NID Board elects Miller president, raises water rates 2.65%

Scott Miller

The board also adopted a 2010 Water Division budget of $52.7 million, which is down 24 percent from this year. Several studies and water projects will be deferred and 13.5 vacant employment positions will remain unfilled. District employees will receive no cost of living wage increases for 2010.

 Division III Director Scott Miller, a resident of south Nevada County, was unanimously elected on Wednesday (Dec. 9) by his fellow directors to serve as 2010 president of the Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors.

 First elected to the NID governing board in 2000, Dr. Miller served a previous term as president and as the board’s vice president in 2008. He is a family physician with a practice near Lake of the Pines.

 He succeeds 2008 Board President John H. Drew of Chicago Park, who is the Division II representative on the board.

 Division I Director Nancy Weber of Nevada City was unanimously elected as the board’s vice president for the coming year.

 Also serving on the five-member board are Division IV Director Jim Bachman of Lincoln, Placer County, and Division V Director Nick Wilcox of Penn Valley.

Board votes to increase rates by 2.65 percent in 2010

 In other action on Dec. 9, the NID board approved a 2010 water rate schedule that rolls back planned water rate increases to half the levels approved earlier this year.

 Impacts on customers in a down economy, the district said it needs to maintain and improve its water systems and to bring rates more in line with the costs of providing water service were among the board’s concerns.

 District customers can expect to see average 2010 rate adjustments of 2.65 percent, as opposed to the 5.4 percent level approved last February as part of a five-year financial plan.

 Finance Manager Marie Owens said a typical NID treated water customer, with a 5/8-inch meter and using 10 hcf (hundred cubic feet) of water, would see a 77-cent (2.59 percent) monthly increase from $29.73 to $30.50.

 Irrigation water users will see similar percentage increases. An irrigation water customer using 1 miner’s inch of water would see an increase of  $10.88 (2.25 percent) for the entire six-month irrigation season.

 The board adopted a 2010 Water Division budget of $52.7 million, which is down 24 percent from this year. Several studies and water projects will be deferred and 13.5 vacant employment positions will remain unfilled.   District employees will receive no cost of living wage increases for 2010.

NID supports local bidder preference for projects

 The Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors also approved a local bidder preference for the planned $40 million Lower Cascade Canal/Banner Cascade Pipeline Project.

 NID Chief Engineer Gary King said the district worked with the Nevada County Contractors Association (NCCA) in the effort to support local companies and suppliers. 

 King said contractors submitting quotes on the project would be expected to make a good faith effort in seeking local participation of at least 12 percent.   The local preference boundary includes all of NID in Nevada and Placer counties and the cities of Grass Valley and Nevada City.

NCCA Executive Director Barbara Bashall attended the meeting to express support and gratitude.  “The association is very pleased,” she said.

In other business, directors:

• In a related vote, approved environmental studies and a project to replace the Clipper Creek Siphon, which carries raw water from the Cascade Shores area to Banner Mountain. Special Projects Manager Brian Powell said the old 48-inch-diameter buried siphon, made of unreliable Techite pipe, will be replaced with 54-inch steel, ductile iron or concrete pipe. The project lies just upstream and will be completed as part of the upcoming Lower Cascade Canal/Banner Pipeline Project.

• Approved environmental studies and a project to supply treated water to the Rodeo Flat Assessment District, which includes 36 parcels just west of Lake of the Pines. NID is hoping to complete the $1.6 million project by July to alleviate concerns about wells. King said five of the property owners rely on water from neighbors.

• Approved an agreement with Nevada County covering the installation of water lines in the Darkhorse subdivision, which is in foreclosure. King said the water project is designed to supply treated water to three homes in Darkhorse and to carry water through Darkhorse to the Combie Reservoir area.

•  Held retirement presentations for two employees who retired this month.  Michael Bevard, a Weimar resident, spent 20 years with the district, retiring from the Hydroelectric Division as a hydro technician.  Bob Partington of Grass Valley spent nearly 24 years with NID, retiring as a senior storekeeper with NID’s Purchasing Department.

The next regular meeting of the NID Board of Directors will be held at 9 a.m. on Jan. 13 at the NID Business Center in Grass Valley.  NID board meetings are open to the public.

NID Board Recognizes Employees

 Fourteen Nevada Irrigation District employees were recognized on Dec. 9 in a semi-annual service award presentation hosted by the NID Board of Directors. 

 NID’s senior employee, Purchasing Supervisor Jim Williams, was recognized for 35 years of dedicated service to the district. Thirty-year awards went to Supervising Engineer Vern Smith and Vegetation Control Specialist Brian Stafford.

 Asst. Treated Water Supt. Brett Brady received a 25-year award while 20-year awards went to Vegetation Control Specialist David Seaton, Sr. Water Distribution Operator Bill Winkle, Hydroelectric Technician Michael Bevard and Water Distribution Operator II Scott Shoemaker.

 Ten-year recognitions were presented to Sr. Customer Account Asst. Cindy Kincheloe, Water Distribution Operator II Eric Fassler, Maintenance Manager John Kirk, Construction Inspector I Tony Moscini, Equipment Operator Cameron Price and Maintenance Crew Supervisor Ken Copher.

 Headquartered in Grass Valley, NID employs 175 and supplies water to nearly 24,000 customers in Nevada, Placer and Yuba counties.

 The board meets in regular session at 9 a.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. The next regular meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on Jan. 13 at the NID Business Center in Grass Valley.  NID board meetings are open to the public.