Blalock Orchard Irrigation District No. 10 (aka Orchard Irrigation District No. 10, and aka Blalock Orchard District No. 10) is a Domestic Water Supply Special Purpose District within the County of Walla Walla, State of Washington. The following bylaws have been approved and adopted at a regular meeting of the board of directors duly held on the ______ day of ___________, 20__, at which the following board members were present:
The term “director” shall mean an individual director.
The term “officer” shall mean an individual director, the secretary-treasurer, well superintendent, or maintenance technician.
The term “member” shall mean any person who is receiving domestic water from the District and has responsibility for paying property taxes and water assessments, according to the Walla Walla County Assessor and Treasurer.
Domestic water use includes indoor and outdoor uses at residences, and includes uses such as drinking, food preparation, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, flushing toilets, watering lawns and gardens, and maintaining pools. Domestic water use includes potable and non-potable water provided to households by a public water supplier (domestic deliveries) and self-supplied water use.
https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/domestic-water-use
The term “member property” shall mean any land parcel with a hookup for domestic water provided by Blalock Orchard Irrigation District No 10. The term “non-member property” shall mean any land parcel that does not have a water hookup for domestic water provided by the District.
The term “residence” shall mean any single-family or multi-family unit where a person lives.
The term “owner” shall mean any property owner. The term “occupant” shall mean any person residing at a member property, regardless of whether they are the owner.
The term “policy” shall mean the working policies of Blalock Orchard Irrigation District No. 10.
Herein the singular shall also mean the plural and the plural shall also mean the singular.
Beginning at the point 40 feet west of a point 30 feet north of the east quarter of Section 26, Township 7, Range 35, E.W.M.; thence 2811 feet to a point the the Channel of Mill Creek being 189 feet north of the north line of Section 26 and 40 feet west of the east line of Section 23, above mentioned township and range; thence westerly along the channel of Mill Creek 699.7 feet south of a point on the north line of Section 26, 253 feet east along the northwest corner of said section; thence south along the center line of Hussey Street 1923.82 feet to a point on the north line of Wallula Avenue, 253 feet east of a point 30 feet north of the center of said Section 26; thence east along the north side of Wallula Avenue 2361.58 feet, excepting therefrom the right of way of the Walla Walla Valley Traction Company.
WATER RIGHT AND SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION
Beginning at the point 40 feet west of a point 30 feet north of the east quarter of Section 26, Township 7, Range 35, E.W.M.; thence 2811 feet to a point the the Channel of Mill Creek being 189 feet north of the north line of Section 26 and 40 feet west of the east line of Section 23, above mentioned township and range; thence westerly along the channel of Mill Creek 699.7 feet south of a point on the north line of Section 26, 253 feet east along the northwest corner of said section; thence south along the center line of Hussey Street 1923.82 feet to a point on the north line of Wallula Avenue, 253 feet east of a point 30 feet north of the center of said Section 26; thence east along the north side of Wallula Avenue 2361.58 feet, excepting therefrom the right of way of the Walla Walla Valley Traction Company.
The board of directors consists of three people elected by the members of Blalock Orchard Irrigation District No. 10. Each director must be a member of the District. The Board chooses its own chairperson each year. The term of office for each director is three years. There are no term limits; a director may run for reelection for consecutive or non-consecutive terms. The board is empowered to conduct the business of the District and is responsible for managing, maintaining, and improving the property owned by the District.
The secretary-treasurer is appointed by the board. The secretary-treasurer may be a member of the District but may not simultaneously be a member of the board of directors. The duties of this position include, but are not limited to, maintaining accurate District records, taking minutes of all District meetings, paying District bills monthly, preparing monthly vouchers and treasurer reports, handling correspondence and billing communications with members of the District, advertising as required by law for special meetings, and other such duties as assigned by the board. See Addendum A for a list of approved purchases and duties.
