2150 River Plaza Drive, Suite 460
Sacramento, CA 95833

Annual Meeting of the Corporation and
Regular Meeting Board of Directors

February 7, 2018

4:00 p.m.
(Meeting in 1st floor Large Conference room.)

Upcoming Regular Meetings

  • April 4, 2018
  • June 6, 2018
  • August 1, 2018

Call to order

1. Call to Order of the Annual Meeting of the Corporation

The Board Chair will call the meeting to order if a quorum is present. Announcements by the Board Chair or Executive Director may be made at this time. Board members may make announcements at this time as well.


Public comment

2. Public Comments

Opportunity for members of the public to address the Conservancy’s Board of Directors.


Action item

3. Approval of the Annual Meeting of Corporation Minutes

The Board Chair will request approval of the minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Corporation on February 1, 2017.

Download the February 1, 2017 Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Corporation (PDF, 120 KB)


Action item

4. Election of Officers

Election of officers of the corporation. The elected Board Chair will discuss with Board members their thoughts regarding the election of officers and committee assignments for the year. The election of officers will be held. Committee assignments may be made.

Download TNBC Officers and Committees Roster (PDF, 35 KB)


Action item

5. Establish time, date and location of regular Board meetings

The time, date and location of regular meetings of the Conservancy’s Board of Directors will be the first Wednesday of February, April, June, August, October, December at 4:00 p.m. at the offices of the Conservancy, 2150 River Plaza Dr., Suite 460, Sacramento, California. Officers of the Corporation will meet every other month as called.

Download the Board Meeting 2018 Schedule ( PDF, 50 KB)


Adjournment

6. Adjournment of the Annual Meeting of the Corporation

Official adjournment of the Annual Meeting of the Corporation.


Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors

Call to order

1. Call to Order of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors

The Board Chair will call the meeting to order if a quorum is present. Announcements by the Board Chair or Executive Director may be made at this time. Board members may make announcements at this time as well.


Public comment

2. Public Comments

Opportunity for members of the public to address the Conservancy’s Board of Directors.


Action by consent

3. Approval of the minutes

*All items listed under the Consent Calendar, including minutes, are considered and acted upon by one Motion. Any Board member may request an item be removed for separate consideration.*

The Board Chair will request approval of the minutes and consent items of the Board of Directors meeting of December 6, 2017.

Download December 6, 2017 Minutes (PDF, 178 KB)


Action by consent

4. Authorization to amend signature cards and related financial institution authorizations

Documents necessary for the Conservancy to conduct business with its financial institutions need to be updated from time-to-time, especially when officers are elected.

As has been done in prior years, this action authorizes the Conservancy’s Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and Assistant Secretary to sign signature cards and related authorizing documents for the Conservancy’s Wells Fargo Bank, Wells Fargo Investments, Wells Fargo Advisors, City of Sacramento Treasurer’s Office, U.S. Bank, and T. Rowe Price accounts.

Download Conservancy Authorized Signers (PDF, 46 KB)


Action by consent

5. Authorization for Farm Air to utilize landing strip on TNBC’s Bianchi West tract

The only remaining agricultural aircraft operator in the Natomas Basin is Farm Air Flying Service, Inc. TNBC and its tenants use Farm Air, and without the firm operating in the Basin, costs would likely rise, and delays in planting crops could also result. (Rice is frequently seeded by air.) Farm Air has requested permission to use TNBC’s Bianchi West tract landing strip for use in serving its customers, including TNBC and its tenants.

Before acquiring the Bianchi West tract, TNBC completed Phase One and Phase Two environmental testing on the airstrip. This was done in order to ascertain the level, if any, of toxicants in the soil at the landing strip site. (The studies revealed acceptable levels, so TNBC moved forward with its acquisition of the tract.) With this baseline data, TNBC can keep track of the status of soils on and around the runway.

Staff requests authorization to enter into an agreement with Farm Air Flying Service, Inc. to allow it to utilize TNBC’s Bianchi West landing strip.

