The meeting saw the election of a new member to the board, with nominations including Mark Garrett, Zach Gaza, and Jean Whiting. After the votes were tallied, with a corrected total of 16,153 voting units represented by proxy, Zach Gaza was elected to the open seat. The election’s results required certification, and following this, an oath of office was administered to a board member.

Subsequent to the election, the board convened as the Pal Mar Water Control District and elected its officers, including a chair, vice chair, and secretary. During this session, the treasurer’s report was received, and a motion concerning the payment for supervisors was dismissed. Notably, there were no landowner comments during this part of the meeting.

One of the more matters discussed was the upcoming fiscal year’s budget. The board deliberated on the resolution adopting the budget for 2024-2025 and set the meeting schedule for the year ahead. Moreover, the board engaged in a discussion about the RFQ for surveying services. The discourse involved narrowing the scope of services for the RFQ, the issue of requesting rate schedules, and the consideration of executing the surveying work in stages. The district engineer provided insights regarding the budget and the scope of services. It was eventually decided to republish the RFQ without the language requesting rate schedules.

A significant portion of the board’s discussion was centered on the allocation of funds for an engineering survey. The conversation highlighted a need to balance the substantial cost of surveying with a more cost-effective approach. Consequently, the board approved a motion to reissue the RFQ for engineering services and surveying, maintaining the existing scope but omitting the highlighted rates from the competitive selection criteria.

The meeting also delved into the engineering report, which raised concerns about the culverts letting water into the district and the possible repercussions for surrounding properties. Additional reports included updates from the district manager, field maintenance operations, the financial status, and security measures.

In the public comments section of the meeting, landowners brought forth specific issues. One voiced concerns about drainage problems affecting their property and sought further attention from the board to address the matter. Another landowner raised questions about the status of road maintenance within Pal Mar.