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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07 Approved 07-3-2025 CSZD Minutes COMMITTEE MEETING July 3, 2025 9:00 a.m. Room #264, Grant County Board Room, Administration Building Lancaster, Wisconsin The Grant County Conservation, Sanitation & Zoning Committee meeting was called to order on July 3, 2025, at 9:08 a.m. by Joe Mumm, the Conservation, Sanitation, Zoning Committee Chairman in Room #264, County Board Room of the Administration Building. Board members present in the County Board room #264: Joseph Mumm, Gary Northouse, Larry Jerrett, Pat Schroeder, Adam Day, and Roger Lange. Brian Lucey, Absent. Others present in the County Board room; Annette Lolwing, Robert Keeney, Adam Reed, Keith Lane, Brady Bartels, Nate Dreckman, IT staff, Jim Bergles, Faye Pensel, Randy Warne, Nikki Warne, Alyssa Schaeffer, and Troy Maggied. Zoom: Robert Keeney, Tonya White, Emily Schildgen, Mike Adams, and Herald Independent. Certification of Open Meeting Law Annette Lolwing sent the agenda to the County Clerk’s office to post in the Administration Building, Courthouse, and on the County website. An agenda was also posted in front of the Ag Service Center Building. An agenda was also sent to Bob Middendorf, WGLR. Media notices were sent to the County Clerk’s office, Herald Independent, Muscoda Progressive, Boscobel Dial, Fennimore Times, and Bob Middendorf. Approval of July 3, 2025, Agenda Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Adam Day to approve the agenda. Motion carried. Approval of June 5, 2025, Minutes Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Roger Lange to approve June 5, 2025, minutes. Motion carried. Review & Accept the June Bills Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Pat Schroeder to accept the June bills. Motion carried. NRCS Report – Mike Adams Mike reported on a few items that NRCS is working on: CSP – currently working on obligating all preapprovals. They had 19 CSP contracts. CRP – Still waiting to hear on CRP. EQIP – They had some more funding trickling down. There were a couple of cropland projects funded, like cover crops and dams. After things slow down they will be heading to the field to certify conservation practices on existing contracts. FSA Report – Emily Schildgen Emily Schildgen reported 1) Spring Crop Reporting deadline is July 15, 2025. FSA is approximately 75% done with the 2025 crop reporting. After the July 15th deadline there will be a cost of $46.00 per farm late file fee to do a crop report and to consider them properly filed. It is very important to get the crop reports completed; you never know what programs that may come available that will require a crop report to be on file. 2) Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) – This program opened March 19, and the majority of the producers have signed up for that. They still have around 50 applications that they don’t have back yet. The deadline for this program is August 15, 2025. The payment is based on the 2024 producer’s crop reports. 3) Marketing Assistance for the Specialty Crops Program that was offered last fall, with a deadline back in December. It was a partial payment with the potential of more payment if after the sign up that there is still more funding available. There was more funding available. There will be a second payment for those specialty crop producers that was released on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. This payment is for a difference in price because of the markets last year. 4) FSA also has County Committee Elections for local administrative authority area 1 which is South Lancaster, Potosi, Beetown, part of Mt. Hope, Patch Grove, Cassville, that area of the county. The incumbent is not re-running. It is a self-nomination, or you can nominate somebody if you are in that area. Nominations are due in the office or post marked by August 1st. Zoning/Sanitation Report Keith presented the Zoning/Sanitation report. Sanitation permits: For the month of June 2024, there were 12 sanitary permits issued. There were 63 Sanitary Permits issued year to date. For the month of June 2025, there were 13 sanitary permits issued. For year-to-date there were 60 sanitary permits issued. Zoning permits: For the month of June 2024, there were 22 zoning permits issued. There were 131 zoning permits issued year-to-date. For the month of June 2025, there were 43 zoning permits issued. For year-to-date there were 152 zoning permits issued. There is no Board of Adjustments scheduled. Public Hearing for Rezones Chairman Mumm opened the Public Hearing RZ25-13 Jordan and Ashlyn Fritche, Fennimore Twp. are requesting to change the zoning classification on PIN: 016-00429-0000 of +/- 0.72 ac. from A2 to R3 to allow for a detached garage. In Favor: Fennimore Twp. approved on June 9, 2025. In Opposition: None In Interest: None Committee Discussion: None Chairman Mumm closed the Public Hearing. Motion by Gary Northouse, to recommend approval of the rezone request to the full County Board, seconded by Roger Lange. Motion carried. Southwest Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SWWRPC) – Update on Current Nonmetallic & Fees Alyssa Schaeffer with the Southwest Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission wanted to give an update on nonmetallic mining in Grant County. They help manage the NR 135 State Statute in Grant County. The SWWRPC is funded by Grants, Contracts, and Counties. NR 135 is for protecting private landowner property by the reclamation process once they are done mining. Non-metallic mines need to supply a reclamation plan and financial assurance that if by chance the mine goes bankrupt there will be enough funds set aside for the county to reclaim the site. The roles that the SWWRPC’s have are to review the reclamation plan, publish the public notice and public hearings, conduct site visits, make sure that the financial assurance is up to date, manage annual reporting and fee collection, and they coordinate with DNR on fees and audits. In 2024, there were 64 quarries, 2,320 acres approved for mining, 172 acres approved for mining in 2024, 825 unreclaimed acres actively being mined. The SWWRPC discussed the updates to the fee schedule. They are proposing to increase their annual fees by 25%, which has not been increased since 2011. This is budget neutral to the county. The average cost increase for quarries will be around $114.00 per mine. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Adam Day to accept the fee increase. Motion carried. Faye Pensel – Rip Rap Discussion: Keith stated that Faye contacted our office to see if someone would stop out to look at her retention pond on her property. The property is just south of Livingston. Faye’s’ concerns are mowing along the bank for vegetation control. On some of the Northeast edges of the pond there are some open-faced banks. Faye stated that the banks have been eroding since they installed part of the bank with rock rip rap. She stated that the heavy rain and wind has caused the bank to erode. She stated that it is a very dangerous situation with the banks eroding. She mentioned that the lake is open for children to fish and if the children step on the bank at the edge of a lake and fall in and drown. Keith stated that Grant County initially designed and installed the original pond. NRCS came in later and installed some bank stabilization (rip rap) on the pond. Faye is now asking for funds to continue to rip rap another section of the pond. County staff, NRCS staff and their engineers were out to the site. Arabelle, NRCS Engineer, mentioned in her note that this is not a resource concern at this time. Keith and Brady also don’t consider it a resource concern at this time as well. There is no soil deposition leaving the site at this time. This pond is on private property and has no public access to the pond. Keith asked the committee if they were willing to spend money on this project or put it on the back burner to see what funding we have left later in the year. Roger Lange asked if the CSZD would provide any engineering assistance for this project if they were not to accept any cost sharing? Brady stated that he has no job approval for this, and he stated that he would need to have his area engineer help him, and she already stated that she would not assist with this project. Keith stated that we will see where our funding is at the end of the construction season and if we have left over money this project may be considered at that time, committee agreed. Randy Warne mentioned that he mows around the pond and he is in fear of rolling a lawn mower over into the pond. Randy stated that the CSZD and NRCS have done rip rap on this pond before and feels that this is more of an emergency situation. Brady stated that our standards have changed since the original rip rap was done. The project needs to meet certain criteria called the BEPI (Bank Erosion Potential Index) score and if the project doesn’t meet that score then the standards say that we cannot do the project. Arabelle, NRCS Engineer, ran that BEPI score and the project did not meet the resource concern. Roger Beach – Citation Discussion: Keith mentioned that Roger Beach is a habitual citation individual that has been rotating through our department for a while. Robert Keeney had been inquiring about this individual and his citation. Keith wanted the committee to have their input whether to drop the citation or look at other options? Roger Beach stated in his court appearance this year that he is living on his property in an RV. He has water on the site, but the RV is not connected to it. He has no POWTS system, but he has a porta potty. There are multiple situations going on like this in the county. Keith stated that if he is just living off just a porta potty that just sets a precedent with other community aspects in Grant County for doing the same thing. Roger Beach stated that he has some mental issues regarding that every 3 years that he needs to address this citation, and it is creating him anxiety and would like to be left alone. Ben Wood, Corporation Counsel, and Keith have discussed the continual people that under any circumstances aren’t going to conform. Keith asked the committee; do we continue to enforce this? do we ignore it? in which case you are setting precedence for the rest of those that are receiving citations. Do we let one go and make the rest of the individuals follow the rules? Adam Day and Roger Lange stated that what good are rules if we don’t enforce them. Adam Day stated that a couple of months ago in the Griswold case we were not going to stop the citation process. If the court decides down the road that this is their decision, then that’s the court’s decision. The CSZD committee should make sure that the rules are followed. The CSZD has reached out to Roger Beach that they would even approve a vault system and have maintenance on it, so he has something for him on his property. Keith feels that he stays in the system and addresses the problem, or he takes it to court. Nate Dreckman wonders if attorney Ben Wood, through the prosecution of it, to get the judge to administer a court order, rather than the judge just stating, Oh, you’re fine. This is part of the disposition of the case. If the judge says Yes, you need to have this issue in place by this time, or he will be found in contempt of court and face jail time. Adam Day stated that if you stop at this level and let it go then you are telling everybody that if you just become uncooperative the CSZD will stop enforcement. That is a bad precedence to start. It was suggested that Keith and Ben Wood talk to the judges to let them know what is really going on with the citations coming from the CSZD office. Courts have not been supportive of the CSZD