MINUTES OF THE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT SUBDISTRICT OF THE
CENTRAL COLORADO WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT
April 18, 2023

The regular monthly meeting of the Groundwater Management Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District was held on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at the office of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District located at 3209 W. 28th St. Greeley, Colorado. The meeting was called to order at 10:00 A.M. by Chairman Ralph Anders and the following Directors were present: Ralph Anders, President; Chad Schafer, Vice President; Bret Schmidt, Treasurer; Frank Eckhardt, At Large; David Bernhardt; Steve Bruntz; Dan Kammerzell; Vern Kammerzell; Everett Kissler; Randy Knutson; Alan Mazzotti and Don Rosenbrock. Alan Axton and Gary Herman attended by video conference. Doug Dill was absent.

Others present were Randy Ray, Executive Director; William Mihelich, District Engineer; Evan McCurnin, Water Resources Analyst and Lynn Kramer, Contracts Manager. Special guests were Brad Grasmick of Lawrence Custer Grasmick Jones & Donovan and Ed Armbruster and Riley Winebarger both of White Sands Water Engineers.

ACCEPT INTO THE RECORD THE CONSENT CALENDAR, FINANCIALS, AND MINUTES OF MARCH 2023 AS PRESENTED.
MOTION: DAVE BERNHARDT
SECOND: FRANK ECKHARDT
MOTION CARRIED

Public Discussion
Mike Alexander with Honker Nation attended to address the board regarding hunting leases and issues with trespassing.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE ORCHARD HUNTING LEASE AND THE KOENIG HUNTING LEASE WITH HONKER NATION.
MOTION: CHAD SCHAFER
SECOND: EVERETT KISSLER
MOTION CARRIED

CLOSE THE PUBLIC MEETING AND ADJOURN INTO AN INCLUSION HEARING FOR FIVE RIVERS CATTLE FEEDING LLC TO INCLUDE LANDS INTO THE CCWCD AND GMS BOUNDARIES.
MOTION: DAVE BERNHARDT
SECOND: VERN KAMMERZELL
MOTION CARRIED AT 10:18 A.M.

MOVE TO ADJOURN THE INCLUSION HEARING AND RETURN TO THE OPEN MEETING.
MOTION: CHAD SCHAFER
SECOND: STEVE BRUNTZ
MOTION CARRIED AT 10:25 A.M.

Action Items
Lynn Kramer presented a Petition for Water Allotment Contract needing board approval.

MOVE TO APPROVE THE NAME CHANGE FROM GMS CLASS D IRRIGATION WATER ALLOTMENT CONTRACT #938 B.J. & FRANCES E. PEGGRAM REVOCABLE TRUST TO GMS CLASS D IRRIGATION WATER ALLOTMENT CONTRACT #938 TIMOTHY A. AND EILEEN K. PEGGRAM.
MOTION: FRANK ECKHARDT
SECOND: STEVE BRUNTZ
MOTION CARRIED

Legal Action Items
There was none.

Legal Reports
Brad Grasmick had no recommendations from the March resume.
Brad presented a Water Court update and reviewed the Water Quality Commission Rule Making Hearing.

Subdistrict Action
Lynn Kramer presented two Petitions to Transfer Water Allotment Contracts.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE PERMANENT TRANSFER OF 10 ACRE FEET OF CONSUMPTIVE USE FROM GMS CLASS D IRRIGATION WATER ALLOTMENT CONTRACT #1253 DENNIS KLEIN TO GMS CLASS D IRRIGATION WATER ALLOTMENT CONTRACT #688 SLW RANCH COMPANY.
MOTION: STEVE BRUNTZ
SECOND: EVERETT KISSLER
MOTION CARRIED

MOVE TO APPROVE THE PERMANENT TRANSFER OF 10 ACRE FEET OF CONSUMPTIVE USE FROM GMS CLASS D IRRIGATION WATER ALLOTMENT CONTRACT #1253 DENNIS KLEIN TO GMS CLASS D IRRIGATION WATER ALLOTMENT CONTRACT #1054 JOEL & ANGELA RITCHEY.
MOTION: EVERETT KISSLER
SECOND: FRANK ECKHARDT
MOTION CARRIED

