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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand & Water 05-01-07 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA ` ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE May 1, 2007 —10:40 a.m. Agricultural Service & Education Center 1960 8 1h Avenue, Baldwin, WI CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING — June 5, 2007 PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS: Director's report Bills /vouchers Transfer a portion of timber sales revenue to LWCD Youth Forestry account Friends of Perch Lake — fund raising activity request OLD BUSINESS: Bicycle /pedestrian trail/RFP — Regional Planning LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Agency reports FSA NRCS DNR RC &D West Central Area NEW BUSINESS: Director's report Subdivision update Vouchers 2007 SWRM grant • Letter of support — Knowles- Nelson Stewardship fund • Rural Leadership program OLD BUSINESS: Non - Metallic mining — proposed language — mining in ground water Staff reports Priority Watershed Projects ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE ADJOURN SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: April 18, 2007; amended April 23, 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: 10:55 a.m. Recessed: 11:41 a.m. Reconvened: 12:40 p.m. Adjourned: 2:11 p.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI May 1, 2007 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: Friends of Perch Lake - Linda Jameson, Donna Seim, Mark Vanasse; Bill Crammer- County Board Supervisor -Dist. 22 Action on Previous Minutes: Motion by Ruetz, seconded by Burri, to approve the April 3, 2007 meeting minutes. Carried. Adoption of Agenda: Peavey made motion to adopt the agenda, seconded by Norton - Bauman. Carried. Date of Next Meeting: June 5, 2007 PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS Friends of Perch Lake — fund raising activity request Heise stated that the request included four different fund- raising items: (1) Install a pop machine by the maintenance building. (2) Sell ice cream, water, etc. in the park during daytime. (3) Install a donation box in the park. (4) Empty pop can collection in the park. Heise responded to the letter in the following way: • Pop machine at Glen Hills Park for several years was not very profitable. It was used more by staff than the public. • Selling ice cream bars or water which could be kept in a cooler or freezer in the maintenance building. • Donation box has some merit and could be installed at the kiosk down by the delta. • Pop can collection — concerned about having that at the park. Suggested having a can collection at the town hall. Heise suggested that the Friends of Perch Lake move forward and start working with Park Manager Sam Clapper on any locations or issues with the freezer and donation box. Donna Seim expressed her concern about a sign (Tribute to the Davison retention pond pictures) which has deteriorated. Dave Larson suggested that she contact Jim Reimer of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at New Richmond on the proper type of sign. Director's Report Heise reported: • Service Learning Days — Students from New Richmond area schools will be helping us out on projects at Stanton property and Homestead Parklands — May 17. • Homestead Parklands opened Friday, April 27. • In the past we have held a county park open house (free to the public) on the weekend which follows the State Park free weekend. This year it will be June 9 and 10. • Settlement has been reached on the lawsuit filed against the county by one of our former seasonal employees. • West Wisconsin Land Trust is looking at property in the Town of Troy, along the St. Croix River (approximately 80 acres). Would the county be interested in it? Bills/Vouchers The April bills list was presented. Motion by Ruetz, seconded by Burn, to approve the Snowmobile accounts (total $4,305.90) and Park accounts (total $3,747.08). Carried. Transfer a portion of timber sales revenue to LWCD Youth Forestry account Heise reported that all revenues from the timber harvest were tracked and recorded under the Glen Hills account until the project was complete. Both the Kinnickinnic and Stanton forest revenues should be transferred to the Youth Forestry account within the LWCD. Chair Raymond made motion, seconded by Norton - Bauman, to approve transfer of the timber harvest revenues ( Kinnickinnic $50,910.95, Stanton $27,536.49) to the Youth Forestry account. Carried. OLD BUSINESS Bicycle /pedestrian trail — Regional Planning Heise reported that the Kick -off meeting with Regional Planning was held on April 30. The county is divided into four different geographical areas and four work groups were established. Each of the four groups got together and set the date, time