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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand & Water 04-01-08 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE April 1, 2008 —10:40 a.m. Agricultural Service & Education Center 1960 8 th Avenue, Baldwin, WI CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING — May 6, 2008 LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Agency reports FSA NRCS DNR RC &D West Central Area NEW BUSINESS: Director's report CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) agreement * 2009 — SWRM contract Vouchers OLD BUSINESS: Staff reports PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS: Director's report Bills /vouchers Trail Loop — New bridge - Discussion with Town of St. Joseph —Health & Human Sen4ees * ** ** WDOT — I -94 — Wildwood Trail OLD BUSINESS: Bicycle /pedestrian trail plan DVD - Bike loop St. Croix River Crossing ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE ADJOURN SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: March 20,2008; amended March 25; March 28; March 31, 2008 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NE WS ME IAJNOTICS BOARD COUNTY CLERK (Items may be taken in different order) *Additions /Changes /Corrections UNOFFICIAL ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI April 1, 2008 Members Present: Lois Burri, Ken Graf, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: Sharon Norton - Bauman Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Land Specialist -Kyle Kulow, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Pat Collins -DNR, Bob Hendrickson -FSA, Steve Pernsteiner -NRCS Chair Raymond called the meeting to order at 10:56 a.m. Action on Previous Minutes: Motion by Peavey, seconded by Graf, to approve the March 4, 2008 meeting minutes. Carried. Adoption of Agenda: Ruetz made motion to adopt the agenda, seconded by Peavey. Carried. Date of Next Meeting: May 6, 2008 LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) Bob Hendrickson - County Executive Director reported: • There is no news on the New Farm Bill. • Nothing to report on DCP (Direct & Cyclical). • CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) is currently slow. Five CRP contracts have been terminated since October 1, 2007 with only 45.7 acres coming out of the program. • The New SAFE (CRP) program will begin approximately May 1, 2008. About 2,500 acres is allocated for our area which is all the land west of Highway 63 and two or three towns in southern Polk County. • 2007 commodity loans are slow. Normally, we would expect more loans by May 31. • Sign ups are still being taken on the Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) and the Crop Disaster Program (CDP). We have paid out over $2,633,266.00 in CDP payments and over $114,061.00 in LCP payments. Between LCP and CDP, we probably have about 543 sign ups so far. More sign ups are expected. • We currently are taking signups for the Dairy Disaster Assistance Program (DDAP -11). Less than 12 farmers have signed up so far. The sign up ends on May 5. The State expects less than 1,000 applications state -wide. • Kelly Gullixson was hired in January to fill a vacant position. Soon after, Laurie Tietz accepted a job with Rural Development. Keith Bernhardt was hired to replace Laurie. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (MRCS) Steve Pernsteiner - District Conservationist reported: The budget for NRCS in Wisconsin is very tight so Suzanne, part-time Office Clerk, will not be able to work any hours. Once the Farm Bill gets finished or extended, things may improve due to reimbursable funds being freed up. NRCS will be working on the Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) this spring. NRI is a sampling of long term points identified in the county. This data is used to show trends in conservation and land use. We are also in the process of reviewing the conservation compliance status on a random sample of farmers who participate in federal farm programs. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (DNR) Pat Collins - Hydrogeologist reported: Air & & Waste Program — John Stoffel • The ethanol plant at Boyceville /Wheeler is going to double its capacity next year (from 50 million to 100 million gallons). • Troy Gansluckner (asbestos person) — Is noticing an increase of practice burns by fire departments on houses. Procedures have to be followed on asbestos removal. Fisheries — Marty Engel - Waiting for ice to melt so he can do some lake surveys (Squaw and Cedar Lakes this year). New rules on the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) fish disease will go into effective on April 4. Requirements are being scaled back. Forestry Program — The MFL (Managed Forest Law) has been getting a lot of press lately. A forester (Mark Kubler or Dahn Bohr) will be at the spring hearings to discuss MFL. There are changes coming down the road which are very complicated. Wildlife Mana e� - Harvey Halvorsen — Copies of the 2008 deer season structure (draft) were given out. Water Program - The new Water Regulations Specialist is Carrie Stoltz. There still is an opening for the Animal Waste Investigator. RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (RC &D) Ruetz reported that he will be attending a meeting on April 2. • River Country has subcontracted with the Driftless Area Initiative (DAI) to complete two projects which will support the restoration of Bugle Lake in the Elk Creek Watershed. The project dollars come to the DAI ( Driftless Area Initiative) through two congressional appropriations; one through the DOE (Department of Energy), and one through NRCS. Total dollars for the two projects total about $60,000. • The Value Added Conference was successful with 325 people attending. They are working with Sacred Heart Hospital on "buying locally." The hospital plans to buy $300,000 of produce locally. • RC &D discussed paying per diem for County Board members, rather than the county paying the per diem. WEST CENTRAL AREA Heise reported that Clark County will host the Summer Conservation Tour on June 26 (Thursday). Raymond reported that the Great Lakes Compact legislation is going forward. It