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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUnapproved MINUTES_September_6_2011GRANT COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING September 6, 2011 9:00 a.m. Ag Services Building Lancaster, Wisconsin The meeting was called to order by Chairman Vince Loeffelholz at 9:00 a.m. Present in addition to Chairman Vince Loeffelholz were, Lester Jantzen, Steve Adrian, Mark Stead, and Marvin Kettler. Others present were, Marlene Sorenson, Lynda Schweikert, Kevin Lange, Jared Reuter, Annette Lolwing, Kevin Kelly, and Kathy Marty. Grant Loy was excused. Certification of Open Meeting Law: Annette Lolwing Annette Lolwing posted the agenda at the Ag Service Center, was sent to Karla Schwantes to post at the Administration Building, and County Courthouse, was also sent to WGLR Radio stating the date, time, and place of the meeting. Media notices were sent to WGLR Radio, Herald Independent, Tri County Press, and Platteville Journal. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Don Splinter to approve the August 2, 2011 minutes. Motion carried. Motion by Steve Adrian, seconded by Marvin Kettler to approve the Agenda as written. Motion carried. Bills: Annette Lolwing The bills from the August 2, 2011 meeting were passed around to view, but never got approved. Motion by Lester Jantzen, seconded by Marvin Kettler to approve the August 2nd bills. Motion carried. Motion by Don Splinter, seconded by Lester Jantzen to approve the September 6th bills. Motion carried. Annual Report: Kevin Kelly Lynda introduced Kevin Kelly to the committee. Kevin is the Sales Marketing Director for Morris News Corp of WI. Kevin Kelly reported on different options that are available to publish the Annual Report. We are doing a 12 page section, which is called a tab size, when printing on tab size it is required to be in a 4 page increment. Printed approximately 16,800 copies for the Round Up, Platteville Journal, Herald Independent, Fennimore Times, Muscoda Progressive and the Boscobel Dial and some extra copies for the office for 2011. Areas to cut cost would be to cut the size of the section down to 8 pages, a small reduction of cost to eliminate color, and to cut numbers of inserts. $5,000.00 is budgeted and LWCC decided not to change anything at this time. Safe Grant County Coalition: Kathy Marty Kathy Marty is the project director for the Safe Grant County Coalition. Their mission is to promote responsible behavior to reduce and prevent substance abuse and other risky behaviors in Grant County. This organization is funded mostly by grant money. They coordinate the alcohol and tobacco compliance checks, prescription drug round ups, and provide a real mock accident scene with a fatality and to appear in the courtroom. Kathy presented an awareness brochure on how to protect yourself and farm from illegal production and harvesting of marijuana in the United States. They are trying to get the word out to the landowners to watch for this of the epidemic of growing marijuana. County Board Chairman Report: John Patcle John reported that they are working on the budgets. There is an administrative meeting today, September 6th at 12:00 noon located at the Administration Building. County Cost Share Approval: Lynda Schweikert Lynda reported that she has 2 cost share cancellations to report; Paul Langkamp, Lima Twp., opted to cancel his county cost sharing. There ended up being a dry hole with no well or pipes. Filled it with a clay material. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Don Splinter to approve Paul’s cancellation request. The $350.00 will go back into the county cost share account. Motion carried. Jerry Wamsley, Waterloo Twp., is opting to cancel his county and SWRM cost share request for a grade stabilization structure. There was not adequate clay materials to build the dam. Jerry was going to do it on his own and did not want any cost sharing. Motion by Don Splinter, seconded by Steve Adrian to approve Jerry’s cancellation request. The $3,500.00 county cost sharing will be credited back to the county cost sharing account and the $4,900.00 DATCP cost sharing will be credited back to the SWRM account. Motion carried. Lynda presented final approval request for county cost sharing on a grassed waterway for Crapp Farms Partnership, C/O Darrell Crapp, North Potosi Twp., $1,830.76. Motion by Steve Adrian, seconded by Marvin Kettler to approve payment. Roll Call: 6 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent. Motion carried. Lynda presented final approval request for county cost sharing of $1,552.94 and $3,500.00 DATCP cost sharing totaling $5,052.94 on a grade stabilization structure project for Puls Living Trust, Jamestown Twp. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Lester Jantzen to approve payment. Roll Call: 6 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent. Motion carried. Lynda presented 2 tentative approval requests for county cost sharing on well decommissioning for Allen Theill, Jamestown Twp., $500.00, and for Donald Russell, Cassville Twp., $292.50. Motion by Don Splinter, seconded by Mark Stead to approve both Allen and Mark’s well decommissioning requests. Motion carried. Lynda presented that there are 2 outstanding DATCP tentative approval requests left to complete. One is for Tim Pitzen, a grade stabilization structure. The other is for Kartman Farms who has just completed their dam. Charles Volenec Storage Permit Inquire Lynda mentioned to the committee that Charles would like the committee’s approval to continue using an existing storage facility which is under the storage requirements. This does not need a permit and does not fall under the ordinance at this time. Charles wanted to build a larger facility and wanted to use the old facility for a reception pit. He is unable to get an engineer to certify that the existing facility meets standards. Ralph Hemling stated that he can’t use this as a reception pit for the reasoning that it is not certified and will not be used in the new facility. Charles would like the committee’s approval that he can still use this as a temporary storage facility. Motion by Steve Adrian, seconded by Don Splinter that Charles does not need to apply for a permit to continue using this existing facility since it is under the minimum size requirement for an animal waste storage facility permit. Motion carried. Deer Donation Agreement to Participate Lynda reported that this year they are not doing an amendment to our deer donation budget. The DNR is allocating Grant County $6,000.00 for the deer donation program. If we go over the $6,000.00 we will then need to ask for an amendment to the budget. The DNR wants the county to sign an agreement to participate. Motion by Don Splinter, seconded by Marvin Kettler to sign the deer donation agreement to participate. Motion carried. Fennimore Butcher Shop will not be allowed to participe in this program this year. 2012 Budget Approval Lynda brought forth further clarification of the budget. Lynda had to establish a not to exceed amount. With an increase in wages and social security, and a decrease from the budget bill with retirement and healthcare, came up with a -3.76% as the amount that the conservation department could not exceed. A big change will be the decrease of $10,000.00 from (DATCP) state cost sharing. Lynda can’t assume a contribution agreement for any additional incoming money. