Christy Lattin • LVN photo Truckee-Carson Irrigation District board president Ernie Schank, left, swears in board directors Ray Peterson and David Stix Jr., who were both re-elected recently.
Residents of Fernley and Fallon living within the boundaries of the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District will pay $1.50 per acre or lot to help fund long-term repairs to the Truckee Canal which breached in January.
The District General Fund is an assessment allowable under Nevada Revised Statute 539.480. While the NRS allows the fund to be used for "the ordinary and current expenses of the district, including the salaries of officers and other incidental expenses," money collected from the reinstated assessment will be earmarked specifically for Truckee Canal improvements.
"The money will be generated by everybody receiving the benefits from the water in this valley," said Board President Ernie Schank. "If we don't do it, the cost will be shouldered by only the water users. They would bear the entire cost."
TCID employee Diane Baley told the board she estimated $162,000 could be collected in Churchill County and upward to $15,000 in Fernley. She didn't think the assessment would bring in more than $200,000.
A question was raised whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, the largest water-right holder in the project, and other federally owned lands would be included in the assessment.
The TCID board said boundaries will have to be reviewed closely to determine if the USFWS, Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe and Naval Air Station Fallon fall within the district boundaries, and if not, how to annex the lands into the project if water is being delivered there.
Even though Schank said some Fernley residents outside the district boundaries said they wished to pay the assessment to help their community, not all ranchers in Fallon are happy about the district general assessment.
Water user Kathy Mort said the assessment was unfair to water users because operations and maintenance fees, paid for by every water right holder, will be raised.
"You're double charging us," Mort said. She pressed the board further and asked if the money from the assessment was "free and clear" for district improvements or if it would be used for legal fees.
She also asked what the board has done in the past decade to alleviate the threat of flooding in Fernley.
"The Truckee Canal flooded 10 years ago and cost $1 million," Mort said. "Did you not think when houses were built there would be a problem? What was your plan for the last 10 years?
Project manager Dave Overvold outlined how TCID and developers worked together to widen the canal and construct overflow channels in the Fernley area.
"We did not sit on our laurels while this was happening," Schank said, adding the funds from the assessment would go a long way in showing the government that TCID is finding solutions to its own problems.
A committee comprised of elected officials from Fernley, Fallon, Churchill and Lyon counties and TCID will be established to oversee the use of funds.
Two incumbent board members were also sworn into office again Monday, after winning the board elections held in March.
Board members Ray Peterson, representing Division 4, and David Stix Jr., representing Division 1 in Fernley, were both re-elected.
No one applied to assume Don Travis' Division 3 board seat, who is stepping down after serving eight years on the board. Board President Ernie Schank said he will appoint Bob Oakden to the Division 3 seat. Peterson and Stix were sworn into office at Monday's special board meeting, but Oakden's appointment was held to the regular meeting on Wednesday. However, Oakden had a scheduling conflict and didn't attend the meeting. He will be sworn in at a later date.
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