MINUTES OF THE

FREMONT SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING

FEBRUARY 8, 2011, 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 7:00 p.m. on February 8, 2011 at the USDA Building, Sidney, Iowa.

 

PRESENT:   

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

 

Staff:                   Kevin Brannen, Tammy Grebert, Brian Gross, Seth Moore

 

ADOPT AGENDA:  

The agenda for the February 8, 2011 meeting was adopted as presented.

               

APPROVAL OF JANUARY 4, 2011 MINUTES:

11-11     A motion was made by Sanders, seconded by Mitchell to approve the minutes of the January 4, 2011 meeting of the Fremont Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioners. The motion passed with all in favor.

 

APPROVAL OF TREASURER’S REPORT:

12-11     It was moved by Mitchell and seconded by Kilpatrick to approve the Treasurer’s report of the Fremont Soil and Water Conservation District. Motion carried unanimously.

 

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

               

Cost-share requests:

Jane Dwornicki – Summer Construction

Marty Laughlin

Marty Laughlin – Summer Construction

Mike Hughes

Chuck Brooks

 

Cost share approvals:

               

Cost-share amendment:

                Marty Laughlin – Extend Complete Date

 

2011 Bonding approvals:

                                                               

2011 Bonding amendments:

               

REAP P approvals:   

 

REAP P cancellation:

               

REAP FNG approval:

 

REAP FNG cancellation:  

 


BUSINESS:

 

Ø  Bulk Mailing Permit Renewal

13-11     Sanders made a motion to renew the bulk mailing permit in the amount of $185.00. The motion was seconded by Jardon and passed with all in favor.

 

Ø  Program Update

                Gross gave a program update.

 

Ø  Cost-share Rates

                Cost-share rates were reviewed and there was discussion whether to change rates. After further discussion it was decided to table this item until after the sub-area contractors’ meeting on February 23, 2011. Gross will acquire rates from other counties.

 

Ø  Summer Construction

14-11     Marty Laughlin has requested cost-share assistance to do summer construction in 2011. Mr. Laughlin received cost-share assistance in February, 2011. Under regular cost-share rules, he would not be eligible for assistance for one year from the date he last received cost-share. A motion was made by Jardon, seconded by Sanders to allow Marty Laughlin to be eligible on a first come first served basis for summer cost-share assistance in June, 2011 even though he received cost-share in February 2011. The motion carried unanimously.

 

Ø  Rain Barrel Workshop

15-11     Sanders made a motion to provide the seed money in the amount of $400.00 for the Rain Barrel Workshop. Jardon seconded the motion that passed with all in favor.

 

Ø  Earth Day and Conservation Field Day

16-11     The Earth Day event will be held April 20, 2011 at Pinky’s Glen Park. The Conservation Field Day will be held in early May. A request for education outreach funds to purchase supplies was made by Moore. Sanders made a motion, seconded by Jardon to approve education outreach funds in the amount of $1,000.00 for the Earth Day and Conservation Field Day events to purchase supplies. The motion showed all in favor.

 

Ø  Private Lands Quarterly Report

17-11     Mitchell made a motion to approve the Private Lands Quarterly Report. The motion was seconded by Kilpatrick and carried unanimously.

 

Ø  Drill

                The drill did not get moved prior to the snow storm and is now surrounded by snow.

 

Ø  Sidney Project

                Brannen gave an overview of the Sidney Project.

 

Ø  Contractors Meeting

18-11     A sub-area contractors meeting will be held in Emerson, Iowa on Wednesday, February 23, 2011. Sanders made a motion, seconded by Kilpatrick to donate $25.00 for expenses. The motion carried with all in favor.

 

                An invitation was extended to the board to attend the meeting.

 

Ø  Envirothon

19-11     Mitchell made a motion to donate $50.00 to the Regional Envirothon to be held in Red Oak in March. Sanders seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.


 

Ø  CDI Regional

                Jardon, Mitchell and Wing plan to attend the CDI Regional to be held at Red Oak in the fire station meeting room on Monday, February 28, 2011. Grebert will send in the registration and send a reminder to those planning to attend.

 

Ø  Resolution – Adams County SWCD

                Adams County Soil and Water Conservation District is proposing a resolution addressing vacant secretarial positions not being filled by IDALS/DSC due to budget constraints. They are requesting co-sponsorship and/or support of the resolution.

 

                The commissioners signed the resolution showing their support and it will be sent to Adams County Soil and Water Conservation District.

 

Ø  East Pottawattamie SWCD Request

                The East Pottawattamie SWCD invited districts of Southwest Iowa to be part of a committee that will request assistance from Golden Hills RC&D to develop action items to solve the problem of the ongoing shortage of contractors. The East Pottawattamie SWCD is asking for a representative to attend a maximum of three meetings. After discussion, no representative was named.

 

Ø  Beaver Dam Presentation

                The Area 4 engineering staff has prepared a PowerPoint presentation on various methods of beaver control on ponds and would like to present it at a meeting in February, March or April. Grebert will contact Jeff Godwin, Area Engineer, to schedule a date to present the PowerPoint presentation at a meeting.

 

SIGNED APPROVALS

        Conservation Plans

                Loren Achenbach

                Leroy Vrbsky

                Robert Lightfoot

 

        Contracts/Contracts Modifications

               

        Cost-share Certification

                Daniel Head and Barbara Head

                Julie Marlene Sell

                M  & H Farms

                Marie Tiemann

                Gruber Farms Inc.

                Marty Laughlin

                Supernaw Farms, Inc.

 

        Maintenance Agreements

                Daniel Head and Barbara Head

                Julie Marlene Sell

                M  & H Farms

                Marie Tiemann

                Gruber Farms Inc.

                Marty Laughlin

                Supernaw Farms, Inc.

 

               

        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:  8:20 p.m.

 

 

 

/s/                                                                                                                            /s/                                                                           

Secretary                                                                                                               Chairperson

 

 

Date Approved      March 1, 2011