MINUTES OF THE

FREMONT SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING

MARCH 1, 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 March 1, 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 and Shane McNaughton

                              Brian Holmes, Area Engineer

 

M-1 Emergency Plan meeting – The M-1 Emergency Plan was reviewed and discussed.

 

Beaver Dam Presentation – Brian Holmes gave a power point presentation on beaver plugging problems on dams. The presentation focused on various methods to control beavers on ponds/structures.

 

ADOPT AGENDA:  

The agenda for the March 1, 2011 meeting was adopted with the following additions:

                Earth Day t-shirt update

                WAE – to work on wetland easements

                Memorial

               

APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 8, 2011 MINUTES:

20-11     A motion was made by Jardon, seconded by Sanders to approve the minutes of the February 8, 2011 meeting of the Fremont Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioners. The motion passed with all in favor.

 

APPROVAL OF TREASURER’S REPORT:

21-11     It was moved by Sanders and seconded by Jardon 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:

 

Cost share approvals:

               

Cost-share amendment:

               

2011 Bonding approvals:

                                                               

2011 Bonding amendments:

               

REAP P approvals:   

 

REAP P cancellation:

               

REAP FNG approval:

 

REAP FNG cancellation:  

 

BUSINESS:

Ø  Cost share Rates

22-11     Fremont County cost share rates were compared to rates in three surrounding counties, Mills, Montgomery and Page. After discussion, Kilpatrick made a motion to keep cost share rates the same and review again in July. The motion was seconded by Mitchell and passed with all in favor.

 

23-11     Mitchell made a motion, seconded by Sanders to increase the maximum cost share amount on grade stab structures from $10,000 to $15,000.  The motion carried unanimously.

 

Ø  Contractors Meeting

24-11     At the February 8, 2011 meeting a motion was made and approved to send $25.00 for the contractors meeting. Expenses for the contractors meeting were $627.29; donations were $400.00, which leaves a difference of $227.29 to split between Fremont, Mills, Montgomery and Page counties. A motion was made by Mitchell, seconded by Kilpatrick to increase the amount Fremont SWCD pays for expenses occurred for the contractors meeting from $25.00 to $56.82. The motion was approved showing all in favor.

 

Ø  Farm Bill XI Agreement

25-11     Sanders made a motion to approve the Farm Bill XI application and agreement in the amount of $1,627.20 for work products from January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2011. Mitchell seconded the motion that carried unanimously.

 

Ø  CDI Regional Meeting Update

                Jardon, Mitchell and Wing gave a review of the Regional CDI meeting.

 

Ø  Earth Day T-shirt Update

                Moore gave an update of the Earth Day event to be held April 20, 2011. A total of 89 t-shirts have been ordered for a total cost of $754.55. Farm Bureau will contribute $200.00 toward the cost of the shirts and Fremont County Conservation Board will be paying at least $250.00 and possibly more. The Fremont County Conservation Board will be meeting Wednesday, March 2, 2011 and Moore will make a request for funds at their meeting. Fremont SWCD will pay the balance out of the education funds.

 

Ø  WAE Employee

                Gross informed the board that NRCS is required to look at wetland easements and they would like the district to work with them to hire someone to do status reviews and write ups. After discussion, the board asked Seth Moore if these work products would fit into his schedule. The board agreed they are willing to work with NRCS to hire a WAE employee to work on wetland easements.

 

Ø  Memorial

26-11     Sanders made a motion, seconded by Jardon to send a memorial to the “I Will Not Worry Foundation” in memory of Penny Sievers, sister of Tammy Grebert. The motion showed all in favor.

 

SIGNED APPROVALS

        Conservation Plans

                Carl Jardon

                Joseph Jardon

 

        Contracts/Contracts Modifications

               

        Cost-share Certification

                James Folkes

               

        Maintenance Agreements

                James Folkes

               

        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    April 5, 2011