March 13, 2024 District No. 2 Board Meeting Minutes

 

MINUTES

Of the

MEETING OF THE COMMISSIONERS

Of the

BUFFALO RAPIDS IRRIGATION DISTRICT NO. 2

Terry, Montana

March 13, 2024

The Eleventh Regular Meeting of the members of the Buffalo Rapids Irrigation District No. 2 at Terry, Prairie County, Montana, was held on the Thirteenth day of March, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.

            There were present and participating at the meeting:

Barry Rakes

Lance Kalfell

Jackson Dion

Also present and participating were: Tim Kortum, Secretary, and Jessica Schott, Treasurer.

            President Barry Rakes called the meeting to order at 12:50 p.m., stating that all necessary and advisable business be conducted during this time and that notice had been received by each Board Member.

            Thereupon, President Barry Rakes 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 from the February 14, 2024, Regular Board Meeting were approved without corrections and, or additions, on a motion made by Lance Kalfell and seconded by Jackson Dion at 12:52 p.m.  All in Favor.  Motion Carried.

            FINANCIAL REPORT:

Jessica Schott presented current budget figures which included payroll and expenditures through March to all Board members for their review.  Ms. Schott informed the board that a delay in grant fund reimbursement had occurred due to quarterly reports not being submitted and a lack of communication or response to multiple contact attempts from Performance Engineering.  There has also been another change in ARPA grant managers and attempts to have a conference/meeting with the new ARPA manager and Performance Engineering have not been successful.  Lack of grant reimbursement will create a funds deficit this month without a transfer from Reserve Accounts.  A list of invoices to be paid was submitted and forms for the Prairie County Treasurer to transfer funds in the amount of $202,199.03, to cover payroll and invoices were signed. March 15^th estimated payroll: $17,388.06, March invoices: $169,425.56, which included invoices from Treasure State Irrigation for the final order of pipe and fittings for the Lateral 1.6 Pipeline project, and March 31^st estimated payroll: $15,385.41.  After some discussion, a second transfer authorization was presented to transfer $76,422.05 from the System Rehab reserve account to District 2 Cash O & M for Operating Expenses, to be reimbursed upon receipt of grant reimbursement.  These transfer authorizations were approved on a motion by Barry Rakes, seconded by Lance Kalfell at 1:20 p.m.  All in Favor.  Motion Carried.  Ms. Schott then presented the investment statement, which was signed to invest the remaining monthly District No. 2 cash balances in the amount of $179,868.40 with the Prairie County Investment Pool.  Warrant numbers from February 16, 2024 to March 14, 2024 range from 28164-28213.

            Jessica Schott then informed the board that no investment interest income was received due to the Prairie County Treasurer’s sudden resignation, and the deputy Treasurer being unable to retrieve the investment statement from January to deposit for February.  Ms. Schott stated that the deputy is hoping to get assistance with retrieving the reports in order to deposit investment interest income for January to deposit interest income for January and February in March.

The treasurer's report was approved at 1:23 p.m. on a motion by Jackson Dion, seconded by Lance Kalfell.  All in Favor.  Motion Carried.

            MANAGER’S REPORT:

            Tim Kortum reported to the Buffalo Rapids Irrigation District No. 2 Board that employees working on the Lateral 1.6 pipeline project were making swift progress with the pipeline construction, and had installed about 1/3 of the pipe on-hand, and that they had reached the area in the lateral about even with the Fairground grandstands.  Mr. Kortum relayed that an additional easement would be needed between the District and Russ Waples for the area on his parcel where the syphon currently comes out.  Mr. Kortum stated that he would meet Mr. Waples on-site to discuss in further detail, but that Mr. Waples is agreeable to granting the easement.

            Mr. Kortum then explained to the members of the Buffalo Rapids Irrigation District No. 2 Board that the previously discussed issue of water delivery to Duane Lassle in the Shirley division would not be an issue this season.  Mr. Kortum reported that Finneman Farms would not be installing their new pivot until 2025, therefore postponing the issue of water delivery to Mr. Lassle until then.  Tim Kortum additionally stated, however, that the issue should be addressed and remedy options made available before the issue came up again later, and that he had suggested Mr. Lassle consider installing a pivot as well.  Mr. Lassle has since investigated his options for doing so, and discovered he does not currently qualify for any FSA program funding for purchasing a pivot, and would look into some other options before the need was urgent.  Mr. Kortum stated he still planned to discuss other options for water delivery to Mr. Lassle with Ms. McAulay when discussing and notifying her of the second phase of the Shirley canal lining project planned for Fall of 2024.

            Tim Kortum reported to the Buffalo Rapids Irrigation District No. 2 Board that in response to the Bureau of Reclamation’s bridge inspection findings, Jessica Schott had located documentation from the files that stated the District does not own or have responsibility for any bridges or canal crossings.  This information was forwarded to Chris Gomer, the regional BOR representative, who stated that letters to the landowners would be mailed to notify them of the inspection findings and requirement for closure and removal or repair.  Mr. Kortum additionally stated that he had made contact with both owners, and had offered the District’s assistance with removal of the bridges to ensure the integrity of the canal was maintained, but that the landowners would be responsible for facilitating the materials and cost of the bridges’ replacement. 

            Lastly, Jessica Schott mentioned that representatives from Colonial Life would be on site on March 26^th to offer supplemental insurance plans, similar to the existing plans offered by Aflac, to eligible full-time employees who wished to purchase supplemental insurance plans at 100% employee cost, but deducted partially pre-taxed from payroll.  The Buffalo Rapids Irrigation District No. 2 Board was agreeable to the offer of additional coverage at the expense of the full-time employees who wish to purchase coverage.

            The meeting was adjourned at 1:42 p.m. on a motion by Lance Kalfell, seconded by Jackson Dion.  All in Favor.  Motion Carried.

 

            ATTESTED:

 

________________________________                    ____________________________________

Tim Kortum, Secretary                                               Barry Rakes, President