Martin Soil and Water Conservation District

923 N. State Street, Suite 170, Fairmont, MN  56031

(507)- 235-6680


Minutes of the January 14, 2009 Regular Board Meeting

 Martin Soil and Water Conservation District

Fairmont, Minnesota

 

Meeting called to order by Vice-Chair Petrowiak at 9:00 a.m.

The Pledge of Allegiance

Members present:         Duane Petrowiak – Vice Chair, Steve Flohrs, Linda Meschke, Wendell Rode

Members absent:          Darwin Roberts

Others present:             Kathy Smith - District Manager; Carissa Spencer, District Conservationist, Cathy Thiesse, Technician and Administrative Assistant, Greg Johanson, Farm Bill Specialist, Rich Perrine, WCA/Water Plan Coordinator, Jack Potter, Martin County Commissioner, and Tim Peterson, Clean Water Partnership.

Additions to the Agenda

None 

Secretary’s Report

A motion was made by Meschke to accept the December 11, 2008 Secretary’s Report second by Flohrs.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Treasurer’s Report

A motion was made by Flohrs to accept the December 31, 2008 Treasurer’s Financial Report second by Meschke.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Bills

Additional Bills for approval:

MASWCD Dues         $2736.00

MCIT                          $5743.00

                                    $8279.00

A motion was made by Flohrs to approve paying the bills second by Meschke.  Affirmative: Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke, and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

CREP

Johanson gave an update on WRP/RIM.

Cost-Share Programs–

State Cost-Share Program

Completed Projects

#23-07  Dennis Janssen   FSSB  $270.75 Due – 35% of Project Cost – FY 2007

Total Project Cost:  $777.00

CRP Funds:  $312.00

Slippage:  $192.41

A motion was made by Meschke to approve payment of contract #23-07 in the amount of $270.75 and return $192.41 in slippage back to the State second by Flohrs.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

#12-08  James Olson  FSSB $1631.10 Due – 75% of Project Cost – FY 2008

Total Project Cost:  $2174.80

Slippage:  $930.90

Re-encumbered:  $930.90

Flohrs motioned to approve payment of contract #12-08 in the amount of $1631.10 and to re-encumber $930.90 second by Meschke.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Amended Projects

#2-07-1-2-3   Holm Bros.  Grassed Waterway  $1743.05 Requested  FY 2007

Total Project Cost:  $8243.05

#1 – Time extension & practice additions – 8-11-08

#2 – Additional $2000.00 encumbered – 10-9-08

#3 – Additional 1743.05 encumbered – 1-14-09

Meschke motioned to encumber an additional $1743.05 for contract #2-07-1-2-3 and cost share will be at 75% second by Flohrs.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

New Projects

#3-09  Jim Christensen  FSSB  $883.00 Requested FY 2009 – 75% of Project Cost

Total Project Cost:  $1177.50

A motion was made by Meschke to encumber $883.00 for contract #3-09 second by Flohrs.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Cancelled Projects

None

Greater Blue Earth River Basin Alliance

Completed Projects

Amendment

None

New Projects

None

Water Permit Program

No Report.

AgBMP Loan Program

Smith gave an update regarding 2008 reporting.

Old Business

Office Move

Update given by Smith that STS will be assisting the District move on January 20, 2008 and that Fitzgerald Moving Inc., will move NRCS on Friday, January 16, 2008 to our new location.

2009 Budget

Smith presented the 2009 Budget and Meschke motioned to approve the 2009 Budget second by Flohrs.  Discussion followed regarding revising our budget if State grant disbursements are pulled.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Office Equipment

Smith asked for a budget to purchase a desk for Rich Perrine.  Meschke motioned to approve up to $700 second by Flohrs.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Projector for Power Point Presentations.  Meschke motioned to spend up to $1000 second by Flohrs.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

New Business

Spring Expo – March 6-8, 2009

Thiesse asked the Board to approve the District having a booth at the Spring Expo to be held at Five Lakes Centre, Fairmont, MN.  Jesi Matthew, Urban Specialist, Faribault and Martin County will use funds from her 319 Grant to cover the expense.  Meschke motioned to approve the District participating in the 2009 Spring Expo second by Flohrs.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Legislative Days – February 23-24, 2009

Four staff will be attending and registration is due by February 15, 2009.

