PSWID Regular Meeting Minutes – 08-24-2023

by | Aug 28, 2023 | Regular Meeting Minutes

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PINE-STRAWBERRY WATER IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

Regular Meeting

Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.

PSWID Administrative Office

6306 W Hardscrabble Rd.

Pine, AZ 85544

  • 1. CALL TO ORDER
    • Cory Ellsworth called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m.
  • 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
    • Conducted by Cory Ellsworth
  • 3. PRAYER
    • Offered by Cory Ellsworth 
  • 4. ROLL CALL OF BOARD MEMBERS
    • Conducted by Cory Ellsworth:  Board members present: Cory Ellsworth, Sharon Hillman, George Gorkowski, Victor Tayao, Roger Childers, and Larry Bagshaw.  A quorum was present. Paul Hendricks, EUSI, and Steve Bowen, manager, were also present. Steve Wene, the district’s attorney, was present via Go to Meeting.
  • 5. CALL FOR MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETING(S):
    • July 27,2023 – Regular Meeting Minutes. Sharon Hillman moved the minutes be approved. Cory Ellsworth seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
    • August 17, 2023 – Study Session Minutes. George Gorkowski moved the minutes be approved. Victor Tayao seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 
  • 6. REPORTS TO THE BOARD
    • WIFA/EUSI Program Manager’s Report/Field Operation Report– As posted to the website.
    • Treasurer’s Report – As posted to the website.
    • Secretary’s report – As posted to the website.
    • Vice Chairman’s report – none
    • Committee Report – Victor Tayao reported that the Community Relations committee met on August 22. They discussed the board position posting and wanted it to be emailed. They also discussed making public record requests accessible via email, and more information posted to the website about the SV3 wellsite.
    • District Attorney’s Report –Steve Wene reported that he had worked on several issues. Nelson’s OEC complaint mediation was rejected with no settlement. The Halperin James lawsuit about the SV3 wellsite has been filed. He responded to questions about building permits posed by Steve Bowen, PSWID manager. There has been no progress on the Milk Ranch easement and there is an issue about the sale of the Pine Creek Canyon lot.
    • Chairman’s report – Cory Ellsworth thanked Steve Wene, Sharon Hillman, and the Community Relations Committee for their work. He also stated that the board had spent a lot of consideration on modifying the moratorium and the release plans.
  • 7. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
    • Diane Buechner stated that she wanted the board to follow the wait list for the meters. David Diggs stated that he thought the board should have been more responsible and open to the public about the use of the McKnight property for the SV3 well and that they should have met with the Rim View Loop community beforehand.
  • 8. BUSINESS
    • I. DISCUSS AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE MODIFICATION OF THE MORATORIUM. George Gorkowski. George moved that the board approve the release of 5 meters a month starting in September, with a total of 60 in the next year with monthly monitoring of supply/demand and that the release can be stopped at any time if the demand reaches the trigger point. Sharon Hillman seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 1 with Larry Bagshaw abstaining.
    • II. DISCUSS AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE METER RELEASE PLAN. George Gorkowski. George moved that the district use the meter wait list as is for the release of meters. Sharon Hillman seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 to 2 with Larry Bagshaw and Roger Childers dissenting.
    • III. DISCUSS AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE PURCHASE OF A VACUUM TRAILER FROM VERMEER. Steve Bowen. The district received two bids on the vacuum trailer with Vermeer coming in with the lowest bid at $103,723.51, which is in the budget for this year. George Gorkowski moved that the district purchase the vacuum trailer. Cory Ellsworth seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
    • IV. DISCUSS AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A POSSIBLE JOINT TRENCH ON THE PORTALS 1&2 PROJECT WITH ALLIANT GAS. Sharon Hillman. Sharon stated that the USDA will not allow the joint trench and moved to remove this item from the agenda. George Gorkowski seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
    • V. DISCUSS AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING REVISING OFFICE HOURS. Steve Bowen. Steve discussed that the office staff usually has no customers after 4 p.m. and suggested two options for the office hours.  One was working 8 to 4 with a paid 30-minute lunch at their stations Monday-Friday. The other was working 7:30 to 4 Monday -Thursday and 7:30 to 1 on Friday also with a 30-minute working lunch. A question was raised about the state requirements for lunch breaks. That will be investigated. It was also asked about an option where office employees could get every other Friday off and an option for the field crew also.  This will be looked at more thoroughly and be brought back next month.
  • 9. IDENTIFY POTENTIAL AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT SCHEDULED BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2023.
    • I. Update on meter releases and monitoring of supply/demand.
    • II. Office hours change.
  • 10. ADJOURNMENT.
    • Sharon Hillman moved the meeting be adjourned. Cory Ellsworth seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.