The Truckee-Carson Irrigation District Board of Directors met this week in a regular, monthly meeting where they voted to approve the hiring of Ben Shawcroft to replace General Manager Rusty Jardine who is retiring from the district on July 1.
Shawcroft is currently serving as the Civil Deputy District Attorney for Churchill County.
“Water resources are more than important,” said Jardine in introducing Shawcroft, “water is a mission. It is your livelihood, and it is bittersweet leaving.” He said he feels confident he is leaving the district in good condition.
“When I first came on, we were six years in litigation and those issues have come to solution.” He talked about the flood of 2017 and how the whole community came together, “it was miraculous.”
Jardine also discussed the good relationships TCID has built over the years and the contract with the Bureau of Reclamation that leaves the district “with a lot of duties. But we have new ideas and new blood and very good managers.”
Shawcroft spoke briefly, reiterating the importance of water to the valley. “I know just how important the water is in the community and I appreciate the improved relationships Rusty has built over the years with the Bureau and other agencies.”
Shawcroft’s contract will mirror that of Jardine’s and the two will overlap for the last two weeks of June during the transition, allowing them to spend time together for what President Eric Olsen called, “a good hand-off.” Jardine said they will spend time during the transition meeting with Jack Worsley, area manager of the Bureau of Reclamation and his team, as well as the Federal Water Master, Chad Blanchard.
In other business, the board addressed the water supply and delivery schedule for water throughout the district, revisiting their previous allocation of water on the Truckee Division. According to Kelly Herwick, Water Master, he recommended based on forecasts and current conditions revising the 90% allocation previously set down to 70%, the same as the board had set for the Carson Division. He also said that instead of requiring Truckee Division farmers to wait until April 15 as originally set, water orders should be taken starting April 5. “We should start as soon as possible and set the allocation at 70% and end by late August,” he said.
The board approved changing the Truckee Division allocation to 70% and started taking water orders on Wednesday.
The board also agreed, under Nevada Revised Statute chapter 288, to recognize the TCID Employees Association as the group of employees “having sufficient community of interest appropriate for representation” and that the Association has the right to represent the TCID employees. The board approved a three percent step raise based on merit if the employee is eligible after evaluation, as well as a two percent Cost of Living increase for employees.
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