The Well Superintendent is appointed by the Board. The Well Superintendent may be a member of the District but may not simultaneously be a member of the board of directors. The well superintendent is required to maintain the Washington State certification level of “Water Distribution Specialist” to care for the District’s well system and will provide a copy of such license to the board each January, or whenever such license is renewed. The duties of this position include, but are not limited to, maintaining accurate records of all testing and functions of the District wells, informing the Board of any changes to the well system and bad water samples; assisting the State of Washington with any sanitary surveys and/or regulatory requirements, and ensuring that any state required treatment of wells and lines are completed for new construction or repair to existing infrastructure. See Addendum B for a list of approved purchases and duties.
The maintenance technician is appointed by the board. The maintenance technician may be a member of the District but may not simultaneously be a member of the board of directors. The duties of this position include, but are not limited to, exercising District valves, flushing lines, performing locates, construction project oversight, maintaining unobstructed access to and maintenance of District shut off valves, hydrants, meter boxes, and well houses. See Addendum D for a list of approved purchases and duties.
A member of the District is who has legal ownership of a property (as shown by the Walla Walla County Assessor), is responsible for paying Walla Walla County property taxes, and who is receiving water from the District. Any person(s) who meets the criteria for Member as shown above is responsible for payment of the annual water assessments levied by the District.
Each director and each officer will sign a Code of Conduct at the beginning of their term and at the first meeting of each subsequent year in which they hold a position. Any director found in violation of the Code of Conduct may be terminated by the other two directors and will not be eligible for any position with the District thereafter. Any officer found in violation of the Code of Conduct may be terminated by a majority vote of the board and will not be eligible for any position with the District thereafter. See Addendum D for Code of Conduct form.
The Board of Directors for Blalock Orchard Irrigation District No. 10 will hold regular monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of each calendar month at 7:00 p.m. in the recreational room of the District 4 Fire Station No. 42, 675 Wallula Road, Walla Walla, WA 99362. The regular November meeting of the board is also the annual equalization meeting for the District when all District members are especially invited to attend. Equalization includes determining water assessment fees, hookup fees, and remuneration of directors, secretary-treasurer, maintenance technician, and well superintendent for the next calendar year.. Members of the District are welcome to attend any of the regular meetings to voice concerns or make suggestions.
Special meetings of the Board shall be called at any time by order of the chair or the order of two directors. Notice of special meetings of the Board, stating the date and time, and in general terms the purpose or purposes thereof, shall be made by email, regular mail, telephone call, text message, personal delivery to each director and member, not later than the day before the day appointed for the meeting. Entry of such special meetings shall be made in the minutes, read, and approved at the next regular Board meeting.
Majority of the Whole Number of Directors
A majority of the whole number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Every act or decision of a majority of the directors present when duly assembled, shall be valid as the act of the Board When a majority is not present at the time and place of any stated or special meeting, the meeting may be adjourned from day to day, or from time to time, without further notice, until a quorum is present; and when a quorum is duly assembled, any business that may have been transacted had the same been held on the day on which the same was originally appointed or called.
The income for the District is derived from the annual water assessments paid by each member of the District (see Working Policy Number 3). These assessments are billed through the Walla Walla County real estate tax notices. One and only one water hookup per dwelling unit is allowed in the District. Land parcels with multiple dwelling units or multiple occupancy dwelling units may require a new hookup or separate tie-in and will be assessed according to the number of units (See Working Policy Number 5). Rates are adopted for the following calendar year at the annual November equalization meeting of the Board of Directors to which all members of the District are invited (See Bylaws Article II. Meetings – Regular Meetings).
Violations of Working Policies
In the event a violation of any of the District’s Working Policies has occurred, such a violation will render a member of the District subject to a fine or such other action as adopted by the Board of Directors. Any director, secretary-treasurer, maintenance technician, or well superintendent in violation of a Working Policy will be subject to a fine of the Working Policy’s Schedule of Fines up to termination (See Working Policy Number 2).
District Operating Expenses
The fees paid to the Directors, Secretary-Treasurer, and Well Superintendent, the rental for the meeting place, and such other necessary fees and expenses will be in such amount as provided by law. If there is no specific law providing for such fees, then the Board of Directors may determine the amount and pay such fees and expenses as they deem necessary (see Working Policy Number 16 and Bylaws Article II. Meetings – Regular Meetings).
