CORCORAN IRRIGATION DISTRICT
April 12, 2022
The regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corcoran Irrigation District was held on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at the office of the District, 1150 6 ½ Avenue, Corcoran, California at 9:00 a.m.
Directors Present:
- Peter Rietkerk
- Matthew Gilkey
- Michael Boyett
- Erik Hansen
- Beau Howard
Directors Absent:
- None
Others Present:
- Gene Kilgore, General Manager
- Misty Vasquez, Human Resources
- Mike Martinez, Operations Manager
- Tammy Stephens, Office Administrator
- Devin Eagle, Operations Technician
- Fred Holt, Landowner
- Brandon Spain, Landowner’s Forman
There were no additions, deletions or announcements.
Upon motion of Director Hansen, seconded by Director Howard, 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 $1,370,382.29.
Upon motion of Director Boyett, seconded by Director Gilkey, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the minutes of the March 8, 2022 District Board of Directors meeting with changing “mag” in the eighth paragraph to “megawatt”.
Ms. Stephens reported the beginning March 1, 2022 General Fund checking account balance of $3,332,673.31 and ending March 31, 2022 with a balance of $2,354,633.28.
Ms. Stephens reported on certificate of investments at Kings Federal Credit Union, having a beginning March 1, 2022 balance of $278,418.52 earning interest of $177.35, amounting to an ending balance of $278,595.87. The Kings County Treasurer investments beginning March 1, 2022 balance reported was $4,366,582.07, earning no interest. The District’s total investments, reported as of March 31, 2022, amounted to $4,645,177.94.
Ms. Stephens reported on the accounts receivable aging summary, with no growers being delinquent.
Mr. Kilgore stated the March 2022 water deliveries totaled 5,696 acre-feet. Canal use totaled 1,015 acre-feet. Total water deliveries and Canal Use for March was 6,711 acre-feet. Year-to-date water sales and canal use, amounts to 16,566 and 15,203 acre-feet, respectively. March water supplies were provided by the District’s well field. There was 0.98 inches of rainfall in March. Rainfall reported to date was 5.19 inches. Kings water entitlement for April 10th to-date was 1,642 acre-feet. As of April-July runoff estimated at 50% and as of April 1, water year expected to
be 43%.
Mr. Eagle reported on the state of the District’s well field with seven wells in need of repairs and four wells recently repaired. Current total well Production is 107 CFS, with a potential of 120 CFS.
Mr. Kilgore reported the Cost of Operations at $124.00 per acre-foot for the year. Mr. Kilgore presented the 2022 Budget Variance with no concerns from the Board.
Mr. Kilgore presented the final Environmental Impact Analysis with the final Notice of Exemption for the Floatable Solar Project. The environmental impact analysis supported the determination for categorical exemption requirement of CEQA. Upon motion of Director Hansen, seconded by Director Gilkey and unanimously carried, the Board approved the request to adopt the notice of exemption and environmental impact analysis for the floatable solar project.
Mr. Kilgore presented the Board with the Lake Bottom Livestock (LBL) Pasture Land Lease Agreement. This pasture land lease is for six years beginning April 1, 2022 to October 31, 2028. This agreement allows for LBL to have their cattle graze on the District’s land. Upon motion of Director Gilkey, seconded by Director Howard and unanimously carried, the Board approved the pasture land lease agreement.
Mr. Kilgore informed the Board that a committee for hiring a new General Manager for the District was needed. The Board unanimously agreed that all Board members would make up the hiring committee. Mr. Kilgore presented the Board with the Farmers Paradise, LLC request for an Access Easement Agreement. This easement would allow Farmers Paradise to use the south bank of the Sweet Canal to access their property (APN#034-011-004). Upon motion of Director Hansen, seconded by Director Howard and carried, the Board approved the access easement agreement. Director Rietkerk recused himself from the discussion and vote.
• Ayes: Directors Gilkey, Boyett, Hansen and Howard
• Noes: None
• Abstained: Director Rietkerk
The Board asked to table Agenda Item 13, Resolution 2022-4 Service Acknowledgement of General Manager Gene Kilgore until next month’s District Board meeting.
Mr. Kilgore updated the Board on Grant Funding. The application for the Reservoir Project had been awarded and Corcoran Irrigation District will be receiving grant funding for roughly 1.9 million dollars to add capacity to the Salyer’s Reservoir. The second grant for the Pipeline Conveyance Project is still in the qualifying process and Mr. Kilgore is waiting to see if CID will be awarded the grant funding.
Mr. Kilgore informed the Board that April 1st was the deadline for California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) to remove the dams blocking the flow of water at Highway 43 and Nevada Avenue where the Main Canal intersects with the Sweet Canal. When the CHSRA removed the dams, the water breached the temporary CHSRA put in. The water flooded roughly 50 acres of CID’s solar field. CHSRA dewatered the solar field and repaired the temporary berms. The water once again breached the temporary berms. CHSRA brought out two pumps to pump water over the temporary berms. Mr. Kilgore will be invoicing DFJV for the loss of water, which was roughly 13 acre-feet. Mr. Kilgore also informed the Board that CHSRA, as well as CID, received notice and is require to cease any interactions it may have with Russia under Governor Newsom’s, March 4, 2022, executive order N-6-22 regarding sanction in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Mr. Kilgore informed the Board that the 5-megawatt solar site on Sec. 23 is currently producing power and WhitePine is moving forward with the Reservoir 1-D floating solar project.
Mr. Kilgore informed the Board that El Rico meeting was scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Mr. Kilgore also informed the Board that El Rico had added all items within CID’s ground water stainability project list to El Rico’s annual report.
Mr. Kilgore updated the Board on legislation that Valley Ag Water Coalition had sent to its supporters.
The Board of Directors and Mr. Kilgore went into closed session at 11:15 a.m.
Director Rietkerk reconvened open session at 11:30 a.m., with no action reportable.
Next Board meeting was set for May 10, 2022.