Flathead Irrigation District Minutes, January 25, 2023
Mission West Community Development Partners
407 Main Street SW., Ronan, Mt.
Attending Commissioners: Paul Guenzler, Bruce White, Trent Coleman and Janette Rosman.
Absent Commissioners: David Lake, excused.
Safety of Dams was to give a report and requested Seth Makepeace to take their place. Seth is Water Resource Manager for CSKT. Seth gave a very informative and detailed report regarding how Compact and Winn funds are being used on FIIP. Jocko area improvements are being implemented right now, and planning process for Charlo area will go out to the irrigators in March. He also reported many details for the entire project and I recommend that whenever you get a chance to hear Seth Makepeace talk about the Irrigation Project it will be well worth your time. It was a nice surprise for FID when he showed up to our meeting.
BIA, Larry Nelson attended our meeting and was wondering if BIA was going to be used to collect O&M fees beings Lake County Commissioners have signed a resolution that they are not going to collect O&M fees and have notified Irrigation Districts. Paul told him to hold off we don’t know yet.
November Minutes: Bruce White made motion to accept November minutes. Trent Coleman, second. Passed.
December and January Warrants: Trent Coleman made motion to accept December/January warrants. Bruce Second. Passed. (Emergency travel only on day of cancelled December meeting).
BIA Warrant for first half of 2023 O&M fees: Janette motioned that we pay BIA $1,557,995.04 O&M fees for first half of 2023 irrigation season. Bruce Second. Passed.
December/January FID Warrants: Click Here Design 2X’s $55, Five Valley Law invoice 4187 $270.00, Commissioners mileage and meeting attendance: Paul Guenzlar $881.25, Dave Lake $1507.50, Dave Lake reimbursement lodging $108.92, Trent Coleman $925.63, Bruce White $850.00, Janette Rosman $1195.00. US treasurer payroll deposit $174.42, Mt. withholding tax $28.00, MT UI $1.71. Janette Rosman payroll for July-December 6 months $1024.79, State Treasurer-Local Gov. Services-Annual report $1300.00, Whalley Accounting 2X’s $750.00. Total: $10,159.75. Balances ADMIN Acct. $530,599.00. O&M $2,320,944.00 Balanced with Lake Co. Treasurer thru December, 2022. (Note BIA check had not cleared at January meeting date).
MACo Insurance dropped insurance on all three Districts. Payne West is presently looking for a policy that will work for each irrigation district.
Whaley Accounting dealt with letter received from IRS regarding 2018 report. They have also finished Census report and filed it on December 16, 2022.
LGS audit 2021-2022 with Wipfli: Janette Rosman made motion to contact Wipfli to do Local Government audits for 2021-2022. Bruce Second. Passed
January payment for Johanna Clark restitution came in and was deposited with Treasurer following meeting.
Two letters came in from Dept of Justice, one regarding filing extension of stay of all claims in Basins 76L and 76LJ. Second letter was notification of Substitution of Council. Letters are filed in FID folder. Sent copies to Bruce.
Public Comment: Irrigator made comment he does not approve of BIA hiring practices. Make BIA hire non-natives after several attempts to hire native employees.
Adjourn: Trent made motion to adjourn, Bruce second. Janette Rosman, secretary