HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved 12-2-2021 CSZC Minutes GRANT COUNTY CONSERVATION, SANITATION, & ZONING
COMMITTEE MEETING
December 2, 2021
9:00 a.m.
Room #264, County Board Room, Administration Building and Via Zoom Meeting
Lancaster, Wisconsin
The Grant County Conservation, Sanitation & Zoning Committee meeting was called to order on December 2,
2021 at 9:00 a.m. by Mark Stead, the Conservation, Sanitation, and Zoning Committee Chairman in Room #264,
County Board Room of the Administration Building and via Zoom meeting.
Board members present in the County Board room: Mark Stead, Mike Lieurance, Porter Wagner, Lester Jantzen,
Gary Northouse, and Mark Hoehne. Via Zoom, Pat Schroeder. Others present in the County Board room; Lynda
Schweikert, Annette Lolwing, Robert Keeney, Shane Drinkwater, Bill Kletecka, Greg Cerven, via Zoom: Lynda
Schweikert, Shane Drinkwater, Robert Keeney, and Emily Schildgen.
Certification of Open Meeting Law
Annette Lolwing sent the amended agenda to Karla Schwantes and Tonya White to post in the Courthouse, in the
Administration Building, and on our website. An agenda was also posted in front of the Ag Service Center
Building, and was sent to Bob Middendorf, WGLR. Media notices were sent to Karla Schwantes, Tonya White,
Herald Independent, Platteville Journal, Muscoda Progressive, Boscobel Dial, Fennimore Times, and Bob
Middendorf.
Approval of Amended Agenda
Motion by Mike Lieurance, seconded by Porter Wagner to approve the Amended Agenda. Motion carried.
Approval of the November 4, 2021 Minutes
Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Lester Jantzen to approve the November 4, 2021 minutes. Motion
carried.
Review & Accept the Bills
Motion by Mike Lieurance, seconded by Mark Hoehne to accept the November bills. Motion carried.
Out of Budget Spending for Computer/Monitor Replacement
Lynda brought forth another bid for the replacement of 5 CSZD computers, docking stations, and monitors.
Lynda is requesting an out of budget spending request for those items. Motion by Mike Lieurance, seconded by
Porter Wagner to recommend to Executive Committee to purchase the computers utilizing out of budget
spending. Motion carried.
Zoning/Sanitation Report
Lynda reported that there was an increase of 355 maintenance forms, the sanitary permits are down 20, and the
zoning permits are down by 49 from this time last year. In 2020 we issued 103 failing septic systems, at this time
there are 41 still remaining. In 2020 we issued 82 failing to do their maintenance citations and still have 20
remaining. The holding tanks need to have their maintenance done once a year. There are 12 that have failed to
do their maintenance for 2021. For 2021 we issued 75 failure to do maintenance citations.
Lynda reported that there are 14, 2021 Zoning Citations pending.
Lynda reported that the WI Fund Grant Program was approved. Annette has been reaching out to those
individuals that are on the septic system citation list and other landowners that have failing septic systems to see
if they would qualify for the WI Fund. She has 8 that are eligible and have been sent to DSPS.
Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Lester Jantzen to accept the Zoning/Sanitation Report. Motion carried.
Wildlife Damage 80% Harvest Date: Greg Cerven
Greg mentioned that he had done some research and came up with November 10, 2021 when the 2021 harvest
was 80% complete. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Mike Lieurance to approve November 10th as the
80% harvest date. Motion carried.
Set Commodity Prices for WDACP: Greg Cerven
Greg presented the 2020 Commodity Prices vs. the 2021 Commodity Prices. Motion by Gary Northouse,
seconded by Lester Jantzen to approve the commodity prices as follows: 2020 Corn price was $3.77/bushel,
2021 was approved for $5.38/bushel; 2020 soybean price was $10.50/bushel, 2021 was approved for
$11.68/bushel; 2020 Alfalfa Hay price was $170.00/ton, 2021 was approved for $165.00/ton; Mixed Hay price
was $107.00/ton, 2021 was approved for $125.00/ton; organic soybeans for 2021 is $19.50/bushel; organic corn
in 2021 is $9.00/bushel; and organic hay is $210.00/ton. Motion carried.
County Cost Sharing: Beginning Balance $13,473.38 Ending Balance $11,493.70.
Lynda presented a final approval request for county cost sharing on a manure storage abandonment for Noble
Farms, Lima Twp., $1,991.16. Motion by Lester Jantzen, seconded by Mike Lieurance to approve the payment.
Roll Call: 6 Yes, 0 No, 0 Excused. Pat Schroeder was present via Zoom. Did not hear a voice vote but he did not
reject the cost sharing payment request either. Motion carried.
Lynda presented 9 final approval requests for county cost sharing for rye cover crop projects for Scott & Carolyn
Runde, Hazel Green Twp., $1,000.00 first year; Steve & Julie Mulrooney, Mt. Ida Twp., $331.25 first year; Terry
Adams, Watterstown Twp., $621.00 first year; Andrew & Kalena Fosselman, Mt. Ida Twp., $875.00 second year;
Lonnie & Rochelle Holthaus, Mt. Hope Twp., $915.00 second year; Mark & Emilie Mumm, Bloomington Twp.,
$250.00 second year; Matt Berning, Jamestown Twp., $640.00 second year; Tim & Patricia Adams, South
Lancaster Twp., $341.00 second year; Darren & Tammy Katzung, Beetown Twp., $1,000.00 third and final year.
Motion by Porter Wagner, seconded by Mike Lieurance to approve payment for the 9 rye cover crop projects.
