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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Conservation-Resource & Education Committee 02-07-95ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: FROM: Robert Boche, Chairman St. Croix County Board Tom Dorsey, COMMITTEE TITLE: Chairman Land Conservation/Resource & Education Committee DATE: February 7, 1995 TIME: 9*00 a.m. LOCATION: Ag Center, Baldwin ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Reports: DNR NRCS CFSA RC&D West Central Area Education Activities Farmland Preservation Glen Hills Watershed Emergency Action Plans - Signal Requirement Priority Watershed Projects South Fork of Hay River Lakes Project Squaw Lake Boat Landing 566 Watershed Coalition Subdivision Review for Minors Wildlife Damage Program 1994 Conservation Awards Dinner Glen Hills Structure 11 - Beaver DNR Regional Task Force Compliance i Farmland Preservation Rules of Administration NEW BUSINESS: Farmland Preservation Applications Subdivision Review Vouchers ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) SUBMITTED L5Y: Charles Christenson DATE: January 24, 1995 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS/CHANGES Convened: 9:15 a.m. Adjourned: 12:15 p.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Center, Baldwin, WI February 7, 1995 Members Present: Chris Bethke, Talley Roquette, Kermit Thompson Members Absent: None Tom Dorsey, Vernon Dull, Ron Raymond, Staff Present: County Conservationist Charles Christenson, Technician Bob Heise, Technician David Sander, Secretary Arlene Lier Others Present: Jay Custer - NRCS, Dick Gade - CFSA, Marty Engel - DNR, Chris Walker - Guest Meeting called to order by Chairman Tom Dorsey. Raymond made motion to adopt agenda. Roquette seconded. Carried. Dull made motion to approve January 3, 1995 meeting minutes. Bethke seconded. Carried. Next meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 7, 1995 at 9:00 a.m. DNR Marty Engel, Fisheries Biologist, attended meeting and reported: Wildlife - Bear pursuit licenses were sent out of Madison week of February 6. Bear harvest Zoo are to be mailed out on February 10. Turkey permits were sent out approximately 2 weeks ago. DNR has microfilm listing everyone who received a turkey permit. Turkey it and stamps have arrived. Private Lands Wildlife - Farmers enrolled in feed grain program can get $7.25/acre to not mow their setaside lands this year. This includes land entered in the CU-Pay program (known as 0-92 in previous years) or ACR. Pasture, CRP lands or other idle lands are not eligible. To be eligible in 1995, selected fields would not have been cropped nor mowed in 1994. This program is aimed towards a multi -year setaside concept to benefit pheasants. The program will be available in 1996, therefore interested farmers should not mow their 1995 setaside fields this year in order to get the payment next year. This means they would enroll their eligible setaside acres in 1996, not mow it (the 2nd year of not mowing), and they would receive payment in October 1996. Forestry - Applications for the 1995 Youth Conservation Camp Program have been sent to all Wisconsin high schools in January. The program gives teen age students a chance to learn about natural resource management through participation in actual work projects and through education. Fisheries - Bass Lake boat landing project is on hold. Water is too high to do current design. Investigating purchase of land to west of present proposed site and installing the boat landing there. Authorization has been received from DNR to pick up additional footage to move to west. Due to high water level at Bass Lake, many private septic system infiltration beds are likely under water. Since priority watersheds focus on water quality, DNR has done a study of the fisheries habitat on the South Fork of Hay River Watershed. Project studies are now complete. This gives viewpoint from fisheries standpoint. Biological study of stream gives a base line history of the stream's water quality. "No Parking" signs at Squaw Lake have been purchased by the Town of Star Prairie. Also purchased land for turn around and roadway. Recreation aid funding for project was coordinated by Mary VanFossen, DNR Community Service Specialist. Thompson asked how beaver can be controlled. Engel suggested he obtain a DNR booklet which explains landowner's rights on trapping, shooting, and hiring someone to control beaver. It is a habitat related problem. Raymond stated that a bear was seen in town of Warren, on Hudson line. Bears are common to St. Croix County. If bear does not cause problems, leave them alone. NRCS (FORMERLY SCS) Custer handed out and discussed the January activity report. Explained the new agency name, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS ) . Mentioned the computer software program (FOGS -.Field Office Computer System for managing information) which was developed at national level and adopted by state. County computer system does not have access to FOCS program at the present time. Federal agency will work with county staff on linking the two systems. Dorsey questioned the $21,000 county allocation for LCD computer upgrade. Raymond will discuss subject with Bruce Callen, Computer Services Director. He stated that county is close to developing a 5-10 year computer plan. CFSA (FORMERLY ASCS) Gade reported that CFSA will be combined with RECD (formerly FmHA) and Federal Crop Insurance. Plan for each state has been submitted to Washington. Offices will not be located in each county. There will be approximately 20 RECD (Rural Economic & Community Development Services) sites in Wisconsin. He met with an architect who has been contracted by Village of Baldwin, to determine future space needs. Also reported staff received crop insurance training and are now selling the insurance. The insurance is required on all crops raised. It is mandated that producer obtain insurance at bare minimum, either Federal Crop Insurance or private, to receive program benefits. Deadline is March 15. Premium is $50.00/crop. Hay is considered a crop (alfalfa-3 years or less in age and clover-1 year or less in age). Signup for feed grain program runs through April 28. Not all information is available yet on 0-85 program. CRP - Contract holders will have opportunity (2/27-3/15) to get out of program with no pay back. New sign up will be scheduled in summer to extend current contracts and accept new contract applications (only critical sites). St. Croix County has approximately 46,000 acres (1,100 contracts) enrolled in CRP, second highest county in state. RC&D Raymond reported that time is being spent determining mission (purpose) of RC&D. In the past, the agency had cost share money to get things done, now only funding is for staff. Attempt is made to develop contracts with business people to get funding. Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for February 22. WEST CENTRAL AREA No report. EDUCATION ACTIVITIES Sander reported he will do presentations for Tom Wells' class at New Richmond using the groundwater model. FARMLAND PRESERVATION COMPLIANCE Sander reported that he is working with landowners to develop plans which will keep them in compliance. GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Emergency Action Plans - Christenson reported that books including plans are being distributed to all people involved. Table talk exercise was conducted in Glenwood City with Emergency Government and other St. Croix and Dunn County people. Since structure 10 would involve both counties, it was used for table talk exercise. Fire chief at Glenwood City is close and would likely have to act first. There is a lot in place already but will have meeting in March on how organizations (groups that can get involved) would react. Signal Requirement - Christenson reported that he met with Baldwin Telecom. Structures 4 and 6 should be done first. Signals for these two could be in place by July 1. Contractors would be more interested in doing two at a time. LCD will coordinate the component installation as general contractor. Chairman Dorsey suggested proceeding with plans and possibly installing third signal at same time. Scheduled meeting on March 13 at 9:00 a.m. to review dam signal installation plans. Possibility of elevations being set by Jim Rusch, County Surveyor. PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECTS South Fork of Hay River - Christenson (representing the Lakes project) and Kyle Kulow (representing the South Fork project) attended the training session held at Stevens Point. The sessions are held annually for new projects and staff. Lakes Project - Reported that Personnel is working on job description for Project Manager. Job will be filled sometime in spring. Citizens Advisory committee will be formed consisting of reps from each lake - Squaw, Perch, Bass, Baldwin Pine, and farmers. Education will be a major component of the Lake Cluster project. SQUAW LAKE BOAT LANDING Christenson reported that, once land purchase detail and design is completed, he will meet with Waterways Commission requesting additional funding. 566 WATERSHED COALITION Roquette reported on January 19 meeting at LaCrosse. Eight counties have joined the coalition. Election of officers was held. Christenson is a "staff member at large." Reviewed amendments of 1995 work plan. DNR gave walk through of dam inspection which was very interesting. Timetable for dam inspections is every 5 years. Explained Emergency Action Plans for structures 6, and 10 which are plans involved with flow charts. If there is trouble, explained how plans would be activated. City of Glenwood ignored problem years ago. If Zoning would have been in place, development would not have occurred. Structures 4, 5, and 6 are rated high hazard because development has occurred below structures which could result in loss of life and property if a dam failure were to occur. GLEN HILLS STRUCTURE 11 - BEAVER PROBLEM Heise reported that letter was sent to Charles Dow (landowner) proposing that if a beaver dam or pond is to be maintained, some sort of pipe control device would be needed, but at the cost and maintenance of landowner. FARMLAND PRESERVATION RULES OF ADMINISTRATION Sander reported that an ETN session was held to get the public comments on administrative rules out to the departments. FARMLAND PRESERVATION APPLICATIONS No applications were presented. VOUCHERS Reviewed vouchers. Dull made motion to approve the February vouchers as presented. Bethke seconded. Carried. SUBDIVISION REVIEW FOR MINORS No report. SUBDIVISION REVIEW Heise commented that surveyors want quicker response on storm water and erosion control plans for subdivisions. Currently plans should be in LCD office by loth of month for review. LCC approves plans before they go to Planning & Zoning meeting held on 4th Thursday of month. Committee desires to continue the review and recommendation of the storm water and erosion control plans. Heise too storm water and erosion control plan for Glover Station Subdivision 4th Addition. The 3rd addition took in storm water control so that fact is pretty well resolved. Extreme slopes should be treated with erosion control fabric. Heise will discuss this with Engineer Frank Ogden. Roquette made motion to recommend that the erosion and storm water control plan for Glover Station Subdivision 4th Addition meets minimum county standards and a letter be forwarded to the Planning & Development Committee expressing our recommendations. Bethke seconded. Carried. Also presented storm water and erosion control plan for Tanney Ridge Special Addition. Most erosion control is done and roads are in. Changed retention ponds to control water. Need erosion control fabric this spring. Heise requested Stevens Engineering to provide an emergency spillway on the small dike located in the south portion of lot 14. Raymond made motion to recommend that the erosion and storm water control plan for Tanney Ridge Special Addition meets minimum county standards and a letter be forwarded to the Planning & Development Committee expressing our recommendations. Bethke seconded. Carried. WILDLIFE DAMAGE PROGRAM AGREEMENT Sander reported on $5,000 claim on apple orchard for Art Peterson, Somerset. Plans are to build a permanent fence in the spring of 1995 to abate the problem. Also claim on corn for Ruemmelle Bros., Hudson. Motion by Bethke to approve the two claims. Dull seconded. Carried. 1994 CONSERVATION AWARDS DINNER Lier reported that plans are set for the awards dinner. MISCELLANEOUS Christenson mentioned that the Horse Creek Watershed, Multi Lake Priority Watershed Project has been proposed. Roquette made motion that letter be sent to Polk County indicating LCC strongly recommends it as a proposed 1996 selection for a Priority Watershed Project. Lier reported that inventory of trees has been sold out for this year. Bethke made motion to adjourn meeting at 12:15 p.m. Carried. Vernon Dull Secretary By Arlene Lier Raymond seconded.