CCDD#6 10.4.21 Minutes
Bill motioned to accept the minutes. Eric seconded. Motion passed.
1. Drain maintenance. Brandon and Bill reported on touring the north part of the district. They found a place where Cub River Irrigation has put in a pipe in Bill’s property where they crossed our drain with a 12-in PVC piece that could be a problem in the future.
Brandon said the district needs to determine what size pipe will be allowed on the bottom of a drain. He would like to make sure new pipes are an appropriate size. Bill said if we let people know they might get some help from the district they might be willing to make a change. Brandon said the owner should pay for the whole thing unless it’s something that benefits the whole community, like where it crosses a road or a maintenance place where we need to clean the drain.
Brandon said there is a place at 600 S, west of main where the drain has sloughed off and the power poles are leaning. An excavator is needed along there and there is another place near Van Jorgensen’s that needs one.
Brandon said the excavation is probably enough work for this fall. That would leave some in the budget to take care of problems that come up. The money is budgeted.
Bill moved we do it, Eric seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
2. Policies and procedures: Dennis said the county will not allow us to collect taxes on the annexed property. He asked that the revenue could be added and was told no. He thinks the county wants the districts to be consolidated. JoLynne said the county has agreed to pay for the survey. He said we need to “get to the table” with the council, the county staff who are involved and understand if they are trying to avoid doing a job.
Brandon said he would talk to Councilman Dave Ericson and see if he can arrange a meeting.
The board looked at the policies and procedures that were required by the state auditor’s office. We will discuss culvert sizes at a later date.
Bill moved to accept the policies and procedures. Eric seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Public awareness: JoLynne said she would like to start a blog where the district could post minutes, agendas, and information for the public. The board could also invite Lewiston candidates to submit a post regarding their priorities for drainage. JoLynne will create the blog and share the login credentials with the rest of the board.
The board voted to start the blog.
CCDD#6 Minutes 12-14-2021
In attendance: Dennis, JoLynne, Bill and Eric. Jeff Nielsen and Chad Brown came to present. Eight community members also came.
Dennis welcomed the people who came. It was decided Jeff would present first while Chad set up on the TV.
1. Discuss district boundaries with Jeff Nielsen of Foresight Engineering
Jeff presented some maps
JoLynne said LeGrand Bitter told the district that people who had received services for more than a year were part of the district.
Brandon came in late.
Jeff showed a map of what is being taxed by the district, which is different from the boundaries he had researched. Jeff said they were still working on reconciling the differences.
Dennis said what he is doing now is what the district attempted before.
Jeff said some parcels that CCSD has assumed are part of the district are still not being taxed.
Dennis said a water channel that runs parallel to 800 W on the east side of the road is central to the Cub River Irrigation project plans, so it is important to know whether that is part of the district.
The west side has stayed pretty much the same and matches close to what is on the tax roles.
They are still working on it.
Brandon said the canal was a boundary.
Dennis said this will be part of later discussions.
2. Discuss the Cub River Project with Chad Brown of Fransen Engineering
Dennis said the district has an interest in the Cub River Irrigation Project, and some members of the district also have a personal interest.
Dennis said we were here to gather information, not to discuss merits.
Dennis said the west boundary of the district is an integral part of the Cub River Plan.
Chad said they have been working with Cub River for 20 years.They are looking into putting in a pressurized pipe and are considering piping the main canal.
He presented a map and showed where the lines run. Dennis said a canal serves as both a drain and a canal. He asked if that route includes a pipeline in the plans. This group is interested in knowing where the pipeline would be.
Chad said the irrigation line would be in a pipeline but they would leave the drainage on the shoulder of the irrigation line to continue providing drainage. It will be surveyed for cultural, wetland and other impacts before they know exactly where it will go.
The irrigation wants to fill in where they can but they know it serves a dual purpose.
On the north end there is no drainage coming in and the intent is to bury it there.
