|
Supervisors: |
Mark Halls, Keith
Nygaard, Gary Reents, Randy Anderson, Ralph Peterson |
|
SWCD Staff: |
Kelly Erickson, Kyle
Hanson, Luan Johnsrud Craig Bower, NRCS |
|
Guests: |
Paul Gerde, Pope
County Commissioner, Committee member Pope County
Commissioner, Chris Kellett-Sawdey, Bridge-Light Marketing & Web Design |
Meeting Agenda:
1. Call the meeting to order at 7:05 a.m., Keith
Nygaard, chair.
2. Motion by Ralph Peterson, second by Randy Anderson to
approve current agenda. Motion carried.
3. Reviewed March 17, 2009 and March 23, 2009 meeting
minutes. Luan is to review interview documentation for March 17, 2009 for motion
to hire Darrin Welle as the CWMA Intern position. Corrections to Mary 23, 2009
minutes: page 2, Valness is misspelled, remove
4. Financial Report-Current Bills. April 2009
·
Profit &
Loss year to date report
·
Treasurer Report
·
Check Register,
Checking & Savings
·
2009 proposed
budget
Discussed moving to a money market account instead of
CDs, the rate is not that different.
Compensated Absences; perhaps update these monthly
instead of annually.
Present three separate budgets; Pope SWCD, Trees
sales; Farm Bill Technician. Luan is to prepare these for the May 19th
board meeting.
Verison account-Luan is to check on plan minutes to
maximize the plan.
Motion by Mark Halls to accept the Treasurer’s report
subject to verification of account balances and bank statement reconciliation
audit by Randy Anderson. Second by ______________ Motion carried.
Finance committee, Keith Nygaard, Randy Anderson,
Kelly Erickson and Luan Johnsrud, to meet to review the budget and presentation
to the County Commissioners Committee as a Whole meeting in June. The finance committee will meet Monday, April
27th and May 4th at 6:00 a.m. Luan is to have a separate
budget for the meeting by Monday, April 27th for the committee to
review and make recommendations.
Discussed Farm Bill Technician Grant time (2080 hours
per grant period) allowances as follows:
Kyle 60% Farm bill, balance proposals/contact with
landowners, staking for FSA; 40% for district; use 25% of district time for WCA
, 15% district time as assigned.
Luan
40% Farm bill, e-link reporting
Kelly 50%/50%
5. Old Business
o
Review Final
Draft of Annual Report-Ralph has updates and Luan is to send the completed
updates to the rest of the board members.
Once the updates are completed, Luan is to send the report to the rest
of the board members.
o
Discussed 2009
Outstanding Conservationist. In
recognition of his 34+ years of service to Pope SWCD, Kim Kruger is being
considered for the Outstanding Conservationist for 2009. Luan is to follow up with his wife Geri to
encourage Kim to accept.
8:30
a.m. Chris Kellett-Sawdey, Bridge-Light Marketing
& Web Design entered.
6. Reports-
o
Paul Gerde,
Paul indicated that the
best time to present our budget and request for funding from the County
Commissioners will be during the June 2009 Committee as a Whole. Funding would be released in July, 2009 for
the second half of the year.
The DNR will continue to
conduct well checks and record the history of well depth in the Chippewa River
Water Shed.
Douglas County SWCD sold
their drill on Craig’s List. Douglas
County SWCD has indicated that their tree sales for 2009 are down from previous
years.
Paul won the Pope SWCD
conservation trees gift certificate at the Turkey Banquet.
Meetings will continue for
the
Paul left at 8:50a.m.
o
Kelly Erickson,
Technician
Kelly, Kyle and Luan
attended WCA training in
Kelly, Kyle and Luan
attended BWSR training 101 in
The Freedom of Information
Act (FOYA) makes WCA administration difficult in that disclosure and sharing of
information between agencies is limited.
SWCD should advertise this program change. Landowners should complete Form 1026, WCA
application.
The 2002 Chevy break
controller is out. One trailer’s breaks
do not work right.
The wells at Rosholt Farm
have been filled and the corn planted by Gary Reents.
Observation wells were
checked April 15th.
One WCA site was visited
last week. E-link reporting for WCA was
completed with Steve Hofstad.
Kelly has one request for
information on the Emerald Ash Bore. Also control of invasive species such as
buckthorn, prickly ash, and other plants.
There will be a
teleconference for RIM/WRP training.
Mark Norton takes care of administration of this program for
Drill rental will continue
for 2009. Kelly has been keeping a list
of interested parties.
Kelly and Gary Reents
attended the Annual State Convention Organizational meeting. Area II is in charge of the hospitality room,
and entertainment. The theme for this year
is ‘Clean, Lean & Green’. The next
convention planning meeting will be held in June.
o
Kyle Hanson,
SWCD Wildlife Technician
Kyle presented two CWL
contracts using contract number for approval.