Randy discussed the Carriage Agreement to fill Bernhardt Reservoir from the Platte River Big Thompson and Beeline Ditches. Brad gave his recommendations. Discussion followed.
MOVE TO APPROVE A LEASE WITH RCS FARMS FOR NINE FARMERS INDEPENDENT DITCH SHARES.
MOTION: VERN KAMMERZELL
SECOND: DAVE BERNHARDT
MOTION CARRIED WITH CHAD SCHAFER ABSTAINING

MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESIDENTIAL LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THE MEINING HOUSE LOCATED AT 19529 STATE HWY 60 WITH RENT OF $1200 PER MONTH.
MOTION: EVERETT KISSLER
SECOND: ALAN MAZZOTTI
MOTION CARRIED WITH ALAN AXTON VOTING NAY

Randy presented a letter addressed to Brad Grasmick from Lyon Gaddis regarding the FIDCO Catlin application.
MOVE TO REQUEST THE ITEMIZED ACCOUNTING FROM FIDCO FOR LEGAL AND ENGINEERING FOR THE CATLIN BYLAW PROCESS.
MOTION: EVERETT KISSLER
SECOND: BRET SCHMIDT
MOTION CARRIED WITH FRANK ECKHARDT ABSTAINING

Billy Mihelich presented a Farm Lease with Meining Cattle Co, LLC for lands described as Lots A & C of Recorded Exemption 1057-30-1-RE3144.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE FARM LEASE WITH MEINING CATTLE CO, LLC.
MOTION: CHAD SCHAFER
SECOND: DAVE BERNHARDT
MOTION CARRIED

ADJOURN FOR LUNCH AT 11:35 A.M.

Staff Action
There was none.

Presidents Report
There was none.

Subdistrict Report
Billy Mihelich provided the operational reports, reviewed the snowpack and precipitation outlooks and discussed the quotas.
It was the general consensus of the board to maintain the current quotas in both subdistricts.

Secretaries Report
Randy presented a request from Central Weld Water District for pipeline easements on the Clement and Meining properties. Discussion followed. The consensus of the board was to deny the request.
Brad explained the Protocol of the Plumb Irrigation Company regarding future excess capacity in the ditch. The Protocol will be sent to the Plumb Irrigation Company and the Lower Latham Reservoir Company for review.
Randy presented an Easement Deed between Western Equipment & Truck, Inc and GMS and updated the board on the progress of the purchase of the Lower Latham shares from that property.
Randy described the PL566 NRCS grant. The Western Mutual Ditch Company is looking for a sponsor, Randy described what the role of a sponsor is. Director Knutson added comments.
MOVE TO PARTICIPATE WITH WESTERN MUTUAL DITCH COMPANY AS A SPONSOR IN THE NRCS ASSISTED WATERSHED PROJECT.
MOTION: GARY HERMAN
SECOND: FRANK ECKHARDT
MOTION CARRIED WITH RANDY KNUTSON ABSTAINING

Randy presented a request from a contractor to purchase topsoil from the Clement Farm. It was the consensus of the board to deny the request.
Brad revised the Resolution to recognize and support seeking federal support for an update of the 1982 Six State High Plains-Ogallala Aquifer Regional Resources Study as instructed by the committees. Brad advised against signing the Ogallala Collaboration Agreement.
The GMDA Summer Conference is in Santa Fe, NM July 10 – 13, 2023.
The Colorado Water Congress Summer Conference is in Steamboat Springs, August 22 – 24, 2023.
The board discussed donating to the Greenway Foundation to sponsor the Reception on the River.
MOVE TO DONATE $2500 TO THE GREENWAY FOUNDATION TO SPONSOR THE AUGUST 3, 2023 RECEPTION ON THE RIVER.
MOTION: CHAD SCHAFER
SECOND: DAVE BERNHARDT
MOTION CARRIED

Randy then reviewed the events calendar.

New Business
There was none.

MOVE TO ADJOURN.
MOTION: CHAD SCHAFER
SECOND: EVERETT KISSLER
MOTION CARRIED

The regular meeting was adjourned at 1:38 P.M.

Respectfully Submitted,
Lynn Kramer