CORCORAN IRRIGATION DISTRICT
April 13, 2021
The regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corcoran Irrigation District was held on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at the office of the District, 1150 6 ½ Avenue, Corcoran, California at 9:00 a.m.
Directors Present: Peter Rietkerk, Michael Boyett, Matthew Gilkey, Doug DeVaney, Erik Hansen
Others Present: Gene Kilgore – General Manager, Tammy Stephens – Office Administrator, Devin Eagle – Operations Technician, Misty Vasquez – Human Resources, Mike Martinez – Operations Manager, Rodney Machado – CalCom Energy, John Fahy – EPMC Group, Dylan Dupre – WhitePine Renewables, Franco Godoy – EPMC Group
Mr. Kilgore asked to add CalCom Energy and WhitePine Renewables to the Agenda Item #14.
Mr. Kilgore informed the Board that an employee had injured a digit and was off 6 days, expected to recover.
Upon motion of Director DeVaney, seconded by Director Hansen, and unanimously carried, the Board approved and authorized Mrs. Stephens to draw Warrants on the Treasury of the District to pay invoices in the Warrant Register amounting to $1,119,246.36.
Upon motion of Director DeVaney, seconded by Director Gilkey, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the minutes of the March 09, 2021 District Board of Directors meeting.
Ms. Stephens reported the beginning March 1, 2021 General Fund checking account balance of $1,563,898.07 and ending March 31th balance of $953,623.51.
Ms. Stephens reported on certificate of investments at Kings Federal Credit Union, having a beginning March 1, 2021 balance of $276,338.85 earning interest of $176.02, amounting to an ending balance of $276,514.87. The Kings County Treasurer investments beginning March 1, 2021 balance reported was $4,437,213.23, earning no interest. The District withdrew $100,000.00 to supplement the District’s general fund account, and ending March 31st balance of $4,337,213.23. The District’s total investments, reported as of March 31, 2021 amounted to $4,613,728.10.
Ms. Stephens provided a summary on the accounts receivable aging summary, with no growers being delinquent.
Mr. Kilgore reported March 2021 water tolls totaled 3,746 acre-feet. Canal use for March 2021 totaled 1,305 acre-feet. Total water tolls and Canal Use to date was 12,563 and 4,377 acre-feet, respectively. The combined year-to-date deliveries totaled 16,940 acre-feet. Water supply provided by well field.
John Fahy and Franco Godoy from EPMC Group gave a presentation on SmartWater Integrated Monitoring System for well operations. EPMC Group will provide a monitoring system that will support real-time streaming, transactional and business analytics. This will allow for maximizing available water, power efficiency, and detect trouble spots in the well field.
Mr. Kilgore presented the YTD Cost of Operations at $254.00 per acre-foot. Mr. Kilgore presented the Budget with no concerns from the Board Directors. Mr. Kilgore presented Circle T Farms land lease agreement for 6 acres on Section 21/20/20, for a term of a five years at $750 annually, ending on May 31, 2026. Upon motion of Director Boyett, seconded by Director Gilkey, and unanimously carried, the Board approved executing the lease agreement.
Mr. Kilgore asked the Board of Directors to approve Resolution 2021-1 to withdraw of $100,000.00 from Kings County Treasury. Upon motion of Director Gilkey, seconded by Director Hansen, and unanimously carried, the Board approved Resolution 2021-1.
Mr. Kilgore asked the Board of Directors what position the District would like to take on the Greater Kaweah GSA 218 Election. Mr. Kilgore suggested they vote Yes. Upon motion of Director DeVaney, seconded by Director Gilkey, and unanimously carried, the Board approved Mr. Kilgore to vote in the affirmative.
Ms. Vasquez asked the Board to consider making all District Employee’s benefits (Medical, Disability, Vision, Dental, Life insurance) start 30 days after the employee’s start date. Upon motion of Director Hansen, seconded by Director Gilkey, and unanimously carried, the Board approved to consolidate the enrollment eligibility dates for employee benefits.
Mr. Kilgore informed the Board of Directors that the High-Speed Rail’s offer to purchase roughly 5 acres of the west portion of Reservoir 3 was currently in a 90-day escrow after Director Rietkerk signed the purchase contract on April 12,2021. Mr. Kilgore also informed the Board that District would be moving the levee in the next couple of weeks and may use Superior Ag to assist.
Mr. Kilgore informed the Board that he had added 7 new projects to El Rico’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan list to be potentially funded by future grant funds. Unfortunately, El Rico did not put the 7 projects into the GSA Agenda. Mr. Kilgore informed the Directors that he would bring it up at the El Rico GSA meeting on April 13, 2021.
Rodney Machado and Dylla Dupre from WhitePine and CalCom Energy gave a presentation on floating solar power proposed project at 6th and Nevada. WhitePine would develop, finance, own and operate the system. Corcoran Irrigation District would buy the energy produced. In addition, every 5th year in California is a “wet” year which requires limited water pumping, WhitePine would refund the district 25% of one year’s energy production that is consumed. The benefit to having floating solar in the reservoirs will allow for roughly eight acre-feet of reduced evaporation losses per acre of reservoir that is covered by the solar.
Next Board meeting was set for May 11, 2021.
There being no further business before the Board, meeting was adjourned.