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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand & Water 12-06-06 01 AMENDED NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE December S, 2006 —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 — January 2, 2007 PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS: Director's Report Bills /vouchers Park user days /campground /trends OLD BUSINESS: Bicycle /pedestrian trail/RFP — Regional Planning LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Atzency reports FSA NRCS DNR RC &D West Central Area NEW BUSINESS: Director's Report Subdivision update Copy machine — LWCD/UW- Extension WLWCA - Resolutions - Annual conference — proxy ballot - Auction items Wildlife Damage — Closure date Vouchers * Request for easement — St. Croix Electric Staff reports Priority Watershed Projects ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE ADJOURN SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: November 20, 2006; amended December 1, 2006 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS (Items may be taken in different order) *Additions /Changes /Corrections UNOFFICAL Convened: 11:03 a.m. Recessed: 11:43 a.m. Reconvened: 12:40 p.m. Adjourned: 2:59 p.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI December 5, 2006 Members Present: Lois Burri, Sharon Norton - Bauman, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: Bill Peavey Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Operations Manager -Dave Larson, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: None Action on Previous Minutes: Motion by Ruetz, seconded by Burri, to approve the November 7, 2006 meeting minutes. Carried. Adoption of Agenda: Burri made motion to adopt the agenda, seconded by Norton- Bauman. Carried. Date of Next Meeting: January 2, 2007 PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS Bills /Vouchers The December bills list was presented. Motion by Norton - Bauman, seconded by Burri, to approve the Parks account bills (total $21,454.04). Carried. Director's Report Heise reported: • The fencing at Homestead Park has been completed. Adjacent landowner is planning on bringing cattle on his property next spring. • Staff is working on trails in the Kinnickinnic Forest. • The loggers will be moving into our Stanton Forest on December 11. • We will be installing another 10 -14 more fish cribs at Glen Hills in spring (2007 budget). • The guard rails (between the two stairways going to walkway) at Glen Hills were completed. A railing was installed from the end of our guard rail to the stairways which forces people to walk down the stairway. • Discussed possibility of having LWCC meet at Glen Hills next spring/summer to look at the project. Larson informed the committee that we will again be doing a joint mailing including Glen Hills Golf Club ads, to all 2006 campground users (approximately 850) offering them a "stay 2 nights and get the 3` night free" coupon for 2007. This has been the same practice and offer we have shared with our campground users the past two years. In the letter, staff will provide the campground users an update of what projects were completed this year and what new amenities they can expect in 2007. LWCC suggested that this mailing also be given to County Board members. Park user days / campground trends Heise referred to two graphs (camper unit days showing 33 years of history and a 10 -year composite of camper unit days). It shows the trends of the Glen Hills campground during the last 33 years. There was a downtrend after the mid 1990's perhaps due to the need for updating our facilities. Usage increased during 2000 -2006 which can be correlated to upgrading our facilities (nice facilities and playgrounds, electrical system, method of registration- credit card). No major projects or updates will be completed in r 2007 due to all capital outlay money (long term) being taken out of budget. OLD BUSINESS Bicycle /pedestrian trail/RFP Heise reported that West Central Regional Planning is interested in assisting the Parks Department with the Bicycle /Pedestrian plan development. The proposed cost estimate is $30- 35,000 to develop the plan. We have a considerable amount of criteria in our plan. Letters will be going out to each of the delegates from towns and municipalities who will participate as a citizen committee member. This plan should serve as our bicycle /pedestrian plan and also as our bicycle transportation plan. County Highway Department will work with us on this plan. Motion by Burri, seconded by Norton - Bauman, that LWCC approves working with Regional Planning for plan development with funding coming from park dedication fees and Stillwater bridge mitigation dollars which are for planning purposes. Carried. Recessed: 11:43 a.m. Reconvened: 12:40 p.m. LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Members Present: Lois Burri, Jim Cody, Sharon Norton - Bauman, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: None Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise; Land Specialists -Kyle Kulow, Tammy Wittmer; Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Cindy Blonk- Wildlife Damage, Bob Hendrickson -FSA, Steve Pernsteiner -NRCS Chair Raymond presented Jim Cody (FSA representative) with a plaque for his 11 years of service on the Land & Water Conservation Committee. Wildlife Damage Program — Closure date Cindy Blonk reported that the closure date for the crop program is based on when 90% of the row crops are harvested in the county. We cannot extend the date beyond December 31. Notice has to be published in the newspapers. Motion by Ruetz, seconded by Burri, to set December 31, 2006 as the closing date. Carried. Cindy handed out informational sheets: " Tri -County Area (Burnett, Polk & St. Croix County) Wildlife Damage Program Participation & Hunting Access List" and "2006 Act 82 Wildlife Damage Program Participants ". RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (RC &D) Ruetz reported that Dale Fern (Citizen at Large), RC &D treasurer, has resigned as of December 31. The Board of Directors recommended that Leon Berenschot be contacted to fill the position. LWCC endorsed