HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 08/21/1981MINUTES
Regular Water Board Meeting
August 21, 1981
MEMBERS PRESENT: Ray Anderson, Bernie Cain, Henry Caulfield, Chuck Turner,
David Stewart (alt.). `
STAFF PRESENT: Dennis Bode, Paul Eckman, Jim Hibbard, Roger Krempel,
Curt Miller, Andy Pineda, Mike Smith.
OTHERS PRESENT: John Dewhirst and Sherry Albertson -Clark from City Planning
Dept., and Bob Leimgruber, Graduate Student CSU.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Norm Evans, Ward Fischer, Harvey Johnson, Tom Moore,
Ev Richardson, George Wallace.
Prior to the start of the meeting, Bob Leimgruber, a graduate student in landscape
architecture at CSU showed the slide/tape presentation he had prepared as a graduate
study project. It focuses on the Poudre River as it flows through Fort Collins,
portraying some concepts that could be explored for use of the river in this area.
City Planning staff representatives, John Dewhirst and Sherry Albertson -Clark
attended the slide/tape presentation. They informed the Board that the Department
has purchased the slide/tape show with the intention of showing it to various groups
and organizations throughout the City to generate some excitement for the potential
of the River within the City.
Comments and suggestions from the Board will be recorded under Committee Reports
later on in the minutes.
Due to the absence of both the chairman and vice-chairman of the Water Board,
Henry Caulfield was selected to chair the meeting. He opened the meeting and the
following items were discussed:
Minutes Approved.
Ditch Consolidation
Roger Krempel reported that the Ditch Consolidation study is going very well. It
has progressed beyond the preliminary phase of gathering information, and is now in
the second phase of developing alternatives.
Also in regard to ditch consolidation, each Water Board member received a copy of a
letter from William Stover, the attorney for three of the Southside Ditches. In the
letter he listed five issues which are of concern to a number of ditch company'
stockholders. These are as follows:
1) Some assurance by the City that they will continue to accept stock in the
South End Ditch Companies in the future in lieu of payments for water.
2) Some sort of similar treatment of South End Ditch Companies' stock to that
given in the cases of Josh Ames and Chaffee Ditches.
3) An adjustment to the acreage foot value of South End Ditch Companies'
stock to reflect stock placed in treasury by forfeiture for nonpayment of
water assessments, making more water available to all remaining stockholders.
Water Board Minutes •
Page two
4) Some assurance that the acre foot value of stock is not later diminished
as more land goes out of agricultural production.
5) Resolution, in writing, of certain maintenance jurisdictional questions,
multiple use of easements, requirements of ditch companies' signatures on
plats, lateral ditch owners' approval of plats, similar to that required
of governmental and utility bodies.
Paul Eckman, an assistant City attorney, presented some background information on
past policies and agreements which relate to the questions that were raised in the
letter.
Dennis Bode stated that yield information is being examined presently in the com-
putor simulation of the ditch system. In addition, much of the technical informa-
tion on yields received in the consolidation discussions will be referred eventually
to the Water Credits Committee.
Roger Krempel suggested that Resource Consultants be invited to the next Water
Board meeting to give a report on the Ditch Consolidation Study.
District Negotiations
Bernie Cain stated that the committee organized to meet with north and east i
districts is making definite progress. In his opinion, the attitudes of the districts
appear to be very much in favor of long range consolidation. Mike Smith concurred
that the greatest progress has been the apparent change to more positive attitudes.
On the other hand, Roger Krempel reported that negotiations with the south side
districts are at a standstill. There had been some progress with the sanitation
district but that too has reached an impasse. The Southside Districts recently
advised the City that they are no longer ready to meet.
Staff Reports
A. Monthly Water Production Summary Report
Dennis Bode noted that for the month of July, water production was about 92% of
what was projected. As a result of very timely rain, water use was below average.
Consequently, the City has a good supply remaining for the rest of the year. In
addition, the rental market has nearly ended at this time.
Committee Reports
A. Poudre River Area Concept Committee
The Poudre River Area Concept Committee has met once. Committee members Henry
Caulfield and Ray Anderson reviewed some ideas which emerged from the meeting.
Following a short discussion about the impact of the slide/tape presentation which
the Board had viewed earlier, the Board recommended that Chairman Tom Moore, along
with his committee work with the Poudre River Concepts group to help modify and
improve the technical aspects of and delete some misleading concepts from the
slide/tape presentation before it is widely promoted and distributed by the City.
B. Water Credits Committee
Chairman Ray Anderson stated that, as yet, there was nothing to report. He
advised that his committee members peruse the Ditch Consolidation Study prior to
scheduling a meeting.
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Water Board Minutes
Page three
The Board requested that the revised list of Water Board sub -committees be
distributed to Board members prior to next month's meeting.
New Business
Roger Krempel announced that there will be an informal luncheon meeting with the
City Council on Tuesday, August 25, 1981 from 12:00 noon to 1:15 P.M. One of the
topics for discussion will be the Raw Water Policy, copies of which will be
distributed to City Council and Water Board members.
It was also announced that the Water Board's recommendation to reduce the City's
In -Lieu -of Cash Payments from $2200 per acre foot to $1900 per acre foot was
passed on second reading by the City Council. The council requested, at the time,
that there be quarterly evaluations on the in -lieu -of cash payments. Currently,
they are reviewed approximately every six months.
Mike Smith reported that since the budget presentation at the last meeting, the
finance director has concluded that Water & Sewer Utilities return to a policy of
maintaining reserves. One of the impacts of restoring reserves will be to raise
the utility rates higher than had been recommended in the budget; 11% instead of
5% for water and 27% rather than 20% for sewer. Another impact of the reserves
policy will be the reduction in new positions or incrementing them throughout
several years rather than one. In addition, there will be reductions in new pro-
grams, or the slow -down of the process for implementing them.
The Finance Department is now in the process of printing the preliminary budget.
When these are ready, they will be made available to Water Board members as a
prerequisite for discussion at the next meeting.
There is a budget hearing set for September 1st which is likely to be for the
General Fund. The budget hearing scheduled for September 15th will probably be
for Enterprise funds. Budget adoption will occur on October 6th.
Other Business
Henry Caulfield raised the issue of maintaining and replacing obsolete and deter-
iorating water and sewer lines, referring to problems in eastern states where the
lines are in such poor condition that replacement costs will be prohibitive.
Roger Krempel and Mike Smith assured the Board that water and sewer lines in
Fort Collins are maintained and replaced on a continual basis as required.
Paul Eckman reminded the Board that in March of 1980 the City was served with an
administrative order from the EPA in regard to violation of NPDES permits. Just
today the City received word from the EPA that the order has been rescinded and
the City is now in compliance.
Since there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:11 P.M.
Water Boa d Secretary