citations that have been issued. Every time the CSZD issues a citation, they are always losing money. Concessus of the committee is to continue to issue citations and to follow through with enforcement. Cricket Frog Inspection Fee: Keith suggested that the Cricket Frog Inspection Fee set at: Private landowners be charged $100.00 per hour plus mileage, county work (highway department) no fee or mileage be charged, townships, cities and villages would be charged $50.00 per hour plus mileage. The mileage will follow the federal mileage rate. Pat Schroeder made the motion, seconded by Adam Day, to approve the fees as listed above. Motion carried. Rick Post – Court Case Discussion: Keith reported that from the Board of Adjustments he was told to either remove 7 feet of the existing structure or move it back 7 feet. Rick opted to file a court appeal within the 30-day time period. Rick is contesting the requirement of the 7 feet. Rick did have the opportunity to remove the 7 feet prior to completing construction. Cost Sharing: Beginning Balance $33,578.62/Ending Balance $33,067.12 Brady presented a county cost share extension request for a couple of manure storage closures for Gary & Deb Dresen, Cassville Twp. $3,750.00. This is his second cost share extension request. Gary was unable to get the storage closures completed this spring because of all the rain. If the project isn’t completed by November Brady will suggest cancelling his cost sharing request and have him resubmit his application when he is ready to abandon those manure storage structures. Motion by Adam Day, seconded by Gary Northouse to approve the extension request to November 6, 2025, paid receipts and all paperwork needs to be turned in prior to the November 6, 2025, Conservation, Sanitation, and Zoning Committee meeting. Motion carried. Brady presented final approval request for county cost sharing for a well decommissioning project for Beverly Loy, Lima Twp., $511.50 Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Adam Day to approve payment. Roll Call: 6 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent. Motion carried. 2024 DATCP Cost Sharing Requests: Brady presented final approval request for 2024 DATCP cost sharing for a manure storage closure for Tim Adams, South Lancaster Twp., $2,204.48. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Larry Jerrett to approve the payment. Roll Call: 6 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent. Motion carried. 2025 DATCP Cost Sharing Requests: Brady presented tentative approval request for 2025 DATCP cost sharing for 2 stream crossings for Louis & Ruth Vosberg, Hazel Green Twp., $5,435.50. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Adam Day to approve Vosberg’s request. Motion carried. Brady presented tentative approval request for 2025 DATCP cost sharing for a stream crossing and an access road for Crane Revocable Trust, Wingville Twp., $5,364.80. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Roger Lange to approve Crane’s request. Motion carried. Brady presented tentative approval request for 2025 DATCP cost sharing for 2 manure storage closures for Adam DeShaw, Little Grant Twp., storage closure #1 for $6,930.00 and storage closure #2 for $3,500.00. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Gary Northouse to approve both manure storage closures for Adam. Motion carried. Keith briefly explained the Water Quality Trading Basics sheet that was handed out. This is referring to the MDV funding that is available to Grant County through the phosphorus loading in our county. Keith needs to get approval from the committee to fund projects. Keith asked the committee if they would want him to sign a document for Grant County to be able to utilize the MDV funding. This will be voted on at the August 7th committee meeting. FPP Report – Brady Bartels Brady stated that there is nothing to report for FPP other than Steve has been doing FP spot checks. Storage Permit Approval – Brady Bartels Brady stated that he has a couple coming, just waiting for the construction plans to be approved by the engineer. CSZD Report Conservation: Keith went through a few of the highlights from the July overview notes that were handed out. 1. Keith reported that he and Steve attended the snap plus 3 training at Southwest Tech. 2. There were 8 NMP’s that were flagged for soil updates and erosion over T=1. They are working with landowners and DATCP as to how to address the issues with the plan writers and landowners. In August, DATCP will be at the office to go over current issues and how they feel that our department is addressing the NMP with the FP program. 3. A streambank protection project just got completed in Millville. Zoning: 1. SWWRPC received an application for a new pit in Paris Twp. 2. Lucas and Keith met with SWWRPC up at the Roh sand pit in Muscoda. They had been receiving complaints from an adjacent landowner. No issues were found. The landowner was told by Keith and SWWRPC that the sand pit is in compliance with NR135. They went ahead and filed a complaint with the Sheriff’s Office. 3. Adam is continuing to do his inspections. Sanitation: 1. We need to congratulate Jim. He was approved to be able to do reviews and approvals for at-grade septic systems for Grant County. By Jim doing the reviews it will bring in between $6,000.00 and $10,000.00 in revenue. 2. Keith and Jim have reviewed the habitual offenders; we are down to 8 that are still or have gone through the system so far. They have opted for not guilty pleas and future court dates. There are 72 active order for corrections or citations out at this time. The next meeting is scheduled for August 7, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in the County Board room. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Larry Jerrett to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried. Respectfully Submitted by Annette Lolwing