EL RANCHO FLORIDA METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING – October 2, 2013

 

The El Rancho Florida Metropolitan District held their regular monthly meeting on October 2, 2013.  The meeting was attended by the following Board members:

Steve Swisher – President

Jack Wasserbach – Vice President

Robin Boucher

Also, present for the meeting were:  Frankie White – Clark White & Associates; Rex Emenegger – Grader Operator; Robert Ludwig – Water Operator and Marsha Moreland – Administrator.  The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM.

MINUTES:
A motion was made, moved and passed to approve the Minutes of September 4, 2013 with a correction to the ‘cost per load on gravel’ to $365.00/load in the Road Report.

AUDIT 2012- CLARK WHITE & ASSOCIATES:
Frankie White introduced herself to the Board and those present.  She explained changes in GASB that changed the Income Statement and how it impacted the financial reports and audit process for 2012.  The changes had just gone into affect so Districts must now report under the GASB 34 Model.  The audit did bring a ‘clean’ opinion from the firm.  Other reports required under GASB are the ‘Position Statement’ and ‘Statement of Activities’.  There followed a discussion on changes for the 2013 audit that will need to be done relative to GASB and Marsha’s work.  The Audit has been sent to the State Auditor and Marsha will send a copy to CWAPA.

A motion was made, moved and passed approving the 2012 Audit as presented by Frankie White.

WATER REPORT:
Robert stated that he had met with Goff Engineering –  Bruce Honisch, and went over the grant application costs for engineering from Bruce, with the Board.  The cost is $4,000 for the model map of the subdivision.  Total engineering for the project should be around $8,000.
Budget numbers for 2013 were reviewed for the Enterprise Fund by Robert.  Marsha will incorporate those figures in the budget.
Due to the large number of meter lids that were ‘pushed off’ the meter cans from the flood of water in September, the meter reading was a bit slower this month and some meter were under water causing them to be estimated.  The last reading for winter will be in October.  Water sold was 816,260 vs. 1,047,423 produced.  Marsha will e-mail monthly the water report to all Board members to review.

BP AMOCO LINE REPLACEMENT:
Excavation will begin soon, as in end of October.

NEW MEXICO JUMPING MOUSE:
John Eye, who is the dam operator for Lemon Lake, is doing a study to confirm or deny that El Rancho Florida Subdivision is in the critical habitat area of the ‘mouse’.  If he finds that the subdivision is,  it could impact how much water is released and when he can, or cannot, release it.  Jack Wasserbach gave him permission to access the river corridor in the subdivision.

ADMINISTRATION:
1. A/R Report – Four accounts received Shut-Off notices totaling $1,500.  No further word on the Dahlstrom Foreclosure.
2. Accounts Payable – After reviewing the accounts payable a motion was made, moved and passed approving them for payment.
3. Budget Draft 2014 – Marsha reviewed the Draft for 2014 with the Board and Staff.  Rex made comment on items for in the General (Road) Fund that needed to be included.  While the Board is hoping to do capital improvements on the Water Distribution System that amount will not be added to the Budget until additional funding is approved thru DOLA.  Marsha will have a revised budget for next month.  The notice for the Budget will appear Oct.9, 3013 in the Dgo. Herald.
4. Financial Policy – As Frankie White pointed out the District needs to have a ‘Financial Policy’ for reserves that is investing in accordance with the State policies.  A motion was made, moved and passed that when the District has funds in their reserves that allow them to invest those monies they will be invested in accordance with the State regulations.

ROAD REPORT – Rex Emenegger:
1. Flood Damage – Rex gave an overall assessment of damages to the roads, ditches and culverts from the flooding that occurred on September 22.    The greatest amount of damage was caused by the Pioneer Ditch being left on.  The water came down at a rate of 1 ½ inches in one hour.  The ground was already saturated from the rain previously that week and the ‘big’ rain caused problems with culverts and bar ditches, Pioneer Circle beginning with Couch’s driveway, Cassidy Drive at Brice draw near Grace Emenegger’s and Riverfront Drive.  Ken Charles’s garage and driveway experienced serious flooding.  Rex estimates that there is approximately $2,000 in damages caused by the ditch left on until the day after the big rain.  The ditch overflowed its bank in three places in the subdivision.    Rex showed pictures he had taken of the damage throughout the subdivision.  Other damage was caused by the large amount of water that the ditches couldn’t accommodate and the fact that so many culverts where not maintained.
2. Ellis Excavation – The work done by Ellis Excavation that the Board approved came in at$4,400 instead of $5,600.  Approximately ½ of that amount is contributed to flooding.  Gravel was charged to CJ Gravel for 14 loads at around $2100.
3. Pioneer Ditch – The ditch throughout the subdivision needs cleaning as it couldn’t really handle too much water.
4. Ken Charles’s Garage – The garage was flooded with mud & water due to the ditch overflowing.  Riverfront Drive, its bar ditch and the culvert across it at Pioneer Circle had to be repaired.  The drainage across from his house had to be rerouted.

Rex stated he had a full weeks worth of work yet to clean up culverts and ditches along the roadways.  He may be able to adapt the water truck to ‘blow’ out blocked culverts.  Ruff’s culvert needs cleaning and should be dug out.  Rex reviewed his list of culverts that needed cleaning.  He asked the Board for permission to purchase two jacks to open crushed culverts that are bent so bad the water will not flow thru.  The Board agreed to his request.  Owners need to week whack the ends of their culverts and keep them cleaned out.

5. The grader site maintenance road looks great installing new drainage, blading and putting down gravel.  Rex also ordered some new chains for the grader.

A lengthy discussion followed on how to handle the costs of cleaning out driveway culverts.  The Board may have to consider a fee increase to cover those costs annually if the District is going to maintain them.

REX’S CONTRACT:
The Board will review the Draft and make a decision on approving it at the next meeting.

UNIT II COMMON AREA – DEED TRANSFER TO THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT:
Tracy Cross, attorney for the HOA, is working on the deed transfer for the UNIT II Common Area to the District from the HOA.

There being no further discussion the meeting adjourned at 8:45 PM.

_________________________, Secretary