and location for their work group meetings. We gave them maps and asked them to start talking with their friends, neighbors, or anyone interested in planning for trails. The first meeting is next Monday, May 7, at the Government Center in Hudson. If one of these work group meetings fall within an LWCC member's area, that committee member would be the one representing that work group. Heise handed out the sheet showing geographical areas, date and time of the meetings. After these work group meetings and the information is pulled together, another meeting of the entire work group is set for Wednesday, September 26. Rural Leadership program Chair Raymond reported that part of Heise's job evaluation included Rural Leadership program participation. Heise explained the detailed application process of the Rural Leadership program (November 1, 2007 deadline). Notification of the final selection is in February/March 2008. If selected into the two -year program, participant would be away from work 55 days during the two -year commitment. There is a financial commitment for the County over a two -year period. LWCC approved contingent on budget. Committee recommended that Heise begin the application process. Recessed: 11:41 a.m. Reconvened: 12:40 p.m. LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Members Present: Lois Burri, Ken Graf, Sharon Norton - Bauman, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: Bill Peavey Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise; Land Specialists -Steve Olson, Tammy Wittmer; Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Bob Hendrickson -FSA, Marty Engel -DNR FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) Robert Hendrickson -County Executive Director reported: • DCP (Direct & Cyclical) payments are being made as we take the signup from producers. • We are approximately 75% complete with the DCP sign up and are waiting for a lot of leases to come in before we can make some of those payments. We would like to have this sign up completed by June 1 s1 • February MILCX (Milk Income Loss Contract Program) payments were made the first week in April. • The last five months the rate for MILCX is: Oct .4318, Nov .4386, Dec .4284, Jan .034, Feb, .102, March .00, April .00. • FSA is taking sign ups for Continuous CRP and CREP at any time producers want to offer the land. • St. Croix County currently has 1090 CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) contracts (includes Continuous CRP and CREP). • St. Croix County had 16 CRP contracts for 329 acres to Managed Haying and Grazing last year. • The New Nesting Season date for NEW and modified CRP contracts is May 15 through August l'`. ! Contrary to rumors, it is not true that producers can get out of CRP for 2007 and 2008 without any pay back. • State totals of the money we paid out for Wisconsin for 2006 amounted to $516 million. Each program dollar turns over an estimated seven times in the local community, so these farm payments add about $3.6 billion to the Wisconsin Economy. • Wisconsin ranks 9 in the nation for payments made to farmers in 2006. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) Heise reported for Steve Pernsteiner- District Conservationist: NRCS is receiving additional EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) dollars from his Area Supervisor amounting to approximately $650,000. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (DNR) Marty Engel- Fisheries Biologist reported: DNR staff will be attending LWCC meetings at least every other month throughout the year. DNR is seeking input on management of our natural resources. Each year the department receives $12.5 million in federal grants to help manage our sport fish and wildlife populations to match the $68 million coming from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. How we spend that money is guided by a six -year "Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan" which is required to receive the federal grants. The WDNR Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan User Survey should be filled out and returned to Madison Wildlife • Kris Belling is now the 19 -county WCR regional wildlife supervisor and will transfer to Eau Claire in June. • Harvey Halvorsen - Wildlife Biologist, accepted additional public lands duties for Pierce County in addition to St. Croix County. Both Mike Soergel and Harvey remain the main contacts for wildlife issues in St. Croix County. • Ag Damage/Deer Shooting permits were issued this past February to Keith Frye and Bob Keatley. • The new and improved Private Lands Management program is currently being revised. • WDNR heavy equipment operators will cooperate with County Parks to construct the parking lot on county land in the town of Stanton. • Invasive species, such as Garlic Mustard, should be controlled this time of year. • Deer quota: all local units 21, 60B, 60A will be Herd Control Units. Unit 60M, 22A, 59B and 61 will be Earn a Buck. The Natural Resources Board approved the resolution which opposes the practices of baiting and feeding white- tailed deer. • All state wildlife areas have dog leash laws in effect. Fisheries Helped the County at Cedar Lake - Assisted with the Land Trust putting in a parking lot on Cedar Bay. There are also some projects in Pierce County, Kinnickinnic Watershed project. Fisheries survey work — A comprehensive survey was done on Pine Lake - Baldwin. Also a comprehensive survey was done on Somerset -Pine. Currently looking at pan fish populations in Bass, Squaw, Drydam and some other lakes outside of St. Croix County. Rule change was submitted this year for a 10 bag limit on pan fish in St. Croix County which passed state wide and St. Croix County. If the Natural Resources Board approves that rule recommendation, it would become law next year. On Cedar Lake there was a slot size limit proposed for walleye (protective slot for 14 -18 inches) which also passed in the county and state -wide. If Natural Resources Board approves, it would become law next year. Kinnickinnic River — After 8 years of study we decided to remove the protected slot limit on the Upper Kinnickinnic in St. Croix County. That also passed county and state -wide. If approved by the Natural Resources Board, it will also become law next year. RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (RC &D) Ruetz reported: • There is a meeting scheduled for May 2. • Finance situation has improved. • He was elected to the Board of Directors. • They are progressing with re- organization. • We still have the opportunity to delegate a St. Croix County Citizen -at -Large member. WEST CENTRAL AREA Heise reported that Chippewa County will host the summer tour on Wednesday, June 20. NEW BUSINESS 2007 SWRM grant Heise presented the 2007 Soil & Water Resource Management grant agreement in the amount of $188,545.47 for staffing dollars and cost -share dollars for administering the Land & Water Resource Management Plan. Motion by Ruetz, seconded by Burri, to recommend that Chair Raymond sign the agreement. Carried. Letter of support — Knowles- Nelson Stewardship fund Heise presented a letter of support (joint letter from Planning & Zoning and LWCC) to State Senator Sheila Harsdorf and our three State Representatives requesting the reauthorization and increased financial allocation to the Knowles/Nelson Stewardship program. Norton - Bauman made motion, seconded by Ruetz, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the letter. Carried. Director's Report Heise reminded LWCC of the Glen Hills annual dam inspection scheduled for Thursday, May 10, 9:00 a.m. Vouchers Reviewed vouchers. Ruetz made motion, seconded by Bum, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the May LWCD voucher list (total $12,884.79). Carried. Subdivision Update Tammy Wittmer provided a summary of April application submittals and an overview of where they fall within the county. Two of the Major developments fall within sensitive areas and have additional areas of concern. We will be working with the Board of Adjustment and DNR to ensure proper management of the site. Tammy will provide an update at the next meeting regarding these sensitive areas and how they are being managed. Tammy has been doing her spring inspections for all active developments and will be following up on those sites where financial guarantees are to expire soon. OLD BUSINESS Non - Metallic mining - proposed language — mining in ground water Olson reported on the Non - metallic Mining Ordinance discussion: The committee supported staff's suggestion to strike the proposed language prohibiting dewatering for mining activities, (b) under groundwater standards, and supported replacing it with the existing (b) of the current ordinance that had been previously striked, not allowing a permanent lowering of groundwater. In addition the committee supported identifying items needed to be included into a hyrogeologic report. Final language will be presented to the committee next month. Staff reports Priority Watersheds Heise reported for Kulow: Kinnickinnic — 2008 project — They are working with 3 landowners on doing about 4,000 feet of spot treatment of stream restoration on Parker Creek. DNR will be receiving fishing easements on that property so it will be open for public fishing. Miscellaneous The April Information & Education report by Aleisha Miller was handed out to the committee. The June 5th LWCC meeting will be held at Glen Hills County Park. The agenda will include viewing of several projects in the area. Chair Raymond adjourned the meeting at 2:11 p.m. Gene Ruetz Secretary Arlene Lier Recording Secretary