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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Conservation-Resource & Education Committee 12-05-95ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Robert Boche, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Tom Dorsey, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Land Conservation/Resource & Education Committee DATE: December 5, 1995 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: Ag Center, Baldwin( CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Reports: DNR NRCS FSA RC&D West Central Area Education Activities Farmland Preservation Compliance Priority Watershed Projects Kinnickinnic South Fork of Hay River St. Croix Lakes Cluster Glen Hills Watershed Signal Installation Repair Structure #1 Squaw Lake Boat Landing Wildlife Damage Program - Plan of Administration Flood Plain Zoning - Glen Hills Watershed Status Baldwin Ag Building WLCA Conference NEW BUSINESS. 1995 Conservation Awards Dinner Farmland Preservation Applications Subdivision Review Vouchers ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily SUBMITTED BY: Charles Christenson DATE: November 17, 1995 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE COUNTY CLERK * ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS/CHANGES presented in this order) NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COMMITTEE MEMBERS Convened: 99.05 a.m. Adjourned: 11:35 a.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Center, Baldwin, WI December 5, 1995 Members Present: Chris Bethke, Tom Dorsey, Vernon Dull, Art Jensen, Ron Raymond, Kermit Thompson Members Absent:' None Staff Present: County Conservationist -Charles Christenson, Farmland Preservation Technician -David Sander, Lakes Cluster Project Manager -Peter Kling, Secretary -Arlene Lier Others Present: Jay Custer - NRCS, Dick Gade - FSA, Marty Engel- DNR Meeting called to order by Chairman Tom Dorsey. Raymond made motion to adopt agenda. Bethke seconded. Carried. Dull made motion to approve November 7, 1995 meeting minutes. Jensen seconded. Carried. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 2, 1996 at 9:00 a.m. DNR Marty Engel (Fisheries Biologist) attended the meeting and reported: Aeration project is going well on Pine Lake. About 1 year ahead of restoring fish - bass, blue gill, pumpkinseed. There was a bullhead kill this summer, however it did not affect scaled fish. Will possibly open up for fishing in 1-1/2 years rather than 2-1/2 as originally planned. Bass -Lake Boat Landing - Scheduled to be built with assistance from County Highway and Land Conservation. Due to lake water level, had to acquire an additional acre of land to the west of current boat landing in order to find a new location for the ramp. Close to closing on 1 acre of land with 200 feet of road frontage. Will require a re -designing to incorporate this new area. Report from Kris Belling (Wildlife Manager) stated: 1) Statewide preliminary deer harvest (registrations as of the close of regular gun season) - 386,833 which is a record. St. Croix County also had a record registration total of 2,737 - a 20% increase from 1994. 2) There will be a public meeting on January 17 in Eau Claire to obtain input on the DNR's 5 Year Acquisition Plan. The plan consists of proposed "study areas" for possible new or expanded acquisition projects in the state. The plan includes the Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area which is a proposal to protect and restore scattered blocks of grassland and wetland in a portion of St. Croix and Polk Counties - essentially a continuation of the scattered acquisitions that the DNR and FWS have made in the past. If the 5 Year Plan is approved, the next step will be to conduct a Feasibility Study which would look at the specifics of the proposal and would include much more public input. We wouldn't actually have the authority to start the project until the Feasibility Study was completed. Depending on what recommendations come from the county's Development Management Plan, this project could fit in nicely. Waiting.to receive copies to the Committee if they talk about it. Will send one is received. of the 5 Year Plan draft and can provide a copy want, or could come to the January meeting to an announcement for the public meeting if/when John Stoffel (Air Management Engineer) - He and Kathy Nelson have put together the various burning policies currently in effect at the DNR into a single booklet. There has been a great deal of confusion with the burning issue since the creation of the recycling laws in Wisconsin. We hope this will help clarify most of the questions surrounding the burning issue. A draft version. has been distributed to Town Chairmen and Fire Departments in St. Croix County. The guide will be finalized after Christmas, adding the comments we hope to get from these groups. We will expand the distribution of this guide to other counties this winter. Copies are available for the Committee to read and provide comments on as well. The booklet should be shared with others.and help generate some feedback. The booklet should be as useful as possible. Kathy Nelson (Forester) - The DNR Pest Contrpl Section is currently looking for healthy, disease resistant butternut trees for research and tree improvement programs. Butternuts have been dying of Butternut Canker, a fungus that enters the water and food conducting tubes of the tree and eventually girdles it. The fungus takes several years to actually kill a butternut tree. It was first reported in 1967. Butternut are present throughout much of the eastern United States, but are not very common. They are becoming even less common as the Butternut Canker continues to kill trees. Except for the Butternut Canker, butternut trees are relatively free of disease problems. If the Butternut Canker can be controlled, butternut trees would become more abundant. Contact Todd Lanigan, DNR Forest Pest Specialist, at (715) 839-1632 to report locations of healthy butternut trees to facilitate research and tree improvement programs. Fliers should be posted where the public may see them. NRCS (FORMERLY SCS) Custer handed out and discussed the November activity reports. reported on his attendance at an Employee Development Committee and explained the purpose of the committee. FSA (FORMERLY ASCS) Gade reported: In process of completing crop reports for crop Farmers intending to