Dennis said the reason several of us are here who are not part of the district is that they recently received easement contracts. They couldn’t tell from the map what it meant.
Chad said the pipe would be in the permanent easement. Dennis said there’s serious thought of making it between the channel and the asphalt. He reminded them of the utilities that run there. Other questions that spin off regard the gray water running into the channel. Wherever the pipe goes, if the channel is left open and the gray water runs in there, it’s not diluted anymore.
He said it’s not fair to the people who have that happening to shift the burden 100 percent to them when the easement affects them directly, monetarily. They need to be considered when easements are granted.
Chad said they should go to a Cub River irrigation board meeting to let them know what the concerns are. And at some point he is surprised that is occurring, that water quality hasn’t been a concern before now, and that the state hasn’t put a stop to it.
Dennis said we are all thinking along those same lines. Some homes predate the requirements.
A participant said some homes are old, their tanks are old and everything that needs to be fixed is 80 years old.
Dennis said some neighbors would hold off on signing an easement if others who are impacted are not taken care of.
Dennis said it will come to the intersection of 1600 W and 800 S. Chad said the irrication would still like to put in a pump station but it will take a lot in power and infrastructure to put the water through.
Dennis said he is trying to keep his personal interests separate from his official ones, but it sounds like there is consideration leaving the channel open for drainage purposes. For a lot of years that has been regarded as “our ditch” and not “your drain.”
After the pipeline goes in will it be the irrigation company’s ditch? Who will maintain it?
Chad said when Idaho did a pressurized system, agreements were made with Franklin County to take on the responsibility of drainage ditches. He doesn’t know how it will be handled in this project.
From 1600 S and 1200 N, Dennis has spent a lot of time on that canal with a burner and mower, so he doesn’t see why it will improve if it’s not settled upfront.
Chad said he doesn’t know the answer. The Cub River Irrigation Company will have to answer it.
Jason Trexler, a participant, asked where the canal changes to dual purpose. It’s somewhere north of Center Street, Chad said. Jason asked why he has not received an easement. Chad say there may already be a prescriptive easement. Chad said they have been preparing easements for months.
Dennis said as the district has tried to organize to be compliant, and was brought back to legal reality but UASD. While we want to see progress made we don’t want to rubber-stamp.
Chad has a couple of questions for us. They’re in the process of scheduling a meeting with all 4 districts, need directions for prioritizing.
Chad said they are trying to finish up their easments by this summer. Hoping to start construction in the Fall of 2023.
A few million dollars are expected to go to culverts/drainage specific projects.
Cache County auditor (Jess Bradfield) is also attending. He wants to make sure there is compliance throughout the county.
Chad handout out two maps showing flood plains. A lot of water comes off fields and floods homes north of Center. The bigger the event, the further out it floods. He asked if the maps match up to the experience.
The maps do not show the flooding that happened on the souteast corner of 800 S and Main. It also does not reflect flooding in downtown.
Chad said they have to keep to floodwater, not storm water. They are concerned with water from fields, not storm run-off. They are categorizing 2017 as a 10-year event.
Chad said when the canal is piped, the sub water will decrease so the soil can absorb more. The water table will be lower.
They are designing for a 25 year event.
3. Prepare budget
Dennis said the budget hearing notice needs to go out right away and we need to decide on a date. JoLynne moved It will be on the 30th. Bill seconded. Motion carried. It will be held in the city offices at 6 pm. JoLynne needs to drop of the list of addresses at Dennis’s office. They will send it out.
4. Prepare for budget hearing
Dennis passed out a budget for the general and capitol project and went through the numbers. Bill moved we adopt last year’s budget as this year’s budget. Brandon seconded. Motion carried.
5. Make payments for work done.
Checks were made and signed for drain cleaning and registering our entity with the state.
JoLynne moved the meeting end. Bill seconded. Meeting adjourned.
BUDGET HEARING 12-20-2021
This hearing was held at the specified time and place. Nobody from the public showed.
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