  1. The authorization would include the following restrictions, among others: the authorization terminates December 31, 2018,
  2. only seed and fertilizer are permitted to be used on the landing strip,
  3. no pesticides may be used on the strip without the written authorization of TNBC’s Executive Director,
  4.  only in-Basin sites may be served by Farm Air from the landing strip, and
  5. a properly executed agreement must be in TNBC’s office prior to Farm Air’s use of the landing strip, and that the agreement contain TNBC’s standard indemnification, hold harmless protections, and that TNBC be named as an additional insured on the relevant Farm Air insurance policy or policies.

The Executive Director expects no authorization request for pesticide use on the landing strip. However, there could be special occasions that might warrant such authorization, but only for the use by TNBC or its contractors and tenants.


Action by consent

6. Sharma/AKT Native grass planting on SAFCA-owned property

Due to the previous aggressive soil mining activities during the construction phase of the Natomas Levee Improvement Project, the SAFCA-owned and TNBC-managed Sharma/AKT property has proven to be far less productive when in agricultural production than in native grass. Converting these properties to native grass will allow for regular and more reliable habitat for HCP Covered Species.

Staff recommends the conversion from cropland to native grass on this tract at a cost of $11,285.00 by contracting with the existing farmer to prep the field for the planting of native grass in the fall and subsequent on-going maintenance. Costs will be billed to the SAFCA account.


Action by consent

7. RD 1000 Security Contract with Brookman Protection Service, Inc.

In cooperation with RD1000, NCMWC and the Conservancy, Brookman Protection Services provides Basin-wide security services where the Conservancy contributes $18,000.00 per year as its share of security costs, payable to RD1000.

Staff requests the Board ratify the 2017 charge and approve the 2018 service in the amount of $18,000.00.


Action by consent

8. SAFCA Agreement to Enter and Construct

SAFCA, in partnership with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will construct improvements to the levee system surrounding the Basin. Staff requests approval for a right of entry agreement granting a temporary easement in favor of SAFCA for continued work on the Natomas Levee Improvement Project.


Action item

9. Park & Water Bond issue and Conservancy participation

This item requests the Board’s authorization to spend up to $20,000.00 (the final amount is believed to be substantially less) with Michael Arnold and Associates for the purpose of attempting to insert the Conservancy into the proposed SB5 June 2018 referendum (“California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018”) as a “recognized State Conservancy.” If successfully inserted into the legislation and if approved by voters, the designation would make the Conservancy eligible to receive grants from funding authorizations in the Act.

This includes such projects to “remove barriers between habitat areas for species migration” ($30 million statewide) and possibly, funds for advance mitigation. The Board is asked to authorize staff to move forward with this effort, including with the assistance of Michael Arnold and Associates.


Action item

10. Comment on Northern Precinct EIR

The proposed Northern Precinct Project has been submitted for CEQA review. Staff will discuss with the Board various aspects on the matter and seek direction on the next steps.

Download the Northern Precinct EIR Info (PDF, 145 KB)


Action item

11. Silva South pump renovation

The Board previously authorized $32,000.00 in the 2018 budget for the re-installation of improvements necessary to activate the Silva South well. Subsequent research has shown the capacity of the well is much greater than believed, and this item requests the budget amount be increased to $41,000.00 and further, that the well service expenditure of $41,000.00 be authorized for expenditure with Odell’s Well and Pump Service so that the well can be up and running by the summer.


Discussion

12. Financial statement review

A financial statement will be provided for the period ended December 31, 2017 (unaudited). Additional financial information will be provided.

Download the December 31, 2017 Financial Statements (PDF, 4 MB)


Discussion

13. Conservancy endowment funds investment manager

The Conservancy’s endowment funds are managed by T. Rowe Price. Representative Phil Burger of T. Rowe Price will meet with the Board for the purposes of providing the Board with the 2017 annual report on the Conservancy’s endowment funds accounts.


Discussion

14. Briefing for the Board, Contracting Practices

Staff will brief the Board on its internal, operations and administrative practices related to contracting.


Exective Report

15. Executive Director’s Report

Various matters for Board members’ general information will be presented by the Conservancy’s Executive Director.

Download Ex Director’s Report (PDF, 1.8 MB)


Executive Session

16. Executive Session

No Executive Session is scheduled.


Adjournment

17. Adjournment of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors

Official adjournment of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors.