HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand & Water 10-02-07 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA
ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
October 2, 2007 —10:40 a.m.
Agricultural Service & Education Center
19608 1h Avenue, Baldwin, WI
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
DATE OF NEXT MEETING — November 6, 2007
LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT
Agency reports
FSA
NRCS
DNR
RC &D
West Central Area
NEW BUSINESS:
Director's report
- WLWCA supervisor training
- Ground Water modeling meeting
- O.H.W.L. (Ordinary High Water Level) — St. Croix
Subdivision update
Vouchers
WCA — resolutions
WLWCA - conference registration
OLD BUSINESS:
Capital Outlay Plan
2008 budget
Staff reports
Priority Watershed Projects
PARKS DEPARTMENT
NEW BUSINESS:
Director's report
Bills /vouchers
OLD BUSINESS:
Pine Lake boat landing - update
Bicycle /pedestrian trail - update
Capital Outlay Plan
2008 budget
ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE
ADJOURN
SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise
DATE: September 19, 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 Convened: 10:49 a.m.
Adjourned: 12:55 p.m.
ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI
October 2, 2007
Members Present: Lois Burri, Ken Graff, Sharon Norton - Bauman, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier
Others Present: Bob Hendrickson -FSA, Steve Pernsteiner -NRCS, Harvey Halvorsen -DNR, Bill Cranmer- County
Board Supervisor -Dist. 22
Action on Previous Minutes:
Motion by Peavey, seconded by Burri, to approve the September 4, 2007 meeting minutes. Carried.
Adoption of Agenda:
Ruetz made motion to adopt the agenda, seconded by Norton - Bauman. Carried.
Date of Next Meeting: November 7, 2007 (Wednesday)
LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT
FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA)
Bob Hendrickson - County Executive Director reported:
• DCP (Direct & Cyclical) sign up is down from last year. Contracts had to be completed by September 28 to get all
rental agreements and other documents submitted. Late filing fees apply and contracts go to WDC for approval.
• Final DCP payments will be made soon. There will be no counter cyclical payments for DCP this year.
• There have been no MILCX (Milk Income Loss Contract Program) payments recently. Letters were sent out to
producers reminding them to bring in milk slips.
• This year's annual CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) payments can now be issued.
• The new Nesting Season date for new and modified CRP contracts is May 15- August 1.
• Complaints are still coming in on CRP fields that are covered with trees and shrubs. Some landowners had to pay a
fine and clean the fields up.
• A Livestock Disaster Program has begun. On October 15 we will start a Crop Disaster Program. The big qualifying
factor is that you had to have crop insurance to receive a payment.
NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (MRCS)
Steve Pernsteiner- District Conservationist reported:
Mayku Vang, a workstudy student from UW -River Falls, will be helping in the NRCS Office this fall semester.
The 2008 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) sign up is under way and runs until November 15, 2007.
Producers wishing to sign up for EQIP statewide practices for Ag. Waste must have preliminary information to Madison
by October 19
Payments for practices installed in 2007 are now on hold until October 10 due to Federal end -of -the -year activities.
Wisconsin was recognized as one of the top states in getting EQ1P practices installed in 2007.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (DNR)
Harvey Halvorsen - Wildlife Biologist reported:
• SAFE (State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement) was submitted by the September 4"' deadline. It is a major venture
between FSA/NRCS /LCD/DNR to streamline CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) specific to birds.
• Bear registration stations are established at: Baldwin, Four- Corners, New Richmond, and Somerset.
• Early goose season opened September 1. The goose numbers are down.
• Spring Valley is investigating deer shooting options to curb deer damage.
• Deer ag damage shooting permits are currently valid: Heinbuch, Groepper, Paulson, Sceporek, Orf, Keatley, and
Frye. Groepper and Orf have tree farms for landscaping business and do not qualify for damage payments.
• Fencing agreements — Powers family at Four Corners will be doing some cattle grazing.
Waters Program (Bob Bacz n
• Water Reg/Zoning staff person will be hired at Baldwin.
• Animal waste staff person will be added in the Eau Claire/Baldwin area soon.
• Lake St. Croix OHW (Ordinary High Water) mark has been determined.
Foresgy (Dahn Borh)
• Many MFL (Managed Forest Law) landowners have requested reviews for assessing recent wind/storm damage.
He continues to look for contractors for hire to assist with clean up.
Customer Service and LicensinglRonda Hel eg son)
• Over the counter turkey tags went on sale on September 6 ($10.00 each).
• CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) lands are ONLY open for hunting with permission of landowner
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (RC &D)
Ruetz reported that a $17,000 grazing grant has been received from DATCP. Other counties have more interest in
grazing than St. Croix.
WEST CENTRAL AREA
Heise reported that the fall meeting /speaking contest/poster and conservation awards luncheon will be held on Tuesday,
October 23 at the Plaza in Eau Claire. Raymond, Burri and Ruetz plan to attend.
NEW BUSINESS
Directors Report
Heise reported:
• 2007 WLWCA Redesigned Land Conservation Committee training will be held on November 8, 2007 at
Rhinelander. LWCC have copies of the registration form.
• USGS will be presenting their work to this point on the Tri- County ground water model that they had developed. The
meeting will be held on Monday, October 22, 2007 at the Ag Center. There will be a 2:00 p.m. meeting for County
Departments, agency staff, committee supervisors, with another meeting taking place at 7:00 p.m. for the general
public.
• The WDNR has officially made a determination on the Ordinary High Water Level (O.H.W.L.) of Lake St. Croix.
There will be a meeting with WDNR officials on October 3, 2007 on the administration of this determination with
projects taking place within the Riverway District.
• Private Drinking Water Program will begin this fall. The Town of St. Joseph will be our first sampling site. Staff will
be available on Friday afternoon of October 19 and Saturday morning, October 20` for residents to pick up bottles.
The residents will return their water samples to the Town Hall on Monday, October 22 Chuck Christenson has
volunteered to drive the water samples to Stevens Point on Tuesday, October 23.
Subdivision update
No report.
Vouchers
Reviewed vouchers. Ruetz made motion, seconded by Burri, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the October
LWCD voucher list (total $15,805.18). Carried.
WLWCA Conference
The Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association is sponsoring their 54 annual conference on December 5 -7 at
the Concourse Hotel in Madison. Raymond and Burri plan to attend.
WCA Resolutions
Heise presented three resolutions that have some relevancy to LWCC/LWCD: Resolution No. 5 — Urging a Ban on the
Artificial Feeding of Deer, Resolution No. 6 — Supporting a State Ban on the Sale and Use of Lawn Fertilizers that
Contain Phosphorus, Resolution No. 10 - Environmental Laws in the State of Wisconsin. Discussion. Motion by Ruetz,
seconded by Norton- Bauman, that if Resolution No. 10 comes up for approval by St. Croix County, LWCC recommends
"disapproval ". Carried. Burri made motion, seconded by Norton- Bauman, that LWCC recommends approval /support of
Resolution No. 5 and Resolution No. 6 and pass on to the Administration Committee.
Discussion on resolution "Strengthening the Great Lakes — St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact for a
Healthy Wisconsin ". The Wisconsin legislature has not ratified The Great Lakes Compact and Wisconsin is one of the
few states left to do so. The Great Lakes compact is an initial step and a vital agreement that must be signed. This
resolution will be presented and discussed at the West Central Land & Water Conservation Association business meeting
on October 23.
Capital Outlay Plan
No report.
2008 BudLyet
No report.
Staff reports
Priority Watersheds
No report.
Meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.
Convened: 12:25 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: Bill Cranmer - County Board Supervisor -Dist. 22
NEW BUSINESS
Director's Report
Heise reported:
0 Since the break -in reported last month at Homestead Parklands, we have received a bid for the installation of a
security alarm for the park. Staff is considering a purchase of the alarm system this fall. Details are being worked out
with our St. Croix County Emergency Communications center.
• Staff has received two requests from the public to consider extending the season for Troy Beach. The park closes on
Labor Day weekend. The requests were to consider leaving the park open on weekends during the month of
September. The consensus of the committee was to not consider keeping the park open after Labor Day.
BillsNouchers
The October bills list for Parks was presented. Motion by Peavey, seconded by Ruetz, to approve the Park accounts (total
$7,987.78). Carried.
OLD BUSINESS
Pine Lake boat landing — update
Heise reported that WI- DNR -RFO crew changed the date of mobilizing equipment to Pine Lake starting on October 3.
Staff has staked the site and is ready for construction. Our goal is to complete the project by the end of October. We
estimate the construction period to be completed by November I".
Bicycle /pedestrian trail — update
Park staff and Regional Planning met with the entire workgroup advisory committee on Wednesday, October 26"'. The
emphasis was to look at the composite bike route map that Regional Planning put together from the maps that towns and
municipalities had submitted. There were some areas of the road system that Regional Planning identified as high traffic
counts. We would not want folks on those routes. The amendments were sent back with Regional Planning. Heise will
request that the map be available for discussion at our November meeting.
Capital Outlay Plan
No report.
2008 budget
No report.
Raymond announced that there is a meeting on October 29, 6:00 p.m., at New Richmond to discuss what the county can
do to assist them with the Hatfield park (regional).
Chair Raymond adjourned meeting at 12:55 p.m.
Gene Ruetz
Secretary
Arlene Lier
Recording Secretary