Amendment Meeting, January 6, 2009

The District staff from Martin and Faribault met with Phil Nasby, DNR to discuss priorities, projects and to set up a meeting between stakeholders.  Smith suggested having Kim Boyce, U of M Extension facilitate the meeting.  A motion was made by Flohrs to pursue working with these groups and to continue moving forward second by Meschke.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

2009 Election of Officers

Election of Officers:  Chair

Vice-Chair Petrowiak called to open the floor for election for Chair.  Meschke nominated Duane Petrowiak for Chair position.  Vice-Chair Petrowiak called for other nominations three times.  Rode motioned to cease nominations and for the members to cast a unanimous vote for Duane Petrowiak second by Meschke.  No other nominations were received.  By unanimous vote Duane Petrowiak was elected as Chair of Martin SWCD for 2009.

Election of Officers:  Vice-Chair

Chair Petrowiak called to open the floor for election for Vice-Chair.  Rode nominated Linda Meschke for Vice-Chair.  Chair Petrowiak called for other nominations three times.  Rode motioned to cease nominations and for the members to cast a unanimous vote for Linda Meschke second by Flohrs.  No other nominations were received.  By unanimous vote Linda Meschke was elected as Vice-Chair of Martin SWCD for 2009.

Election of Officers:  Secretary

Meschke motioned to approve Cathy Thiesse as Secretary second by Rode.  Affirmative:  Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

2008 District Committee Assignments

Meschke nominated Wendell Rode as the representative for RC&D and Steve Flohrs as the Alternative second by Chair Petrowiak.  Affirmative:  Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Sign Checks

Flohrs motioned for Duane Petrowiak and Darwin Roberts to continue signing checks for the District second by Meschke.  Affirmative:  Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Reports

Special Meetings

Conservation Update

Discussion followed the Update which will be published January 28, 2009.

Martin County Commissioner Report

Report given by Jack Potter regarding the County’s budget, wage freezes and that departments are not filling vacated positions.  Jack Potter reported that according to Scott Higgins there is space available in the Transit Building for the District’s equipment if needed.

District Conservationist Report

Report given by Spencer – see attached.  The Board acknowledged the hard work, great job and dedication of Carissa Spencer and Betsy Norland upon completing their internal audit.

District Manager Report

Report given by Kathy Smith – see attached.  The Board and Staff will meet on January 27, 2009, 10am to noon to review and revise the 2009 Annual Plan.

Water Plan Advisory Committee

Perrine reported that the scheduled meetings might be revised to accommodate the responses received from a short survey.  Priorities were discussed at the December 18, 2008 meeting regarding buffers and the potential for installing trails along ditches. 

Water Plan/WCA Report

Smith presented that Martin County has continued to hold Water Plan Meetings since its inception.  The goal for the Joint Powers - Okamanpeedan project is to have it ready this spring

Clean Water Partnership Report

Update given by Peterson.  Faribault SWCD has requested $20,000 for Digitizing Tile in the Blue Earth Watershed.  They will submit a $5,000 bill every month for four months.  The $40,000 funds the District was awarded for the East Tuttle Lake have been frozen due to the budget deficit.   

Rain Garden

Completed Projects – Clean Water Partnership Program Funds 

None

CWP Program

New Project

Faribault SWCD  Digitizing Tile  $20,000 Requested

A motion was made by Meschke to encumber $20,000 funds second by Flohrs.  Affirmative:  Vice-Chair Petrowiak, Flohrs, Meschke and Rode.  Opposed:  None.  Motion Carried.

Amendment

None

Completed Project

#47-06  Scott Family Farms  Waterway  $837.50 Due – 25% of Project Cost

Total Project Cost:  $3350.00

NRCS:  $1675.00

A motion was made by Meschke to approve payment of $837.50 for contract #47-06 second by Rode.

Zone 10 Report

Chair Petrowiak reported that the next meeting will be in March with priority on getting the Joint Powers Agreements all signed and completed as Renville and McLeod Counties were added.

Three Rivers RC&D

The January meeting was poorly attended and may be rescheduled in February.   

Greater Blue Earth River Basin Alliance

Annual Meeting to be held February 11, 2009, Mankato Armory. 

Rode motioned to adjourn the meeting at 11:52 second by Flohrs. 

The next regular meeting will be held on February 12, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

____________________Date Approved       ____________________Secretary-Treasurer

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