July 2009 Minutes

Minutes of the July 9, 2009 Special Board Meeting

Martin Soil and Water Conservation District

Fairmont, Minnesota

Meeting called to order by Vice-Chair Meschke at 9:05 a.m.

The Pledge of Allegiance

Members present: Linda Meschke – Vice-Chair, Wendell Rode, and Darwin Roberts

Members absent: Duane Petrowiak – Chair, Steve Flohrs

Others present: Kathy Smith - District Manager; Cathy Thiesse - Technician and Administrative Assistant, Rich Perrine - Water Plan Coordinator/Water Conservation Act, Tim Peterson - Clean Water Partnership Coordinator, Carissa Spencer - District Conservationist, Leah Rode-Mulder – Summer Intern, and Jack Potter - Martin County Commissioner

Additions or changes to the Agenda

New Business – Additions: 319 Proposals – Smith & Perrine

LCCMR Presentation – Leah Rode-Mulder

A motion was made by Roberts to accept the above additions to the Agenda second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Secretary’s Report

A motion was made by Rode to approve the June 11, 2009 Secretary’s Report with “allocation” replacing “request” in the 2010 Report under Old Business second by Roberts. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Treasurer’s Report

A motion was made by Roberts to approve the June 30, 2009 Treasurer’s Financial Report second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Bills

A motion was made by Roberts to approve payment of all bills second by Rode. Affirmative: Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Cost-Share Programs–

Amended Projects

None

State Cost-Share Program

Completed Projects

None

New Projects

#11-09 Carl Munson Well Sealing $658.75 Requested – 50% of Project Cost – FY 2009

Total Project Cost: $1317.50

A motion was made by Rode to encumber $658.75 for contract #11-09 second by Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

#12-09 Karen King Well Sealing $375.00 Requested – 50% of Project Cost – FY2009

Total Project Cost: $750.00

A motion was made by Roberts to encumber $375.00 for contract #12-09 second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

#13-09 Karen King Well Sealing $750.00 Requested – 50% of Project Cost – FY2009

Total Project Cost: $1500.00

A motion was made by Roberts to encumber $750.00 for contract #13-09 second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Cancelled Projects

None

Native Buffer Cost-Share Project

New Projects

None

Greater Blue Earth River Basin Alliance

Completed Projects

None

Amendment

None

New Projects

None

Water Permit Program

The Board reviewed the following:

Waste Water Treatment Program in Truman, MN
Notice of Hearing – MPCA, Proposed Amendment to Air and Water Permit Fees.

AgBMP Loan Program

None

Old Business

Copy Machine – Continued to be Tabled

LCCMR Presentation

Rode-Mulder presented a PowerPoint on projects that the summer interns are working on.

New Business

Conservation Farmer

A motion was made by Rode to nominate Jim and Bob Droegemueller for MASWCD Outstanding Conservationist Award second by Roberts. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Minnesota’s Community Conservationist Award

A motion was made by Roberts to nominate Steve Maurice for Minnesota’s Community Conservationist Award second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

MASWCD Media Award

A motion was made by Rode to nominate Fairmont Photo Press for the MASWCD Media Award second by Roberts. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Environmental Education Award

A motion was made by Roberts to nominate St. John Vianney for the MASWCD Environmental Education Award second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

MASWCD Teacher Award

A motion was made by Roberts to nominate LeeAnn Steen from Martin County West School District for the MASWCD Teacher Award second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

MASWCD Outstanding Supervisor Award

A motion was made by Rode to nominate Chair Duane Petrowiak for the MASWCD Outstanding Supervisor Award second by Roberts. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Outstanding District Employee Award, sponsored by the BWSR

A motion was made by Rode to nominate Kathy Smith, District Manager for the Outstanding District Employee Award, sponsored by BWSR second by Roberts. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Fair Booth

Smith reported that GBERBA will reimburse the District for rent of the Martin County Fair booth. GBERBA will provide staff for the booth and information pertaining to their organization. The theme for the booth will focus on drainage, nutrient management and a mock rain garden.

319 Proposals

Smith presented a proposal for a Shoreland Specialist to be housed in the District office. The proposal would be: BWSR – 20% match/in-kind

District – 25% match/in-kind

319 – 55% cash

A motion was made by Roberts to approve submitting the 319 Proposal through GBERBA with the change of talking to Partners to request in-kind match of $194,000 over a three year period second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Perrine requested the Board provide a letter of support for the Elm Creek/Mair Project and that the City of Fairmont use the $35,000.00 of CWP Grant as a match for the bridge work. A motion was made by Roberts that the District supports this project and to provide a letter of support second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

Upcoming Trainings

July 14-15, 2009 - Employee/Supervisor Training-Refresher Course, St. Cloud; Smith and Johanson will be attending.

Special Meetings

June 29, 2009, Area VI, Lafayette, MN; Meschke, Petrowiak and Thiesse attended. The District’s three Resolutions were passed and Mr. Hunt, NRCS State Conservationist, notified group of his retirement.

A motion was made by Roberts to send a letter to Mr. Hunt acknowledging and thanking him for his support and all of the work that he has done for conservation programs second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

July 10, 2009, GBERBA, Mankato, MN; Roberts attending
July 10, 2009, Rural Advantage – Local Foods, Red Rock Center, Fairmont, MN.
Week of July 13, 2009, Linda Meschke of Rural Advantage and Dick Gerhardt will be interviewed to be featured in a movie that will focus on MN River Basin. The film will be titled, “Troubled Waters” and will have a high profile on agriculture and to be released at a later date.

Reports

Martin County Commissioner Report

Jack Potter reported on the following:

Security Building roof repair
Truman JD #47
Wind Farms

District Conservationist Report

Spencer reported - see attached.

District Manager Report

Report given by Smith on the following:

§ Smith and Johanson met with Scott Higgins and Jim Forshee regarding: Budget

§ Office staff working on RIM/CRP spot checks, water sampling, rain barrels and rain garden programs.

§ Shannon Fischer, MN River Board Director, asked Smith to be on the Technical Committee. MN River Board needs more representation from GBERBA or Districts.

§ DNR hosted a Shoreland Workshop in Fairmont, June 25, 2009.

§ Smith attended a MCIT training on Personnel Issues, St. Cloud, MN.

§ Smith has been attending GBERBA tech and policy meetings.

Water Plan Advisory Committee

Meschke provided an update of the June 30, 2009 at the District office. Tim Peterson and Scott McLean presented on CWP. Brian Schultz, DNR, Acting Area Fisheries Supervisor attended and will be the new DNR representative as Bob Davis retired.

Water Plan/WCA Report

None

Clean Water Partnership Report

Peterson reported on the Final Report Work Plan for the East Forks of the Des Moines River.

CWP Program

New Project

None

CWP Program

Amendment

None

Completed Project

None

South Central Technical Service Area

The District has received the signed agreement.

Three Rivers RC&D

Rode reported that the next meeting will be July 13, 2009, Gaylord, MN. Flohrs will attend. At the Three Rivers National Convention, Waseca SWCD received an award. Kathryn Kelly, Area VI Director and Martin County Commissioner Gerald Boler also attended.

Greater Blue Earth River Basin Alliance

Roberts reported that the meeting will be July 10, 2009, Mankato, MN.

Other:

It was discussed to contact the City of Fairmont regarding the Wetland Bank maintenance issues.

Roberts motioned to adjourn the meeting at 12:18 p.m. second by Rode. Affirmative: Meschke, Rode, and Roberts. Opposed: None. Motion Carried.

The next regular meeting will be held on August 13, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

____________________Date Approved ____________________Secretary-Treasurer