the appointment of Leon Berenschot as a replacement for Dale Fern (Citizen at Large). Ruetz will contact Buck Malick -County Board Chair regarding the appointment of Leon Berenschot. FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) Robert Hendrickson -County Executive Director reported: • 2007 payments for programs will not be made until the files are up to date due to erroneous signature problems. • DCP (Direct and Cyclical Program) payments can be made after the District Director reviews files and we have all of the proper signatures in the file. • This year the advance payment for DCP is 22% versus the 40% that was received last year. • 2007 MILCX (Milk Income Loss Contract Program) payments will be held up until we check to see if the producer's AD -1026 is up to date. Our District Director will check the first ten folders before payment is made. A correct/current AD -1026 is all that is needed for a payment. • The last three months the rate for MILCX is: Oct .4318, Nov .4386, Dec .4284. • Jim Cody will be done with the FSA committee the end of December 2006. He has served either on the community committee or the County office committee for over 40 years. • Brenda Garagiola will be retiring on December 29 of this year. She has worked for FSA for 15 years. She has been a big help in working in most of our programs along with greeting folks at the counter. • Mark Brixen will take over Brenda's position on January 8 He will be considered a Direct Re- assignment from Barron. He has worked in Barron and Dunn counties and he comes with years of experience. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) Steve Pernsteiner- District Conservationist reported: • All the Re- enrolling CRP plans have been completed and returned to the FSA office. • NRCS is currently processing payments for the 2007 Conservation Security Program (CSP). • NRCS is currently taking sign up for the 2007 Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). Several producers have signed up for the Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP). We also have received applications for Alternative Waste Systems to separate solids and liquids from manure. Sign up period ends December 30` • Jeff Kitelinger has started as a Soil Conservation Technician in Pierce County and will be available to assist producers in St. Croix County. Jay Custer will continue assisting Pierce County. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (DNR) No report. WEST CENTRAL AREA No report. WLWCA Heise and Burri plan to attend the annual conference on December 6 -8 in Appleton. Discussed the 11 resolutions which will be voted on at the conference. Chair Raymond signed the Voting Proxy Form 2006 to appoint Burri as the official delegate to vote in his name at the conference. LWCC gave Burri guidance on which candidates she should vote on for the Land and Water Board. NEW BUSINESS Director's Report Heise handed out copies of the Wisconsin Land & Water Conservation annual report. There is a proposal to amend the Farmland Preservation Program. LWCC received a one -sheet summary of the 15 -page document (prepared by Jeff Lueck -County Technician). He received a notice on a public hearing for proposed changes to NR -820 (Administrative rule for high capacity wells), The nearest hearing is scheduled at the Judicial Center in Dunn County on December 13, 1:00 p.m. The golf course at Glen Hills has a high capacity well which is on land we lease from the DNR. Vouchers Reviewed vouchers. Cody made motion, seconded by Ruetz, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the December LWCD voucher list (total $39,194.44). Carried. Copy Machine LWCD/UW- Extension Joint purchase of a copy machine was discussed and approved during the UW- Extension meeting. Request for easement — St. Croix Electric Heise explained that the Administrative Coordinator received a request from St. Croix Electric for a proposed easement on an outlot owned by St. Croix County on North Bass Lake Estates. St. Croix Electric is requesting a utility easement of approximately 10' x 18' to provide electrical service to a new property owner to the West. Ruetz made motion that LWCC recommends the easement, all expenses for legal documentation and recording fees being paid by St. Croix Electric, seconded by Cody. Carried. Supervisor Peavey abstained from voting. Subdivision Update Tammy Wittmer provided an update on all active subdivisions. High priority areas were discussed and staff is actively working with the developers to get them into compliance. Two projects are still in the construction phase and staff is watching these projects to ensure their following the approved plans. OLD BUSINESS Priority Watersheds Kulow reported: Kinnickinnic - Report was given summarizing the year -end ACRA budget for the Kinnickinnic project. We had approximately $143,600 for 2006 of which $54,000 was spent, $35,000 was tied over to agreements into 2007, and the remaining balance will be transferred to Pierce County for the South Fork of the Kinni project. December 31" is our deadline for 2006 ACRA transfers. St. Croix Lakes - Report was given summarizing the year -end ACRA budget for the Lakes project. We had approximately $70,000 for 2006 of which $40,000 was spent on projects, $22,900 will be carried over into next year for various projects, and the remaining $7,000 will go back to the State. Our deadline for reimbursement is December 31 2006. Alliance - Kyle gave a brief report on the hunting activity near the Health and Human Services buildings near New Richmond. As of this meeting, we were unaware of any negative feedback related to the open hunting on County land. Mike Reiter has taken approximately 20 applications for hunting. Some are for deer hunting (both gun and bow); many are for hunting waterfowl, specifically geese. The Alliance will continue to monitor the hunt as it proceeds throughout the rest of this year. Chair Raymond made motion that LWCC approves transfer of Kinnickinnic project funds to Pierce County for erosion control projects, seconded by Ruetz. Carried. Chair Raymond adjourned the meeting at 2:59 p.m. Gene Ruetz Secretary Arlene Lier Recording Secretary