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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUnapproved MINUTES_FEBRUARY 7_2012GRANT COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING February 7, 2012 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 the Chairman were, Steve Adrian, Mark Stead, Grant Loy, Lester Jantzen, Marvin Kettler and Don Splinter. Others present were, Dan Goltz, Greg Cerven, Matt Singer, Sam Blake, Melissa Bartz, Lynda Schweikert, Kevin Lange, and Annette Lolwing. Certification of Open Meeting Law: Annette Lolwing Annette Lolwing sent the agenda to WGLR radio. Media notices and agendas were sent to Karla Schwantes to post in the Administration Building and County Courthouse. Media notices were sent to the Herald Independent, Tri County Press, and Platteville Journal. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Steve Adrian to approve the January 7, 2012 minutes with the change that John Patcle arrived at the meeting at 9:25 instead of 9:30 as written in his report. Motion carried. Motion by Don Splinter, seconded by Lester Jantzen to approve the Agenda as written. Motion carried. Bills: Annette Lolwing Motion by Don Splinter, seconded by Grant Loy to approve the January bills. Motion carried. Wildlife Damage Abatement Claims Program: Greg Cerven Greg reported that 10 landowners made a claim of Wildlife Damage. 6 landowners; Steve Adrian, Clement Dressler Sr., Dan Hershberger, Robert Hochhausen, Lynn Kirschbaum, and Bob Waterman met their requirements with their claims. 3 individuals did not meet their requirements with their claim. They are Jim Collins, Arnold Cuchna, and Dennis Haas. Darrell Henry, Gary Klein, and Ted Krause also did not make a claim. Ray Kirschbaum was granted a waiver; 2 deer were shot on September 15th and were registered on September 16th. Therefore he met his quota of 11 and had shot a total of 12. Jim Collins, his 80% objective was 20 and he shot 3 by September 15th. His total was 25 and still had only shot the 3. Arnold Cuchna, his 80% objective was 4 and shot 0 by September 15th. His total was 5 and there were only 3 shot. Dennis Haas, his 80% objective was 16 and he had 12 shot by September 15th. His total was 20 and he shot 35. Motion by Don Splinter, seconded by Grant Loy to accept the claims as they were presented, and offer Jim, Dennis and Arnold the option to appeal. Motion carried. Steve Adrian Abstained. March 1st is the deadline to have the appeals in to the Madison DNR. February 28th at 9:00 will be the WDACP appeal meeting, and will be held in conjunction with the regular LWCC monthly meeting for March. County and SWRM Cost Sharing Approval: Lynda Schweikert Lynda reported that the SWRM grant has not yet been approved by DATCP. Nancy Scott and Lynda had worked on the year end carryover accounts to make sure that all the accounts balance. Lynda stated that the $41,290.32 carryover amount that she presented last month has now been adjusted to $40,872.73 which is a decrease of $417.59. This will give us a starting balance of $40,872.73 + budgeted county cost share of $34,220.00 to equal a total of $75,092.73. Lynda presented a cancellation request for county cost sharing of $3,500.00 for a streambank protection project for Robert Smith, Ellenboro Twp. because of the cricket frog issues. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Lester Jantzen to approve the cancellation request. Motion carried. Signing Tree Planter Agreement: Lynda Schweikert Lynda reported that she had presented the Tree Planting Lease Agreement to Matt Singer after the last meeting and Matt had signed it. Motion by Steve Adrian, seconded by Marvin Kettler to approve the Tree Planter Lease Agreement. Motion carried. Forestry Update: Matt Singer Matt Singer introduced himself and has been filling in for Craig Hollingsworth who has retired approximately a year ago. He has been working in Lafayette County, and filling in for Grant County, and Iowa County. Matt’s first priority is to address the phone calls and introduce new landowners to the forestry programs. Sam Blake, an LTE forester, will be working with Matt. Sam is from Wisconsin and based out of Dodgeville and will be working mostly on state lands. Sam and Matt have been working in Grant County a couple of days a week. Sam will be here through July and will be working with the Tree Planter. Land and Water Conservation Department Report: Lynda Schweikert Lynda reported that they have concluded the Nutrient Management Farmer Education Training. Another very successful year. There were 9 students who spent 2 days in the computer lab at UW Platteville working with Snap plus. After the 2 days, 8 students left with their completed Nutrient Management Plans. The 9th farm was a very large farmer who came in the office and spent most of an additional day to complete his Nutrient Management Plan. They all wrote