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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand & Water 11-02-04 ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Clarence Malick, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Ron Raymond, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Land & Water Conservation DATE: November 2, 2004 TIME: 10:40 a.m. LOCATION: Ag Center, Baldwin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: December 7, 2004 ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS: Director's Report Bills /vouchers Resignation Dick Henning - Homestead Parklands UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Electrical Plan - Glen Hills 2005 budget LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Agency Reports FSA NRCS DNR RC &D West Central Area NEW BUSINESS: Subdivision Review - 1:00 p.m. ** Cindy Blonk - Wildlife Damage Program - Bee yard fencing WLWCA Annual Meeting & Bylaws - Amendments /resolutions Cost Share - Well abandonment Vouchers UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Policy - Cost /sharing labor & machinery expense Draft - MOU - DNR Administering NR -151 2005 budget * Farmland Preservation Program - Soil & Water Conservation Standards Staff Reports Information & Education report Priority Watershed Projects ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: October 21, 2004; amended October 25; October 28, 2004 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA /NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS /CORRECTIONS /CHANGES UNOFFICIAL Convened: 11:00 a.m. Adjourned: 12:05 p.m. Reconvened: 12:45 p.m. Adjourned: 2:52 p.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI November 2, 2004 Members Present: Lois Burri, Jim Cody, Gene Ruetz, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Jan Zoerb Members Absent: None Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Dave Larson, Arlene Lier Others Present: Ken Taillon (S.E.H.) Adoption of Agenda: Zoerb made motion to adopt the agenda, seconded by Peavey. Carried. Date of Next Meeting: December 7, 2004 Action on Previous Minutes: Motion by Cody, seconded by Ruetz, to approve the October 5`" meeting minutes. Carried. PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS Director's Report Heise reported that the phone survey for the Outdoor Recreational Plan (ORP) would be conducted after the November 2, 2004 election. LWCC was presented a hard copy of the survey. He will be meeting with the Friends of Perch Lake (FOPL) on Wednesday, November 3, 2004. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was developed will be signed during that meeting. Dave Larson and Ryan Schaefer have been out with the DNR Foresters marking timber in the Stanton forest. To date, approximately 20 acres have been marked and staff has set another date to complete this inventory. Resignation of Dick Henning Heise informed the Committee that Richard Henning, Site Manager at Homestead Parklands, has terminated employment with St. Croix County on October 29. The Site Manager position will be on the December 7 agenda. Personnel Department will be directed on how and where to advertise the position. Start date will be March/April, 2005. Bills/Vouchers Bills list was presented. Motion by Zoerb, seconded by Burri, to approve the bills list for $9,931.66. Carried. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Electrical Plan — Glen Hills Heise provided the committee an update on what had transpired with the electrical plan during the month of October. Staff met with S.E.H. (Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc.) during the month and reviewed a proposed 3 -phase approach developed by S.E.H. to improve the electrical system in the campgrounds. Staff had recommended that S.E.H. develop a 5 -phase approach and reduce a number of the proposed 50 amp service boxes that were considered in the master plan. Heise introduced Ken Taillon of S.E.H. Ken presented the proposed campground electrical system plan using a five -phase approach. Ken sited numerous safety, maintenance and code issues related to the existing electrical system. The 5 -phase electrical maintenance improvements could be phased over a five - year period and would cost approximately $70,000. Zoerb made motion to approve the 5 -phase approach, with phase 1 and part of phase 2 to be completed in the 2005 calendar year (not to exceed $25,000) to meet minimum requirements for safety at this time, seconded by Peavey. Carried. 2005 Budget Heise stated that the Finance committee did remove the $6,000.00 proposed to conduct the assessor's plat on the Apple River property. That was the only change that was made to the 2005 Parks budget. Jan Zoerb Secretary Arlene Lier Recording Secretary LAND & WATER CONSERVATION Reconvened: 12:45 p.m. Adjourned: 2:52 p.m. Members Present: Lois Burri, Jim Cody, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz, Jan Zoerb Members Absent: None Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Land Specialist -Pete Kling, County Technician -Ryan Schaefer, Watershed Technician -Tammy Wittmer; Secretary - Arlene Lier Others Present: Bob Hendrickson -FSA; Steve Pernsteiner -NRCS; Peggy Rode NEW BUSINESS Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association ( WLWCA) Annual Meeting & Bylaws — Amendments /resolutions Heise stated that the annual WLWCA meeting would be held December 1 -3 at the Holiday Inn, Stevens Point. Burn, Cody and Heise plan to attend. Discussed the recent amendments to the bylaws that will require LWCC supervisors, other than the chairperson, that plan to attend and vote on proposed resolutions or other issues to submit a proxy form prior to the meeting. Resolutions that will be presented at the WLWCA conference were handed out to the committee and discussed how our committee representatives should vote: Resolution #1 — RESOLUTION TO INCLUDE HAY AS A PROGRAM CROP IN THE NEXT FARM BILL (YES) Resolution #2 — REVISE WLWCA BY -LAWS TO STRENGTHEN THE ASSOCIATION (DELAY) Resolution #3 — SUPPORTING THE NEW /REVISED BY -LAWS OF THE WISCONSIN LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION, INC. (YES) Resolution #4 — SUPPORT FOR FULL FUNDING OF THE WILDLIFE DAMAGE PROGRAM (YES) Resolution #5 — BOLSTERING TERRESTRIAL INVASIVE SPECIES PREVENTION AND CONTROL EFFORTS STATEWIDE (YES) Zoerb made motion that LWCC supports resolutions 1,3,4 and 5 and have the