MINUTES
of the
MEETING OF THE COMMISSIONERS
of the
BUFFALO RAPIDS BOARD OF CONTROL
Terry, Montana
April 08, 2009
The Twelfth Regular Meeting of the members of the Buffalo Rapids Project Board of Control, at Terry, Prairie County, Montana, was held on the Eighth day of April, 2009, at 8:00p.m.
There were present and participating at the meeting:
Ray Roethle
Jim Finneman
James Whitmer
Brian Wittmayer
Ray Strasheim
Barry Rakes
Clark Cameron
Also present and participating were David Schwarz, Secretary, and Pat Davis, Assistant Secretary, and Machine Shop foreman Allen Gierke. Mr. Paul Strom was present from Paul Strom & Associates auditing services to answer any questions and to explain the audit process to the members of the Board.
President Roethle called the meeting to order, stating that all necessary and advisable business be conducted during this time and that notice had been received by each Board Member.
Thereupon, President Roethle announced that legal notice had been given and a quorum was present so that the meeting was legally and lawfully ready to transact business.
The Minutes and Resolution from the March 11, 2009 meeting were approved without correction.
FINANCIAL REPORT:
Pat Davis presented current budget figures which included payroll and expenditures for April. A list of invoices to be paid was submitted and forms for the Prairie County Treasurer to transfer funds to cover payroll and invoices were signed. S.T.I.P. investment transfers were also signed to invest the remaining monthly District I and District II cash balances. A transfer sheet was also signed for District I to transfer funds of $2,106.88 for the payment of pipe purchased due on Stockman Bank Loan.
Brian Wittmayer made a motion, seconded by James Whitmer, to approve the Treasurer’s report and the transfer of $64,374.73 for District I. Ray Strasheim made a motion, seconded by Jim Finneman, that the Treasurer’s report and the transfer of $54,266.40 for District II be approved. Motions carried.
The Board was informed by Pat Davis that the S.T.I.P. interest rate had dropped to 1.026%. She asked the Board if they would like to invest their money into any of the local banks or to leave it where it currently was. After much discussion is was decided to keep the money in S.T.I.P. On a motion made by James Whitmer and seconded by Brian Whittmayer, for District I; and on a motion made by Jim Finneman and seconded by Ray Strasheim, for District II; it was
RESOLVED, That Buffalo Rapids District I and District II would continue to invest funds in S.T.I.P.
Motions carried.
Pat asked for the Board’s opinion on the upcoming election. It was decided to hold the election at Milne Implement in Glendive, MT on May 05, 2009, from 12:00 noon until 8:00pm. The election judges will be paid $100.00 for the day, with all costs of the election to be split between District I and District II.
Pat also informed the Board that the annual Buffalo Rapids Project inventory had been completed and was available for viewing.
James Whitmer was asked who the next Member at Large would be. He informed Pat that he had not found an individual yet to fill the position, but she would be notified before the next meeting in time to send notice.
Brian Wittmayer asked Pat if she could run a report for the next meeting that would include a 2008 to 2009 year comparison. She informed the Board that she would work on it and try to have it available at the next meeting.
MANAGER’S REPORT:
Allen Gierke, machine shop foreman, stated that they had finished the pumps from Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project and were ready to bill them out for an approximate fourteen to fifteen thousand dollars. The three Terry pumps were in and will have Fallon and Fallon Relift in by the end of next week. Some of the machine shop crew will start to go to work on the ditch, so Allen will lose about half of his help. He informed the Board that the motors at the pumping plants are typically gone through every five years, and pumps every three years. He had taken a look at the Shirley coffer dam and reported that it had held up very well with the ice jams on the river. He stated that the machine shop was running right on schedule for the year.
Dave informed the Board that he hadn’t written the letter to Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad yet. He is waiting to hear back from the Bureau of Reclamation who thought they might have additional information that could help concerning the issue.
Dave spoke with the members of the Board about the stimulus money that was available to the project. He was approached by the D.N.R.C. with twenty minutes time available to gather information before the bill went to the floor. Buffalo Rapids was granted one hundred thousand dollars for pipeline laterals 2.2, 2.6, 7.6. They were also granted one hundred thousand dollars for the fish screening project.
The crew is finishing up the Dukart pipeline, with weather permitting they will be done by the end of the week. They are also putting the transmission in the crane and then will start setting turnouts. Dave and Tim have located an 8,000 gallon diesel tank for scrap metal price. There may be a possibility of a 15,000 gallon gas tank available also.
Dave is applying for a twenty five thousand dollar planning grant to fund the grant writing and planning of the engineering portion of the fish screening project and the Lateral 26.4 pipeline in District I.
NRCS is reviewing the fish screen design and should be able to order soon.
Dave is working with Jeremy Pile out of Miles City to possibly help with the instillation of the pipe on Lateral 3.2 & 34.5. Dave has been in contact with the state concerning the grants for Lateral 3.2, and canal automation. They stated that they would like to see these three projects completed within the year.
The Commissioners of the Board of Buffalo Rapids would like to recognize Ray Strasheim for his 35 years of excellent service on the Board.
Next meeting will be held on May 11, 2009, at 8:00p.m.
There being no further business to be considered, and no objection, the said meeting of the Commissioners of the Buffalo Rapids Project Board of Control adjourned.
