MINUTES OF THE

FREMONT SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING

AUGUST 3, 2010, 7:00 P.M.

 

CALL TO ORDER:  

A meeting of the Fremont Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioners was called to order by Chairperson Phil Wing at 7:10 p.m. on August 3, 2010 at the USDA Building, Sidney, Iowa.

 

PRESENT:   

Commissioners: Mark Kilpatrick, Harold Mitchell, Sheryl Sanders, and Phil Wing

 

Staff:                   Kevin Brannen, Tammy Grebert, and Brian Gross

 

Guest:                  Brian Ettleman

 

ADOPT AGENDA:  

The agenda for the August 3, 2010 meeting was adopted with the following addition:

·         Approval of July 15, 2010 Special Minutes

 

APPROVAL OF JULY 6, 2010 MINUTES:

54-10     The minutes of the July 6, 2010 meeting of the Fremont Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioners were approved as presented. The motion was made by Sanders, seconded by Mitchell and passed with all in favor.

 

APPROVAL OF JULY 15, 2010 SPECIAL MINUTES:

55-10     The minutes of the July 15, 2010 special meeting of the Fremont Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioners were approved as presented. The motion made by Sanders, seconded by Kilpatrick passed unanimously.

 

APPROVAL OF TREASURER’S REPORT:

56-10     It was moved by Sanders and seconded by Mitchell to approve the Treasurer’s report of the Fremont Soil and Water Conservation District. Motion carried with all in favor.

 

Cost share application requests, application approvals and application amendments/cancellations were accepted as follows:

               

Cost-share requests:

 

Cost share approvals: John Wanamaker

                                               

Cost-share amendment: Lynn Benson – Amend Summer Incentive quantity and dollar amount

 

2011 Bonding approvals:

                M & H Farms Inc.               Larry Gruber                         Marie Tiemann

                Rodney Williams                 Frances Martin                     James Folkes

                Arthur Vogel                         Shannon Smith                    Bryon Inman

 

2011 Bonding approvals – Summer Construction: Ryan Slater               

               

REAP P approvals:   

 

REAP P cancellation:

               

REAP FNG approval:

 

REAP FNG cancellation:  

 

BUSINESS:

Ø  Brian Ettleman – Watershed Maintenance

57-10     Ettleman gave a brief update of the watershed maintenance projects. There are still brush piles to burn which Ettleman assured the Board would be completed this winter. After discussion Sanders made a motion to pay the final watershed maintenance invoice of $6,165 for tree and shrub removal stump treatment and brush removal on Hamburg Watershed to Brian Ettleman. Mitchell seconded the motion that passed with all in favor.

 

Ø  Personnel

                Fifteen applications for the Private Lands Conservation Technician position, to be shared with Mills County, were reviewed and ranked. Six interviews will be conducted on Monday, August 9, 2010 beginning at 1:00 p.m.  Grebert will set up the interviews with the applicants and notify Chad Graeve, Loess Hill Alliance representative, Paul Hathaway, Mills County Commissioner and Fremont County Commissioners of the interview schedule.

 

Ø  Farm Bill IX Report

58-10     Mitchell made a motion to approve the Farm Bill IX report as presented. The motion was seconded by Sanders and carried unanimously.

 

Ø  Farm Bill X Application for Funding

59-10     A motion was made by Kilpatrick, seconded by Sanders to apply for funding through the Farm Bill X with Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI), Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-Division of Soil Conservation (IDALS-DSC) up to a $9,000 match from Fremont SWCD. The motion showed all in favor.

 

Ø  Annual Report

60-10     A motion to print the Annual Report off site was approved at the July 6, 2010 meeting (50-10); however, when the estimate was received, the cost was almost doubled from last year. After discussion, a motion was made by Kilpatrick and seconded by Mitchell to have Clarinda Printing & Graphics print the main report and insert, have the insert inserted into the main report, fold the entire report, and tab the report for mailing at a cost of $960.37. The motion carried unanimously.

 

Ø  Fremont/Mills Joint Commissioners Meeting

                Nothing to update

 

Ø   CDI Dues

61-10     Sanders made a motion, seconded by Mitchell to pay the CDI dues in the amount of $850.00. Motion carried with all in favor.

 

Ø  Hound Dog Watershed Maintenance

62-10     Brannen discussed tree removal to a ditch area and beaver dam removal on Hound Dog Watershed sites. A bid from Mather & Sons was reviewed. After further discussion, Sanders made a motion if $5,500 is the total price to do the entire job to go ahead with it. Motion was seconded by Kilpatrick and passed unanimously. 

 

Ø  Golf Tournament Update

                Brannen gave an update of the golf tournament that was held July 16, 2010 at the Fremont County Golf Course. Thirty-six persons played golf and then enjoyed a meal.  

 

Ø  Fair Barbeque Update

                Fremont County Field office staff, Lucas Forney and Phil Wing served between 250 and 300 people at the fair barbeque held on July 22, 2010.

 

Ø  Memorials

                There was discussion regarding setting a policy to send a memorial or a plant in memory of a commissioner, staff member, or their immediate family member. After discussion it was decided not to set a policy at this time.

 

63-10     A motion was made by Sanders, seconded by Mitchell to send a plant in memory of Marilyn Troxel, wife of past commissioner, Robert Troxel. Motion carried with all in favor.  

               

Ø  Audit

                Sheryl Sanders, Commissioner and David Welchans, Assistant Commissioner, will audit the books for fiscal year 2010.

 

Ø   Annual Work Plan

64-10     The draft of the 2011 Annual Work Plan was reviewed. A motion was made by Mitchell to approve the Annual Work Plan for fiscal year 2011 as corrected. The motion was seconded by Sanders and passed unanimously.  

               

 

SIGNED APPROVALS

 

Conservation Plans

 

John Rohwer/Steve Douglas

L & L Land Company

Carlin Newcom Revocable Living Trust & Susan Newcom Revocable Living Trust

Susan Newcom Revocable Living Trust

Les Dawson

Les Dawson/Dawson Bros. Partnership

A D Barnes

Alexander & Lindsey LLC

 

 

 

Contracts/Contract Modifications

 

 

Leeka Farms Inc. & Sherry Wiese

 

 

Leeka Farms Inc. & Sherry Wiese

 

 

Leeka Farms Inc. & Sherry Wiese

 

 

Mike & Donna Livingston

 

 

Mark Penney

 

 

Phillip Penney

 

 

Mark Penney

 

 

C & D Mount Farms Corp

 

 

Tim Travis

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Cost-share Certification

                GACH, LLC

 

        Maintenance Agreements

                GACH, LLC

               

        Group Planning Request

 

        Buffer Initiative

 

        Buffer Initiative Maintenance Agreements

                                               

        LWPP Application/Amendment

       

        WRP Long Term Agreement

       

        Stewardship Initiative

               

        Cooperator Agreement

 

        Statement as to Soil Conservation Refund

               

        Application for Impoundment Structure Property Tax Exemption

               

        Information Items

 

 

MEETING ADJOURNED:  9:15 p.m.

 

 

/s/                                                                                                                            /s/                                                                           

Secretary                                                                                                               Chairperson

 

Date Approved    September 7, 2010