on their evaluation that it was worth their time and would recommend other landowners to take the class. There is 1 student left to write his NMP and his son will be taking the NMP class with Chris Baxter at the UW-Platteville Campus. Lynda shared an email from Amber Radatz, who works with the Discovery Farms and the UW Extension. The last couple of years Amber had been sent around to help with the NMP trainings. Amber really appreciated the 2 days working with Lynda and her helpers during the time spent using Snap plus at the UW Campus. She stated that Lynda was well organized and had done much of the prep work ahead of time prior to the class to make things run smoothly. Lynda reported that there was a tax preparer and Farmland Preservation Program training session in conjunction with Iowa and Lafayette County that was held on January 10th in Belmont. Keith Foye from the DATCP was there to talk to the tax preparers direct. Had a good attendance of around 30 people that attended from Grant, Iowa, and Lafayette County. Lynda shared a handout with the committee explaining that the tax preparers were not using the appropriate tax forms and how ½ of the landowners had been under claimed by as much as $3.00 per acre for their Farmland Preservation Tax Credits. Lynda reported that she is compiling Annual Report articles for the 1st draft that will be sent to the paper. The final Annual Report should be published and in the local papers at the end of the month. Lynda has also sent the Land and Water Conservation Department Annual Report to Linda Gebhard for the County Board report. Lynda reported on the SWRM Lapse Resolution that was sent to Governor Walker. He responded back to Mr. Patcle, with a thank you note for contacting his office with this resolution. He will keep the thoughts and ideas in mind. Lynda reported that she received a note from Kirsten Moore, with the WLWCA, that they are still working on the staffing grant. Some action may be taken in February. Kirsten would like for the counties to reach out to Senator Schultz as he may be the best individual to act in favor of moving the SEG nonpoint funds into the GPR for staffing, or another option that would retain the staffing funds. Lynda had sent another letter and had made an additional phone call to Senator Schultz regarding our staffing issues, and asked all LWCC members to make contact themselves. FPP Report: Kevin Lange Kevin reported that he has 1 Voluntary Notice of NonCompliance from Paul and Pamela Langkamp, Lima Twp. Kevin also had 4 Cancellation Notices of NonCompliance. These 4 individuals have now provided us with their Nutrient Management Plans; Steve & Dale Harris, Hickory Grove Twp., John & JoAnn Wiederholt, Fennimore & Jamestown Twp., Gregory & Marjorie Adkins, Mt. Ida Twp., and Gerald & Ruth Colson, Hickory Grove Twp. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Lester Jantzen to accept the Voluntary Notice of NonCompliance and the 4 Cancellation Notices of NonCompliance. Motion carried. Kevin reported that he has been working on CREP contracts. Kevin reported that he has been working on sodbusting plans, updating conservation plan revisions, and writing new plans for several acres that have come out of the CRP last fall. Kevin reported that he has sent a mailing to the local churches asking them if they would like to participate in the complimentary church litanies that we have been giving out for the soil stewardship week that is April 29th through May 6th. The theme this year is (Soil to Spoon). Kevin mentioned that we are still getting tree orders in and the deadline is February 17, 2012. Lynda has set up a link on our website to go directly to her email if the individual would like be on our tree sale mailing list. We have added a couple individuals each month. Kevin also had a CountrySide Clinic article in the local newspapers that have sparked an interest in the tree sale orders. NRCS Report: Melissa Bartz Melissa reported that she has been working on an area review. Melissa is talking to some individuals from the state office saying how the area office helps the field offices and how they can do a better job of supporting them. - CRP – There will be 180 contracts expiring on September 30, 2012. Therefore, NRCS will be looking to see if the LWCD will be interested in a contribution agreement. - EQIP – So far there are 85 applications, all but 10 are ranked. Should know at the end of the month who gets funded. Probably be getting approximately $400,000. - WHIP – There is no money for that this year. So no applications or contracts written for WHIP. - CSP – There are 10 applications and will write the contracts at the end of March. FSA Report: Jared Reuter No Report Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Steve Adrian to adjourn until February 28, 2012. Motion carried. Respectfully Submitted by Annette Lolwing for Grant Loy