has been passed by the State Senate and may be on the agenda for a special Assembly session. Raymond feels that it is important to get something passed. Vouchers Reviewed vouchers. Peavey made motion, seconded by Burri, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the April LWCD voucher list (total $11,573.23). Carried. Priority Watersheds Kulow reported: Kinnickinnic — Kyle reported on upcoming projects for early summer installation. We are working with the City of River Falls on Mann Creek. A storm water outfall is causing considerable erosion to Mann Creek. The City has engineered the practice to be cost shared and the Kinni watershed will provide 70% for a grade stabilization control structure. We have 4 waterways slated to go in and are hopeful to complete the grade stabilization project on the Dave Wolf property. We also are working on easements along Parker Creek. We have interest from three landowners who are in need of stream bank protection work on their properties. Lakes Cluster — We hope to complete the Mackmiller shore land restoration on Perch Lake this late spring /early summer. In addition, we have completed the restoration work for the Silvermans on Bass Lake. The project is slated to end June 30` of this year. Final reports will be completed for the project with Karen Voss' help by early to mid fall. PARKS DEPARTMENT Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Parks Operations Manager -Dave Larson, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Theresa Johnson- Chair, Town of St. Joe; Dennis Hillstead- Sheriff; Tim Ramberg - Highway Commissioner NEW BUSINESS Bills /Vouchers The April bills list for Parks was presented. Motion by Peavey, seconded by Ruetz, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the voucher list (Snowmobile accounts total $11,575.79, Park accounts total $15,598.39). Carried. Trail Loop — New Bridle Discussion with Town of St. Joseph — Theresa Johnson expressed the concerns of the Town of St. Joseph regarding the long term operation and maintenance of the loop trail in Wisconsin.which is to be built after the new Stillwater Bridge is completed. Raymond commented that Wisconsin DOT is committed to build some type of loop trail. Somebody has to be responsible for maintaining the trail. We are looking for solutions. Theresa reported there is more than operation and maintenance. She has discussed the problems of fire and rescue with Sheriff Hillstead. They agree that there are critical issues. Heise presented the DVD "Bike loop St. Croix River Crossing" so everyone would have a better understanding of the loop trail. Tim Ramberg presented maps which show the two key segments — 6 -A (lift bridge to County E) and 6 -D (parking lot by Houlton School) for local jurisdictions — (4.7 miles). DOT will build the trail but there is litigation money which is negotiable for maintenance of the trail. Does the county or the town want to do the maintenance? Stillwater has no problem with maintenance and keeping their side open 365 days /year. We have two separate issues: (1) The physical cost to maintain it to what degree we decide, (2) Whoever owns the trail, will have issues to address with sheriff and ambulance. An option would be to have a plan that specifies cost for fire and rescue. Town of St. Joe would be providing the services of fire and rescue. Reviewed the "loop trail — letter of concerns by the Town of St. Joseph" presented by Teresa Johnson, whether or not the town was in charge of the maintenance. We all will have to be responsible for some part of the trail eventually. County Highway would have a better idea of what it takes to maintain the trail. The town has never maintained trails. Ramberg suggested that a list be compiled of all of the items and the dollar amount for presenting to the DOT. Decision was made to have Heise organize a meeting with Ramberg (Highway), Hillstead (Sheriff), Theresa Johnson (Town of St. Joe), and Dave Fodroczi (Planning & Zoning) to formulate the items list. The list of items should be completed within 6 months. LAND & WATER CONSERVATION Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier NEW BUSINESS 2009 SWRM contract Heise presented the contract for 2009. Graf made motion, seconded by Peavey, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the SWRM (Soil & Water Resource Management) contract. Carried. CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) agreement Heise presented an agreement for extension of the CREP to December 31, 2008. Peavey made motion, Burri seconded, for approving Chair Raymond's signature on the agreement to extend CREP until December 31, 2008. Carried. Director's Report • Heise reported that the new LWCD truck has arrived at Cox Motor Sales in New Richmond. • He and Steve Olson are continuing to work on the Animal Waste Ordinance. • He will be giving the LWCD /Parks report to the County Board at the May meeting. OLD BUSINESS None. Committee took a short break (12:45 -12:47 p.m.) PARKS DEPARTMENT Members Present: Lois Burri, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: Sharon Norton- Bauman Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Operations Manager -Dave Larson, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: None NEW BUSINESS Director's Report Heise reported: • The new mowers have been delivered. • Staff completed installing 14 fish cribs at Glen Hills Park. • All seasonal staff have been hired for this year. • Homestead Parklands open on Saturday, April 26. Dave Larson gave a brief update on the status of the Pine Lake Auxiliary Parking Lot. The County Surveyor is to mark Xcel Energy's easement boundaries by Friday, April 4. Once the boundaries are established, a meeting will be held with all stakeholders on site. Discussion. Larson updated the Committee on the March 27 WI DOT 1— 94 public informational meeting. He presented the DOT's four alternative design options for the Wildwood Trail crossing under I — 94. Discussion. Committee directed staff to send a letter expressing their preference for Alternative 1; Reconstruct with Box Culvert. Chair Raymond adjourned meeting at 1:09 p.m. Gene Ruetz Secretary Arlene Lier Recording Secretary