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Don Splinter to approve the new 2012 budget as presented. Motion carried. Purchase New Fleet Vehicle Lynda reported that the vehicle that we would be replacing is Randy’s 2000 Ford Ranger Supercab. The going prices for a 2011 Ford Ranger is at $23,000, with 15 city – 19 hwy miles; a 2011 Ford F150 is at $28,000, with 16 city – 21 hwy miles. Those prices do not include the fleet discount for government. Motion by Don Splinter, seconded by Mark Stead to let it out for bids for both an economy and a full size truck. Motion carried. Sale of 2000 Ford Ranger Lynda reported that the Ford Ranger has 50,000 miles on it. It is in good condition, but has been totaled for hail damage. Motion by Lester Jantzen, seconded by Steve Adrian to let the Ford Ranger out for bids amongst the other county departments. The Land and Water Conservation Department has the right to accept or reject any bids. Motion carried. Update on Sale of Tree Planting Equipment Lynda had a request from the committee to send out information to local sportsman clubs in the area that we have the tree planting equipment for sale. Lynda contacted Todd Johnson at the Extension office to see if he had a listing of the local sportsman groups. Todd was unable to locate a mailing list. Lynda will be doing a general advertising in the paper publicly and will be sending a specific letter to those local sportsman clubs that we know of. WLWCA/WALCE Merger update Lynda passed around 3 different handouts for the WLWCA/WALCE merger comments and updates. Vince was concern about employees voting on budget issues. Information was given to attorney Todd Infield for review. Have not heard any response back from Todd. Land & Water Conservation Department Report: Lynda Schweikert Lynda reported that Vince, Lester, Grant, Lynda, Kevin and Annette atten ded the Southern Area Association summer tour on August 3rd. Lynda reported that we handed out 200 of 300 grocery bags at the fair. We had computer issues trying to get connected to the wireless internet. There was minimal interest in producing the maps and minimal attendance that came through the building. Requested to have wireless internet added to the Eckstein building. Lynda reported on the nutrient management farmer education grant. It is a grant that allows us to provide incentive payments for those farmers who take our NMP classes. There were no objections for Lynda to apply for a 2011 NMFE, (Nutrient Management Farmer Education) grant for $15,000. FPP Report: Kevin Lange Kevin presented 2 voluntary Notices of Non-Compliance to Richard Johnson, Platteville Twp., and Bernadine DiVall, Liberty Twp. Motion by Marvin Kettler, seconded by Lester Jantzen to accept the 2 that have voluntarily dropped out of the FPP. Motion carried. Kevin reported that he and Lynda have been in the office working on CRP plans and are now completed. Kevin will be working on some Farmland Preservation spot checks. He will also be attending the soil sampling class on September 7th at the Experimental Farm to teach how to correctly take soil samples. Kevin will be going to Green County on September 27th and the 29th to help with their high school land judging contest. Lynda reported that they have already received 1 request for certification from a landowner that attended the Harrison Township informational meeting that was held on August 8th. Lynda reported that they are 57% complete with the FPP spot checks. NRCS Report: Marlene Sorenson Marlene reported that she will be acting DC for the next week as Melissa’s father passed away last Thursday. Marlene reported that NRCS must downsize their truck fleet, so Marlene’s 2001 Chevy Silverado, and the NRCS van will be going. They did get a Jeep Liberty to replace 1 of the 2 vehicles. Other government agencies that needed trucks had applied for them. One of the trucks will be going to Oregon, and the van will be going to Utah. They still have Dave and Melissa’s trucks. Marlene also reported that NRCS has completed the CRP conservation plans. Marlene talked about EQIP. Letters were sent out to all the individuals that did not get their project funded in 2011 and were asked if they would like for their name to be deferred (active) for the 2012 EQIP sign up. So far there are 21 landowners that have contacted the office to say they would like to be deferred. Deadline to contact the NRCS office to defer the EQIP cost sharing to 2012 is September 29th. The new EQIP sign up is in draft form. There will still be sign ups in the “area pool”, and then the county fund pools. Cropland and pastureland will still be ranked at the county level. Marlene reported about her trip to the Arlington Agronomy Field Day. She spoke in reference to the Switchgrass plots. The way of the future of bio mass will be growing big blue stem. Marlened reported that the plant material lab is always looking for individuals to collect seed for various things. FSA Report: Jared Reuter Jared reported that they are preparing for October Payments, it is a big payment month for DCP and CRP. Approximately 8 million dollars are paid out for those 2 programs. Jared reported that they are short staffed by 2 ¾ persons and are coming in to an uncertain budget for 2012. They have talked about shipping some of the work out of the office to another location. Call for Agenda Items for Next Months Meeting Other Business Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Marvin Kettler to adjourn until October 4, 2011. Motion carried. Respectfully Submitted by Annette Lolwing for Grant Loy