Eastern Kern County Resource Conservation District, 300 S. Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, www.ekcrcd.org,  ekcrcd@gmail.com 

AGENDA  REGULAR BOARD MEETING-EASTERN KERN COUNTY RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT (EKCRCD)

MEETING TIME:           2:30 PM,Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Small conference room, United Methodist Church of Ridgecrest, 639 North Norma Street, Ridgecrest.

Online option: https://join.freeconferencecall.comekcrcd3                                                                         

                All agenda-item supporting documentation is available for public review in the office of the Administrative Assistant of the Board (address above) during her regular hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-12:30 PM except Federal holidays) following the posting of the agenda.  Any supporting documentation that relates to an agenda item for an open session of any regular meeting that is distributed after the agenda is posted and prior to the meeting will also be available for review at the same location.  It is recommended that you make an appointment to review the documentation.

CALL TO ORDER

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ROLL CALL

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Report:

ADDITIONS TO AGENDA*:

*Additions to the agenda may be briefly discussed to assign for research or placed on the next agenda, but cannot be acted upon.

PUBLIC COMMENT: This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons desiring to address the Board on any matter that is not on the agenda but under the jurisdiction of the Board.  Board members may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed.  They may ask a question for clarification; make a referral to staff for factual information, or request staff to report back to the Board at a later meeting.  Also, the Board may take action to direct the staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda.  However, no action may be taken by the Board at this time.  [Gov. code 54954.3 (a)]

CONSENT ITEMS:  Consent items are considered to be routine   and non-controversial.  They will be considered first and may be approved by on motion if no member of the Board or audience wishes to comment or ask questions.  If comment or discussion is desired by anyone, the item will be removed from the Consent list and will be considered in listed sequence with an opportunity for any member of the public to address the Board concerning the item before action is taken.

            Minutes for December regular meeting

            Correspondence logs for December

          Financial Reports for December:   

·         Balance and spending reports

·         Bank statements

·         Reconciliation reports

·         Registers

          Approve consent items.

ACTION ITEMS (Votes Required):

·         Vote to remove Eric Wilson from AltaOne accounts. (Other signers Decker, Sanders, Gooch). (Need a vote and a signed copy of the minutes to make this change.)

·         Vote on signers of Kern County vouchers. Sign signature cards.

·         Vote to approve 2023-24 audit report.        

·         Vote to edit if necessary and sign comment letter about listing the western burrowing owl as a protected species.

·         All pdfs on all district websites must be accessible to the visually impaired by 4/26/25. Vote on how to achieve compliance and path for pdf creation going forward.

·         Discuss ideas/plans for new programs for 2025. Vote if necessary.

            Ideas already discussed include: spring IWV Conservancy event at the Maturango Museum, brokering an informational meeting between the IWVGA and the NRCS re: fallowing and/or land repurposing, participating in the CARCD speak-off, more promotional pens.

·         Assign and authorize a letter to the CA Dept. of Water Resources protesting the GA’s settlement with Mojave Pistachios, Searles Valley Minerals, and other ag. pumpers? (Vote if authorizing.)

·         Assign and authorize comment letter on monarch butterfly listing and critical habitat designation? (Vote if authorizing.)

      The monarch butterfly is being proposed by USFWS to be listed as threatened with exceptions. They are also proposing to designate critical monarch habitat. Informational meetings: 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. PST on January 14, 2025, and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. PST on January 15, 2025. Comment period closes on March 12, 2025.

OLD BUSINESS:

·         Discuss possible times and days for board meetings.  If there is a consensus, vote to approve.  

FYI: Review legal changes for 2025. Most do not affect EKCRCD at this time but might necessitate some future policy changes.

REGULAR REPORTS:

            Indian Wells Valley Water District (IWVWD)-

                        January 13 2025, meeting report

            Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA)

                        December 11, 2024, meeting report

            Administrative Assistant Report:

                        -Website hits for December: 13,639.

                        -Ethics training is due 3/31/25 for Decker, Sanders, Holman, Gooch.

                        -CARCD speak-off topics and announcements should be out in March, 2025.       

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

            None.

DIRECTOR COMMENTS:

AGENDA ITEMS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

                        The next EKCRCD regular meeting is to be decided.

ADJOURNMENT

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (GOVERNMENT Code Section 54953.2).

The Board of EKCRCD offices are accessible to persons with disabilities.  Disabled individuals who need special assistance to attend or participate in a meeting of the Board may request assistance from the Administrative Assistant, address above, or by calling (760) 384-5477.

Every effort will be reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities by making meeting material available in alternative formats Requests for assistance should be made five (5) working days in advance of a meeting whenever possible.