May Warrants: Click Here Designs $55.00, Five Valleys Law invoice 4576 & 4575 & 4391 $980.50, Montana State Fund $454.25, Whaley & Assoc., $750.00. Total $2239.75.
Flathead Admin, $523,977.00, Flathead O&M $1,056,312.00. Balanced Lake County treas., through April. 2023. Motion was made by Bruce to accept May warrants, second by Trent. Passed.
Collection and payment of BIA Assessment increase from $35.50 to $39.00 per Federal Register: David Lake made motion to approve BIA rate increase from $35.50 to $39.00 as stated on Federal Register. Janette Rosman second. Passed
Review and approve Payne West building insurance: Bruce White made motion to approve Cincinnati Indemnity Company Property insurance policy (St. Ignatius Joint District building) for $1117.00. David second, passed.
Janette Rosman, met with Dept. of Revenue and helping BIA with Splits: Dept. of Revenue, Robin Rude Deputy Administrator, Billings, Wayne Freeman and Jessica Hahn, Dan Lapan and Amanda Funke, held a meeting on May 10, 2023 in Polson Field office. Attending: Whaley Accounting, Mission/Jocko secretary (zoom), Jeanine Padilla, BIA, and three Title Companies in Polson, regarding irrigation land splits. It is the duty of DOR to upload the files they receive from irrigation districts into the county’s tax system for billing purposes. Flathead, Mission and Jocko Districts hired Whaley Accounting July 2017. Whaley acct., started doing assessments in 2019. Before that Black Mtn, software was doing them. Presently Whaley Accounting duties for the Irrigation Districts is balancing Tax assessments with Bia in a timely way for DOR to upload files onto tax statements. Janette asked the commissioners permission to help BIA catch up on past splits for FID irrigators if called upon by Jeannine Padilla. David made motion to approve up to $1,000.00, Trent Second. Passed.
Update on forming entity with CS&KT to manage FIIP: Cassie met with two CS&KT attorneys. Tribal Council had a misunderstanding of irrigators intent. Cassie is meeting with Tribal Council regarding memorandum of understanding, It would be helpful if FID commissioners would talk to Tribal Council Members they know and let them know FID is still interested in forming a joint entity in managing FIIP.
No discussion on quarterly meeting other than too many monthly things to discuss stated Paul. Janette agreed.
Spring BIA meeting was discussed and there were concerns that came out of that meeting.
Public Comment: It’s good to hear news about improving infrastructure. Adjourn: Trent made motion, David second.
Janette Rosman, secretary