Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand & Water 12-04-07 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA r " ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE December 4, 2007 —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 — January 2, 2008 (Wednesday) LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Agency reports FSA NRCS DNR RC &D West Central Area NEW BUSINESS: Director's report Glen Hills dam #5 Resolution - Great Lakes Compact Wildlife Damage — Cindy Blonk (Program closing dates) Subdivision update Vouchers * WLWCA — Conference - resolutions OLD BUSINESS: Capital Outlay Plan 2008 budget Cylon property — discuss e-mail response from WI DNR Staff reports Priority Watershed Projects PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS: Director's report Letter — timber thinning — Glen Hills Golf Course Association Bills /vouchers ** U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Private Lands agreement OLD BUSINESS: Pine Lake boat landing - update Bicycle /pedestrian trail — bike plan Capital Outlay Plan 2008 budget ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE ADJOURN SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: November 20,2007; amended November 27,2007; November 28, 2007 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA /NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS (Items may be taken in different order) *Additions /Changes /Corrections UNOFFICIAL ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI December 4, 2007 Members Present: Lois Burri, Ken Graf, Sharon Norton - Bauman, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: None Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Conservation Technician -Ryan Schaefer, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Dave Hausman -DNR, Bob Hendrickson -FSA, Steve Pernsteiner -NRCS Chair Raymond called the meeting to order at 10:54 a.m. Action on Previous Minutes: Motion by Ruetz, seconded by Burri, to approve the November 6, 2007 meeting minutes. Carried. Adoption of Agenda: Peavey made motion to adopt the agenda, seconded by Ruetz. Carried. Date of Next Meeting: January 3, 2008 (Thursday) LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) Bob Hendrickson- Executive Director reported: • All DCP (Direct & Cyclical) payments are completed to date. Thirteen contracts needed WDC (Washington D.C.) approval and have also been paid. There are still about 60 contracts where producers have not provided all of the information that was requested. Those contracts would also have to receive WDC approval. • MILCX (Milk Income Loss Contract Program) payments have been paid out. Thirteen contracts have not been paid because producers did not provide us with all of the required information. • Sign ups for Continuous CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) and CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program - waterways and buffers) are being accepted anytime producers wish to offer the land. CREP ends on December 31. • CREP will not be available if the Farm Bill does not get approved before the end of the year. • It looks like the New SAFE (State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement — CRP) program will be approved soon. • Approximately 30 commodity loans have been completed this year. • Three people have submitted their names for the next COC (County Office Committee) election in December. The names on the ballot are Mike Delander, Ed Sontag, and Richard Simon. The COC will meet on December 10 to count the ballots. • We are currently taking sign ups for the LCP (Livestock Compensation Program) and the CDP (Crop Disaster Program). Between the two programs, we probably have about 250 signed up to date. More signups are expected. One "big qualifying" factor was that the producer did have to have crop insurance to receive payment. • The Dairy Disaster Assistance Program (DDAP) began on December 3. There is only $16,000,000.00 for this program for the nation. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (MRCS) Steve Pernsteiner - District Conservationist reported: • The USDA is operating under a Continuing Resolution until December 14 as a budget has not yet been passed. A ,new Farm Bill has not been passed by Congress which affects some of our programs. • NRCS is busy making Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Security Program (CSP) payments at this time. • The 2008 EQIP initial application period has ended. We received 22 applications in the Baldwin Field Office for about $380,000. We will start developing contracts for the ones approved soon. All contracts should be completed by January 14, 2008. • It is anticipated that a CSP application will be offered in the Milwaukee Watershed soon. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (DNR) Dave Hausman -- Conservation Warden Supervisor reported: • He handed out copies of the 2007 Regular Gun Deer Season report for St. Croix, Pierce, Pepin, Dunn, and Buffalo counties. • Wildlife staff — Deer harvest was up from last year in St. Croix and Pierce counties. • Contact Mike Soergel regarding the January 24"' workshop to be held at the Baldwin office dealing with invasive plants, buckthorn, etc. • Tree order forms are still available. • Registration & Licensing — There is a new system now. The Baldwin office can issue title and registration cards at the counter. They do not have to be issued in Madison and mailed out. RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (RC &D) Ruetz reported that the RC &D financial situation has improved since the state budget has passed. WEST CENTRAL AREA Heise reported that he, Burri, and Raymond will be attending the WLWCA conference in Madison on December 5 -7. Also, a date will have to be set for a meeting in February. NEW BUSINESS Director's Report Heise reported: • Private Drinking Water Program — The town of Richmond received 68 drinking water samples in November. • Staff is in the process of amending our Animal Waste Ordinance. Glen Hills dam #5 Schaefer referred to the map he prepared and reported that there is horse activity in the channel on structure #5. Discussion. Staff will make the landowner (owned property about 5 -6 years) aware of the easement. Raymond suggested that a copy of the easement be given to the landowner. It is our responsibility to make the channel clear of debris. If horses start tearing up the