ATTESTED:
________________________________ ____________________________________
David J. Schwarz, Secretary Ray Roethle, President
of the
MEETING OF THE COMMISSIONERS
of the
BUFFALO RAPIDS BOARD OF CONTROL
Terry, Montana
April 08, 2009
The Twelfth Regular Meeting of the members of the Buffalo Rapids Project Board of Control, at Terry, Prairie County, Montana, was held on the Eighth day of April, 2009, at 8:00p.m.
There were present and participating at the meeting:
Ray Roethle
Jim Finneman
James Whitmer
Brian Wittmayer
Ray Strasheim
Barry Rakes
Clark Cameron
Also present and participating were David Schwarz, Secretary, and Pat Davis, Assistant Secretary, and Machine Shop foreman Allen Gierke. Mr. Paul Strom was present from Paul Strom & Associates auditing services to answer any questions and to explain the audit process to the members of the Board.
President Roethle called the meeting to order, stating that all necessary and advisable business be conducted during this time and that notice had been received by each Board Member.
Thereupon, President Roethle announced that legal notice had been given and a quorum was present so that the meeting was legally and lawfully ready to transact business.
The Minutes and Resolution from the March 11, 2009 meeting were approved without correction.
FINANCIAL REPORT:
Pat Davis presented current budget figures which included payroll and expenditures for April. A list of invoices to be paid was submitted and forms for the Prairie County Treasurer to transfer funds to cover payroll and invoices were signed. S.T.I.P. investment transfers were also signed to invest the remaining monthly District I and District II cash balances. A transfer sheet was also signed for District I to transfer funds of $2,106.88 for the payment of pipe purchased due on Stockman Bank Loan.
Brian Wittmayer made a motion, seconded by James Whitmer, to approve the Treasurer’s report and the transfer of $64,374.73 for District I. Ray Strasheim made a motion, seconded by Jim Finneman, that the Treasurer’s report and the transfer of $54,266.40 for District II be approved. Motions carried.
The Board was informed by Pat Davis that the S.T.I.P. interest rate had dropped to 1.026%. She asked the Board if they would like to invest their money into any of the local banks or to leave it where it currently was. After much discussion is was decided to keep the money in S.T.I.P. On a motion made by James Whitmer and seconded by Brian Whittmayer, for District I; and on a motion made by Jim Finneman and seconded by Ray Strasheim, for District II; it was
RESOLVED, That Buffalo Rapids District I and District II would continue to invest funds in S.T.I.P.
Motions carried.
Pat asked for the Board’s opinion on the upcoming election. It was decided to hold the election at Milne Implement in Glendive, MT on May 05, 2009, from 12:00 noon until 8:00pm. The election judges will be paid $100.00 for the day, with all costs of the election to be split between District I and District II.
Pat also informed the Board that the annual Buffalo Rapids Project inventory had been completed and was available for viewing.
James Whitmer was asked who the next Member at Large would be. He informed Pat that he had not found an individual yet to fill the position, but she would be notified before the next meeting in time to send notice.
Brian Wittmayer asked Pat if she could run a report for the next meeting that would include a 2008 to 2009 year comparison. She informed the Board that she would work on it and try to have it available at the next meeting.
MANAGER’S REPORT:
Allen Gierke, machine shop foreman, stated that they had finished the pumps from Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project and were ready to bill them out for an approximate fourteen to fifteen thousand dollars. The three Terry pumps were in and will have Fallon and Fallon Relift in by the end of next week. Some of the machine shop crew will start to go to work on the ditch, so Allen will lose about half of his help. He informed the Board that the motors at the pumping plants are typically gone through every five years, and pumps every three years. He had taken a look at the Shirley coffer dam and reported that it had held up very well with the ice jams on the river. He stated that the machine shop was running right on schedule for the year.
Dave informed the Board that he hadn’t written the letter to Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad yet. He is waiting to hear back from the Bureau of Reclamation who thought they might have additional information that could help concerning the issue.
Dave spoke with the members of the Board about the stimulus money that was available to the project. He was approached by the D.N.R.C. with twenty minutes time available to gather information before the bill went to the floor. Buffalo Rapids was granted one hundred thousand dollars for pipeline laterals 2.2, 2.6, 7.6. They were also granted one hundred thousand dollars for the fish screening project.
The crew is finishing up the Dukart pipeline, with weather permitting they will be done by the end of the week. They are also putting the transmission in the crane and then will start setting turnouts. Dave and Tim have located an 8,000 gallon diesel tank for scrap metal price. There may be a possibility of a 15,000 gallon gas tank available also.
Dave is applying for a twenty five thousand dollar planning grant to fund the grant writing and planning of the engineering portion of the fish screening project and the Lateral 26.4 pipeline in District I.
NRCS is reviewing the fish screen design and should be able to order soon.
Dave is working with Jeremy Pile out of Miles City to possibly help with the instillation of the pipe on Lateral 3.2 & 34.5. Dave has been in contact with the state concerning the grants for Lateral 3.2, and canal automation. They stated that they would like to see these three projects completed within the year.
The Commissioners of the Board of Buffalo Rapids would like to recognize Ray Strasheim for his 35 years of excellent service on the Board.
Next meeting will be held on May 11, 2009, at 8:00p.m.
There being no further business to be considered, and no objection, the said meeting of the Commissioners of the Buffalo Rapids Project Board of Control adjourned.
ATTESTED:
________________________________ ____________________________________
David J. Schwarz, Secretary Ray Roethle, President
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