Sterling, Colorado, December 8, 2009
MINUTES of a meeting of the Board of Directors of the North Sterling Irrigation District held at their office in Sterling at 12:30 p.m., December 8, 2009.
Directors David Hernandez, David Breidenbach, James Aranci, Secretary James Yahn, and Leon Rose were present.
Minutes of Board meeting held November 9, 2009 were approved as received.
Expense for the month of November was allowed in the total amount of $120,950.81 and ordered paid as shown on sheets attached to and made part of these minutes by due action of the Board, all Directors present voting aye.
The Board and secretary reviewed attorney Ronni Sperling’s legal update, which included an updated trial schedule for cases in which North Sterling is involved and gave an update on proposed water legislation. A new water resume had not been released at the time of the meeting therefore no action was taken.
This being the meeting at which election results are to be finalized and there having been no more candidates than offices to be filled for the North Sterling Irrigation District and the Designated Election Official having duly published notice of cancellation of the election scheduled for December 8th, 2009, David Breidenbach was declared by the Board of Directors to have been elected by acclamation to be Director for Division No. 1 of said District for the term of three (3) years from January 1, 2010.
Secretary Yahn stated that he had received a letter stating that a new contract from Baker Petrolite for the use of Magnacide will be sent out to each user. The letter also stated that the price will be increased by 40%. It was the consensus of the board to have secretary Yahn investigate the cost of using copper sulfate for control of the algae so that Magnacide would be needed only for the control of the sago pondweed and perhaps the cost could be reduced.
Secretary Yahn discussed with the board whether the North Sterling Irrigation District desires to enter into an agreement with the Colorado State Parks to allow the contractor currently performing our spillway construction to perform the reconstruction of the road through the spillway. In the agreement, Secretary Yahn would oversee the construction and the District would be compensated for this work. The District would also enter into a contract with Interstate Irrigation to perform the road reconstruction and use the engineers currently being used on our spillway project for quality control and submission of information to the State Engineer’s Office. North Sterling would pay for all the expenses and be reimbursed by the State Parks. It was moved by Director Breidenbach and seconded by Aranci to enter into the agreement with the State Parks after the agreement is finalized and the contract with Interstate Irrigation is completed by our attorney, Levi Williamson, provided the State agrees to pay the District $25,000 for its part of overseeing the construction. Upon being put to a vote the motion passed.
Secretary Yahn informed the directors that he had met with Aaron Million of the Million Conservation Resource Group to discuss the Flaming Gorge pipeline project. This project is a proposal to bring water from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Wyoming through a pipeline along the I-80 corridor to the east slope of Colorado to provide water for municipalities and agriculture. Mr. Million asked if the North Sterling had any interest in obtaining water from the project should it be built, and, if so, how much. After some discussion it was the consensus of the board to send a letter of initial interest to Mr. Million expressing the need for of 25,000 acre-feet of water from the project.
Secretary Yahn asked if members of the group performing work on the water coop idea could present at next month’s meeting. It was the consensus of the board to place the water coop on the agenda for next month.
It was moved by Director Aranci, seconded by Director Breidenbach, that for Christmas Secretary Yahn purchase a $150 gift certificate for each employee. Upon being put to a vote the motion passed.
Secretary Yahn stated that current storage is 46,343 acre-feet or 62% of capacity and that the current inlet diversion is approximately 280 cfs with about 100 cfs reaching the reservoir.
With no further business to come before the Board the meeting was adjoined at 2:30 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
James T. Yahn, Secretary