Motion by Gary Reents second by Randy Anderson to approve the contact
payment. Opposed Mark Halls due to FOYA privacy issue. Motion carried.
Under the CWL grant, we can
pay for ‘buffer’s only. Buffers are not
defined in the grant. Kyle is trying to
encourage the group to define a buffer as responsible and eligible for
funding. An example would be duck
nesting area.
Native Buffer Cost Share
potential project – Restore Lake Scandi shoreline with natural planting using
local seeds and plugs to revitalize the shore and comply with program
guidelines.
Kyle and Kelly attended
Stormwater 101 at ACGC. They found the
speaker very informative and interesting.
Kelly has his business card and the speaker would be available to do a
presentation in our area.
Kyle attended an Ag Practices in Shoreland seminar
April 11th. He found it very
disappointing. The presenters indicated
that they are trying to make 50’ buffer a mandatory practice.
Working Lands Grant update: The goat grazing project to clear buckthorn
is underway. More fencing materials were
ordered and are here. A tour will be
planned for this portion of the project. Plotz Tree Service completed their
tree removal bid. SWCD requested funds
from DNR to pay for this project.
o
Luan Johnsrud,
Office Manager
Completed
2008 annual report for board members to review.
Prepared
and presented draft of 2009 budget.
Attended Administrative
training in
Completed
an interim Clean Water Legacy audit with Kyle Hanson.
Advertised and coordinated
the interview process for the Cooperative Weed Management Area intern
position. Currently working with Darrin
Welle to complete clearance so that he will have access to the computer system
by the time he’s in the office.
Working with Melissa
Behrens on the news Plan to have a set schedule for publications, perhaps
quarterly. Also checking prices for
printing and distribution.
Sent letters to area clergy
for Soil Stewardship Week to order liturgical information for their services. Three parishes responded.
Sent letter for the 2009
tree pickup April 24 & 25 at Kelly Erickson’s farm. Also sent out tree planting letters to
landowners requesting that service.
Board members advised Luan
to forward the contract from MPCA to Doebbert Law Office for review. Contact
Tim James for questions about Insurance limits and O&E insurance coverage
as outlined in the contract.
Melissa Behrens, NRCS and
Luan Johnsrud, SWCD presented ‘Dit It! The Secrets of Soil” poster contest
information to MAHS, Cyrus, Glacial Hills Elementary and BBE students. Posters
are to be handed in by May 13th for judging.
Met with JB Bright and
Chris Kellett-Sawdey to design the CWMA billboard for the Weed Awareness and
Training Workshop June 23, 2009. Also
discussed design of the weed brochure with Chris and JB. This portion of the
CWMA project is funded through Fish and Wildlife.
o
Craig Bower,
NRCS
Reported on meetings
attended March 13-April 16, 2009.
The Privacy Act has made it
illegal to be able to interact with WCA concerns.
Any whistleblower
complaints are not to be accessible to FOIA requests. Private folders of complaints will be kept in
Craig’s desk.
Any for CP38 applications
(pheasant habitat) will be on hold until more acres are approved. Five (5) SAFE
contracts (90 acres total) were approved.
Any additional contacts will be on hold.
EQIP activities included
one feedlot assessment with Eric Soupir, NRCS engineer, checking files for
conservation tillage, approved practice schedule for 2009, applications have started.
o
Grant
Herfindahl, FSA-not present
o
Ralph Peterson,
WesMin RC&D/MN River Resource/Glacial Trail
Ralph had the Dry Hydrant
signs and pictures for one of the
hydrants installed through at partnership with WesMin RC&D. Keith volunteered to install them at the
sight.
MN River Source JPB-
Termination 2009 Agreement. Separate
from Area II, though serves the area.
Bylaws and rules need to be in place.
Stearns County SWCD will house and perhaps hire another staff person to
conduct this activity. MN river source
JPB (#7) has purchased insurance for four (4) years to cover any conflicts that
may revert back to this agreement. There
is money remaining in this agreement that must be used before the July 1, 2009
dissolution or the funds will be turned over.
o
Other:
Kelly reported on Green
Acres clarification. SWCD Conservation
Management Plan should include set fees for writing the plan. Additional
guidelines will be available effective for 2012 taxes.
Luan shared Sauk River
Watershed meeting information, guidelines and articles passed.
Kelly and
Kyle left at 9:40 a.m.
7. New Business
o
Chris
Kellett-Sawdy, Bridge-Light Marketing and Web Design; web hosting and web
design. Chris presented two proposals.
One for the Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) website and brochure
preparation. The other for the SWCD
website design, hosting and name reservation.
Motion by Randy Anderson to accept the Bridge-Light Marketing and Web
Design proposal for the CWMA project.
Second by Gary Reents. Motion
carried. Luan is to check on pricing for
SWCD website that will loose NRCA as its host effective July 1, 2009.
8. Motion by Randy Anderson, second by Gary Reents to
adjourn the meeting at 10:55 a.m. Motion carried.