Roll Call: 6 Yes, 0 No, 0 Excused. Motion carried. Pat Schroeder was present via Zoom. Did not hear a voice
vote but he did not object the cost sharing payment requests. Motion carried.
Lynda presented a final approval request for county cost sharing for first year rye cover crop for Trent Pritchett,
Bloomington Twp., $159.62. Trent did not get his rye planted until October 18th when the absolute deadline is
October 15th to plant rye. Bill Kletecka stopped out and checked the rye cover crop on October 26th, the seeds
were swelled but not yet sprouted. Bill went out again on November 16th and found that the rye was emerged and
was approximately 2 inches tall. His seeding rate came in a bit light, planting 1.3 bushels per acre. Trent has
headlands and end rows so that not all the 19.56 acres was actually seeded. Motion by Mike Lieurance, seconded
by Gary Northouse to approve payment. Roll Call: 6 Yes, 0 No, 0 Excused. Pat Schroeder was present via
Zoom. Did not hear a voice vote but he did not object the cost sharing request. Motion carried.
Lynda presented tentative approval requests for county cost sharing on 3 well decommissionings for Lucilla
Hechanova, Platteville, Twp., $650.00, Gerald Weiss, South Lancaster Twp., $1,000.00, and Scott & Debi
Kramer, Platteville Twp., $780.00. Motion by Porter Wagner, seconded by Lester Jantzen to approve all 3 well
decommissioning requests. Motion carried.
SWRM Cost Sharing:
2020 DATCP Cost Sharing: Beginning Balance $0.00/Ending Balance $0.00
2021 DATCP Cost Sharing: Beginning Balance $37,312.43/Ending Balance $0.00
Lynda presented tentative approval request for 2021 DATCP cost sharing on a streambank protection project for
Martin & Ruth Tollefson, Fennimore Twp., $3,722.43. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Porter Wagner
to approve the Tollefson’s request. Motion carried.
2021 MDV Cost Sharing: Beginning Balance $27,225.71/Ending Balance $27,225.71.
None to Report.
SWRM Cost Sharing
Lynda reported that she will be requesting an extension of 3, 2021 DATCP cost sharing projects for Michael
Haas, streambank protection project, $13,500.00; Alcorn Trust, streambank protection project, $9,100.00,
Timothy & Amy Bailie, grade stabilization project, $10,990.00, and Martin & Ruth Tollefson, streambank
protection project, $3,722.43. These 4 practices were contracted but have not been constructed this year. Motion
by Mike Lieurance, seconded by Lester Jantzen to approve Lynda to request an extension of the 2021 DATCP
cost sharing to 2022. Motion carried. Alcorn Trust has been working on their project.
FPP Notice of Noncompliance
Bill Kletecka has been working with the Schwer LLC. The Schwer LLC had discussed with their tax preparer
and had expressed some concern over their financial requirement that is associated to be in the Farmland
Preservation Program, which is $6,000.00 of income. They were not able to meet that criteria, so they would like
to voluntarily remove themselves from the Farmland Preservation Program. Motion by Mike Lieurance,
seconded by Gary Northouse to approve Schwer LLC’s to be voluntarily removed from the FPP. Motion carried.
Storage Permit Approval
None to report.
2021 DATCP Staff & Support Reimbursement
Lynda reported that she submits a Grant Staff and Support Reimbursement Form to DATCP every year regarding
our expenses. As of the year-to-date expenses in November, the staff amount of $195,375.59 is what Lynda is
requesting. We are also eligible for some support money for items such as: training, office supplies, equipment,
software, and printers, this amount being requested is $8,513.00. The total came to $203,888.59. The amount
that we are eligible to receive is $114,163.00 due to the limited funding that the budget provided. Motion by
Lester Jantzen, seconded by Porter Wagner to approve the DATCP Grant Staff & Support reimbursement.
Motion carried.
CSZD Administrator Report
Lynda reported that she had 4 meetings/activities scheduled in November.
● November 10, 2021 – Farmer Leadership Outreach Meeting
● November 15, 2021 – NWQI Meeting (National Water Quality Initiative)
● November 17, 2021 – FPP Tax Credit Webinar
● November 23, 2021 – Precision Ag Outreach Meeting
Continuous Improvement Update
Lynda has been working with the Administrative Support Assistant to develop and track the citation process.
NRCS Report: Joe Schmelz
See Attached Report
FSA Report
Emily reported that there was a new program that was released in the middle of November. It is only a 60
day sign up for producers. The sign-up deadline for 2020 and 2021 is January 7, 2022. This sign up is for
organic producers. The name of the program is: Organic Transitional Education and Certification Program.
This is a program through the state that helps organic farmers to get some cost sharing to cover the cost of
getting the organic certification. It has been running about $1000.00 for each of the certifications. The
state program covers around 50%. The USDA is covering an additional 25% of those costs and also are
assisting those who are in the transitioning process. It is a 3-year transition process to become organic
and producers in that process don’t get cost share to assist with that certification. They still need to have
routine checks done by the certifying organization, so they would get 75% of those costs covered. Both
Certified Organic and Transitioning Organic producers could get up to 75% and then there is a dollar cap
on it, for educational registration fees, and for soil testing that they need to have done each year. Payments
won’t be released until the sign-up period is done.
They will be starting the 2022 ARC/PLC sign-up the beginning of January. The deadline to sign up for the
ARCP is March 15th.
Motion by Lester Jantzen, seconded by Porter Wagner to adjourn to Thursday, January 6, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. The
meeting is scheduled for Room#264, County Board Room for Committee Members, and the Public participation
will be by Zoom only. Motion carried.
Respectfully Submitted by Annette Lolwing for Lester Jantzen