Executive Session (Closed to the Public)

1. Executive Session

Executive Session is scheduled for real estate matters pursuant to Government Code 54956.8.

Annual Meeting of the Corporation (Open to the Public)

2. 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.

3. Public Comments

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

5. 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. The election of officers will be held. Committee assignments may be made.

6. 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.

7. Executive Director’s Report – Annual meeting

A report on the state of the Conservancy will be presented by the Conservancy’s Executive Director.

8. Adjournment of the Annual Meeting of the Corporation

Official adjournment of the Annual Meeting of the Corporation.

Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors (Open to the Public)

9. 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. Special announcement will be given regarding the retirement of Ed Quinn as Conservancy legal counsel.

10. Public Comments

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

11. 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 1, 2021.

Download the Conservancy’s signed December 1, 2021 Board meeting minutes (PDF, 6 MB)

12. 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, City of Sacramento Treasurer’s Office, U.S. Bank, and T. Rowe Price accounts.

13. Sacramento Tree Foundation

The Sacramento Tree Foundation (STF) provides tree counting services as specified in the Conservancy’s Implementation Annual Report. The estimated cost of services are $17,500 per monitoring year. This contract is for two years bringing the total contract to $35,000. The proposed contract with STF increased due to the newly acquired properties since the last contract.

Board approval of this agenda item authorizes the Executive Director or Chief Financial Officer to execute and deliver a contract with STF for tree counting services covering fiscal years 2022-2023 at $35,000.

14. 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 portion of the 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 portion of the Bianchi West landing strip. The authorization would include the following restrictions, among others:

1. the authorization terminates December 31, 2022,
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.

15. RD 1000 security contract with Brookman Protection Service, Inc.

Since 2006 Reclamation District 1000 has contracted with Brookman Protection Service, Inc. to provide Basin-wide security services. The Natomas Central Mutual Water Company and the Conservancy contribute to that effort. In the past the Conservancy has contributed up to $20,000 per year as its share of security costs, payable to RD 1000. Staff requests approval for 2022 service not to exceed $20,000.

16. Natomas Central Mutual Water Company Annual Meeting of shareholders

The annual election of Directors of the Natomas Central Mutual Water Company (NCMWC) takes place on February 8, 2022, at 10:00 am, via gotomeeting.com. The Conservancy holds 3,925 shares of stock in the Company (out of approximately 31,262). Conservancy staff recommends that votes be cast for candidates familiar with the NBHCP and sensitive to the Conservancy’s view of land holding and water rights in perpetuity. This action authorizes the Conservancy’s Executive Director to vote the Conservancy’s shares in the Conservancy’s interest. This is an uncontested election.

17. Road maintenance for Lucich North and Frazer North

Several roads within the Conservancy’s Lucich North and Frazer North tracts are in need of repair. These road repairs will make it possible to access the marsh complex in nearly all weather conditions, making the roads safer and more reliable for Conservancy contractors and staff. The total cost of the proposed road repairs are $37,600.

Staff requests Board authorization to contract with Triangle Properties, Inc. (Triangle) for these road repairs. Board approval of this item authorizes the Executive Director or Chief Financial Officer to execute and deliver a contact with Triangle for road repairs on the Lucich North and Frazer North tracts totaling $37,600.

18. Triangle – Fisherman’s Lake Reserve Area – Land Maintenance

Due to recent conditions effecting employee retention, HRS has requested to be released from its Land Management Service Agreement on the Conservancy’s Fisherman’s Lake Reserve Area.

Conservancy contractor Triangle currently holds the land maintenance contract for the Conservancy’s Central Basin Reserve Area, as well as the North Basin Reserve Area. Given the economies of scale, this proves beneficial to the Conservancy for land management. Under this proposal, HRS’s contract would terminate on February 14th. A new contract designating Triangle as the land maintenance contractor would start on February 15th. Triangle’s rates as posted in its RFP (approved by the Board of Directors in 2020) are as follows:

• 2022 – $77,888.60
• 2023 – $80,225.26
• 2024 & 2025 are optional, renewals increase 3% per year

Board approval of this agenda item authorizes the Executive Director or Chief Financial Officer to execute and deliver:

• a contract between the Conservancy and HRS, Inc. terminating the existing agreement, relieving HRS of its land maintenance responsibilities, and
• a contract between the Conservancy and Triangle for land maintenance services on the Conservancy’s Fisherman’s Lake Reserve Area properties covering years 2022 at $77,888.60, 2023 at $80,225.26, and with extensions for years 2024 and 2025 at the discretion of management.

19. City of Sacramento report

Report from the City of Sacramento regarding HCP-related activity and other topics.

20. County of Sutter report

Report from the County of Sutter regarding HCP-related activity and other topics.

21. Financial statement review

A financial statement will be provided for the period ended December 31, 2021 (unaudited). Additional financial information will be provided.

Download the Conservancy’s December 31, 2021 audited financial statements (PDF, 12 MB)

22. 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 2021 annual report on the Conservancy’s endowment funds accounts.

23. Executive Director’s Report

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

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

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

Upcoming Regular Meetings

• April 6, 2022
• June 1, 2022
• August 3, 2022