participate in USDA programs in 1996, had crop insurance on most crops. Those who have hay coverage had He meeting insurance. to have to make crop reports for 1996 by end of November. Although producers can no longer purchase individual forage insurance, they can obtain Group Risk insurance until January 2, 1996 to satisfy the insurance requirement. Employee Dorothy Schneider will retire the end of December. Matt Bobowski (transferee from Burnett County) and Brenda Garagiola have recently been added to the staff. Another employee will be added after first of 1996. No word yet on acceptance of new CRP contracts. Ballots for the county committee elections will be opened on December 7. RC&D Raymond reported that November meeting was cancelled. WEST CENTRAL AREA No report. EDUCATION ACTIVITIES Sander reported that he will again be working with Bill Gillis' (Vo Ag Instructor) class at Baldwin -Woodville High School. Sessions will concentrate on ground water model, septic systems, and careers. FARMLAND PRESERVATION COMPLIANCE Sander reported that he continues working on status reviews. Compliance problem with Lenertz Farms plus another one. PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECTS Kinnickinnic - Christenson suggested that a meeting be setup with the City of River Falls and surrounding township officials to try to separate issues. He talked with Ray Anderson (Pierce County LCC) and they concurred that it might be a good way to approach the watershed issue. Clean up of the landfill should be a separate issue. South Fork of Hay River - Christenson reported that Kulow is completing stream inventories. Kulow met with Dunn County staff and LICA (contractor's association) on planning a demo project. Lakes Cluster Project - Kling reported completing soil sampling in all watersheds. Information will be compiled in appraisal reports. Will be meeting with Jeff Timmons (Polk Co. Conservationist) regarding Lakes Fair scheduled for 1996 on Cedar Lake, which is part of Horse Creek Watershed. Citizen's Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for December 7. Will discuss proposal for St. Croix County to purchase Perch Lake property. Lynne Hess (DATCP Planner) will discuss planning part of the priority watershed project. Ron Struss will discuss educational role. Reported that he and Kulow will be attending a critical sites meeting at Stevens Point on December 8. GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Signal Installation - Christenson reported that all structures, phone lines, and electric work is in. Baldwin Telecom has ordered equipment and should complete their work by end of year. We appear to be staying within the budget. Repair Structure #1 - Reported that letter was received from NRCS indicating work has been terminated until 1996 due to late start and weather conditions. SQUAW LAKE BOAT LANDING Christenson reported that stripes Discussed use of rock barriers to grass bank. Kling mentioned that for tracks done by ATV 4-wheeler, problem. have to be painted on parking lot. prevent the public from driving up I has talked to the person responsible which hopefully will correct one WILDLIFE DAMAGE PROGRAM Sander reported that Art Peterson has not completed the apple orchard fence yet, although the materials have all been furnished. Also reported that Tom Dalton, Town of Cylon, indicated his dissatisfaction with the appraisal. He would like to go with weight tickets. There is a problem with determining whether it is a corn borer or deer damage situation. Plan of Administration - Sander commented that our 5-year program agreement with the State of Wisconsin had expired. We had a budget for 1995, which DNR approved, however no agreement was in effect. Originally Kris Belling (DNR Wildlife Manager) promoted the program and LCC made decision to enter into an agreement. Jensen made motion to continue in the program and support developing a plan of administration. Bethke seconded. Carried. Sander will develop a plan for consideration at the January meeting. FLOOD PLAIN ZONING - GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Christenson reported that he has set up a meeting with Zoning Administrator Tom Nelson and Gary Lepak (.DNR) to discuss strategies. Plan to go back to the Glenwood City Council to explain actions needed, if any. STATUS BALDWIN AG BUILDING Christenson reported that Village of Baldwin has notified the FSA agency that they will not spend any money to remodel the ag building. He is awaiting the same notification directed to the county. Requirements cannot be met to bring the building up to specifications required by federal agencies.. DNR does not have commitment yet on whether they would co -locate with the USDA agencies. Dorsey will discuss building space situation with Finance Committee. WLCA CONFERENCE Bethke reported on conference he, Dull, and Christenson attended at. Grand Geneva, Lake Geneva. One activity planned by WLCA is to produce a calendar (poster contest winners). Ads may be sold to assist in covering cost. It will be an 18-month calendar showing first 3 winners in each division, or 18 separate posters). Estimated $7,000 is needed up front to start the project. There are DNR grant funds available for Clean Water Project. There could be priority watershed cost share on well abandonment. Since it is a state law requirement to properly abandon wells, there is a,question if federal ACP funds will be available in the future. One afternoon session was on phosphorus and animal waste issues. Manure handling is a big problem statewide especially as herd sizes increase. Dull reported on the auction. Christenson reported on the "Phosphorus and how it affects water quality" session. Several resolutions were adopted with (1) well abandonment and (2) auction fund use, the most important. 1995 CONSERVATION AWARDS DINNER Discussed awards dinner. Set date of January 30, 1996 for the dinner and directed LCD to handle the plans. FARMLAND PRESERVATION APPLICATIONS No applications were presented. SUBDIVISION REVIEW No presentations: VOUCHERS Reviewed vouchers. Raymond questioned the voucher to Computer Services Department for computer equipment ($3,637). Christenson stated that there is DATCP grant funding'($3,450) for equipment. Bethke made motion to approve the December vouchers as presented. Jensen seconded. Carried. Chairman Dorsey adjourned meeting at 11:35 a.m. t/� co� ram- Vernon Dull Secretary By Arlene Lier