streambed, sediment will go further downstream and create water quality issues. Resolution — Great Lakes Compact Discussion on the Great Lakes compact resolution which is modeled after Door County's resolution. Greg Timmerman - Corporation Counsel reviewed the wording of the resolution. Chair Raymond made motion, seconded by Norton - Bauman, to approve the Great Lakes Compact resolution and forward to County Board for approval on December 18. Carried. Wildlife Damage — Cindy Blonk (Program closing dates) Heise reported that Cindy will not attend our meeting this month. She needs the LWCC to set the closing date for the Wildlife Damage program claims. The last possible date is December 31. Raymond made motion, seconded by Burri, to set December 31, 2007 as the closing date. Carried. Notice will be published in the county newspapers. Subdivision update Heise reported that a 2007 status report will be presented in January 2008. Vouchers Reviewed vouchers. Peavey made motion, seconded by Ruetz, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the December LWCD voucher list (total $19,923.59). Carried. WLWCA — Conference - resolutions Heise presented the 8 resolutions which will be discussed at the WLWCA conference. Peavey made motion, seconded by Graff, that LWCC supports the resolutions as presented. Carried. OLD BUSINESS Capital Outlay Plan/2008 Budget Heise reported that after the first of the year, we will bid out for our truck. We will also go forward with replacing two PC's and one laptop computer. Cylon property — discuss e-mail response from WI DNR Heise reported that WDNR (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) replied to our letter signed by Chair Raymond, via e-mail from Mary VanFossen (grants person at the Eau Claire office), indicating their interest in the 40 acres ( Cylon marsh area). This area is totally surrounded by state land. They do not have funding until the year 2010. We will request WDNR to budget for a valid appraisal (at their expense) and pay fair market price for the land. It appears that, from a public standpoint, selling to the DNR would be the best use for the property. Heise will prepare a letter of response from LWCC and present at the January meeting. Priority Watersheds No report. Chair Raymond adjourned meeting at 12:12 p.m. PARKS DEPARTMENT Members Present: Lois Burri, Sharon Norton- Bauman, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: None Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Operations Manager -Dave Larson, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Chuck Frieburg -Glen Hills Golf Course Association Chair Raymond called the meeting to order at 12:25 p.m. NEW BUSINESS Letter — timber thinning — Glen Hills Golf Course Association Chuck Frieburg attended the meeting to request that the association receive permission to thin pine trees (maintenance) and plant new additional trees with the proceeds. The association has a 99 -year lease. LWCC suggested that the association hire a consultant to advise them on the thinning process. Raymond made motion that LWCC agrees with the golf course association that they have the right to perform maintenance on the trees and they have the right to plant new trees at their discretion, consistent with the terms of the lease. Motion seconded by Burri. Carried. Heise will inform Chuck Whiting- Administrative Coordinator of the association's request. Dieector's Report Heise reported: • As yet, we do not know the status of the WDNR Park Improvement Grant ($100,000). • The 9 -day deer hunting season at Glen Hills Park showed no significant issues this year. Heise offered that in the future, portions of the park could be opened to bow hunting after the campground closes on November 1. This would provide approximately 2 -2.5 weeks of bow hunting prior to the 9 -day gun season. Bills/Vouchers The December bills list for Parks was presented. Motion by Burri, seconded by Peavey, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the Parks voucher list (total $21,677.47). Carried. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — (U.S. F &WS) Private Lands agreement Heise stated that this is an agreement that Greg Timmerman- Corporation Counsel has reviewed. It is a 10 -year agreement with the Fish & Wildlife Service on a project that we are working on at the Stanton forest on disturbed areas in and around the parking lot. We are going to seed it to native species. U.S. F &WS will be supplying all of the seed. The agreement amounts to about $140.00. Peavey made motion, seconded by Norton- Bauman, for Raymond - Chairman, and Heise - Director to sign the Private Lands agreement with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Carried. OLD BUSINESS Pine Lake boat landing — update Larson handed out progress photos of the project. The Baldwin Bulletin newspaper had a front -page article on the project. The blacktop, courtesy dock and seeding remain to be completed in spring. Heise plans to present a letter next month, addressed to the WDNR, thanking them for the work done on the project. A lot more work was done compared to what they planned to do. The WDNR donated their labor. We have spent about $20,100 so far. The courtesy dock (about $6,000) has to be installed yet. Bicycle /pedestrian trail — bike trail Heise reported that we met with Regional Planning and Zoning Department staff. The time table was revised. It is an aggressive time table to get this plan completed before December 20. He will be meeting with the Town of Star Prairie on December 4 to discuss the bike routes. He and the Regional Planning staff will be attending the Highway Committee meeting on December 10 and the Planning and Zoning Committee meeting on December 11 to provide a short update on the Bicycle plan and receive comments. We plan to go to County Board in January to keep them updated. Greg Timmerman - Corporation Counsel has to review part of this draft. Heise will suggest to the Advisory Committee that they share the bike trail update with their town boards. Capital Outlay Plan /2008 Budget Discussion on what Capital Outlay items could possibly be cut to come up with the $50,000, if the DNR grant ($100,000) is not received. Committee agreed to purchase the mowers and hold on the other items until we know whether the grant is approved. Chair Raymond adjourned meeting at 1:12 p.m. Gene Ruetz Secretary Arlene Lier Recording Secretary