representative vote positively on those 4 resolutions. Seconded by Peavey. Carried. Cost Share — Well Abandonment Schaefer presented information: An individual requested cost share on a high capacity well, approximately 300- 400 foot depth, 12 inch diameter well, located in the Water's Edge subdivision. Cost estimate approximately $5,000. This was a condition of the subdivision plat approval process in April /May of 2000, that the well be abandoned to DNR standards. To date, the well was not abandoned and now the lot that it is on has been sold. DNR 812 says that any well that is not in use needs to be properly abandoned. Because it was a condition of the subdivision, the committee and staff are questioning the County's obligation to assist with the request. Peavey made motion that the issue be discussed with Legal Counsel and be presented at our December meeting, seconded by Ruetz. Carried. Vouchers Reviewed vouchers. Peavey made motion to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the November voucher list (total $6,909.30), seconded by Cody. Carried. Subdivision Review Kling presented: Sunset Ridge - (Located in the NW ' / 4 of the SW ' / 4 and the SW ' / 4 of the SW ' / 4 of Section 34, T30N -Rl 8W, Town of Richmond, St. Croix County Wisconsin) — 46.5 -acre development, 21 lots total. All storm water and erosion control issues have been resolved and the plans conform to the St. Croix County Subdivision Ordinance. The storm water and erosion control plans are acceptable for this subdivision. Peavey made motion to recommend that the plans for this subdivision are acceptable and a letter be sent to the Planning & Zoning Committee, Cody seconded. Carried. Missy Meadows — (Located in part of the NW ' / 4 of the NW ' / 4 and part of the SW i / 4 of the NW ' / 4, of Section 4, T28N -R18W, Town of Pleasant Valley, St. Croix County, Wisconsin) — 65.8 -acre development, 13 lots total. All storm water and erosion control issues have been resolved and the plans conform to the St. Croix County Subdivision Ordinance. The storm water and erosion control plans are acceptable for this subdivision. Cody made motion to recommend that the plans for this subdivision are acceptable and a letter be sent to the Planning & Zoning Committee, Peavey seconded. Carried. Zoerb stated that Pleasant Hills, Town of Pleasant Valley, is a 2 -lot major subdivision that was tabled at the last PZC meeting because LWCC did not act on it. The only reason this is a major plat is because the developer is creating more than 4 lots in 5 years. Kling stated that typically these types of major subdivisions are not presented to the LWCC because both lots will have driveway access from existing town roads and therefore there is no erosion control plan or storm water management plan to review. Zoerb stated she would like the LWCC to act on the plat. Raymond made motion to approve based on the fact it is not necessary for the LWCC to approve, seconded by Cody. Carried. FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) Robert Hendrickson reported: • The County Office Committee (COC) ballots will be sent out by November 8. COC will count them on December 13. • Staff has begun compliance reports with landowners using the new NAIP (National Agricultural Imagery Program). • The CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) offers have been received. We had 40 plus offers submitted, 38 offers were accepted. 1,010.8 acres were accepted for an average of $60.34/ acre. • Staff has completed most of the annual CRP payments for approximately 2 million dollars (940 contracts). Those conk acts with problems are being dealt with. • CRP — Staff is working on cost -share agreements, about 20 need additional work. • Staff made the final 2004 DCP (Direct and County Cyclical Program) payments for 1.15 million dollars. • Staff also made the advance County Cyclical payments for 2004 for $400,000.00. • The interest rate for November Commodity Loans is 3.25% and 3.75% Facility Loans. • There are no MILC (Milk Income Loss) payments for October. • The LDP'S (Loan Defficiency Payment) for today is .30 for corn, .35 for Barley, .15 for Soybeans and .00 for HRS Wheat. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) Steve Pernsteiner reported: Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) contracts have now been transferred to NRCS. Processing of payments is now made through our office. Wisconsin has received an allocation of EQIP funds for 2005. St. Croix County will get about the same amount as last year. Local workgroup will need to review the ranking sheet and practice list. We can now also take applications for other programs such as Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, Grassland Incentive Program, and Wetland Reserve Program. USDA has selected 202 watersheds for the 2005 Conservation Security Program. Two of these watersheds are in Eastern Wisconsin. RESOURCE CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT (RC &D) Ruetz reported: • Attended 2 days of the annual state meeting held in Eau Claire (October 26, 27). One guest speaker ( Hmong nationality) spoke on the topic of the Hmong wanting to buy farms. The problem they have is trying to get into farming. They are not financially able to farm. They do garden farming because that is all they can afford. Most of the Hmong have farm experience but not the financial ability to purchase a farm. Approximately 3,500 -4,000 Hmong are locating in the LaCrosse area. • Election of officers — Ed Weber ran for president of the state council. West Central Area No report. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Policy — Cost /Sharing Labor & Machinery Expense Heise stated that the purpose of amending our cost -share policy is that in 2005 we will be receiving additional dollars from the state to administer Best Management Practices (BMP's) with local landowners and we wish to target our highest priority practices and water quality goals. We want to establish set dollar rates for hand labor, and machinery and implement usage (hand labor rate: $12.00/hour; machinery and implement: $25.00 /hour — includes person). The proposed draft follows the goals and objectives of our LWRMP (Land & Water Resource Management plan). Our goal is to have an approved policy in place by the beginning of the 2005 calendar year. Peavey made motion to approve the proposed cost -share policy with the county cost share dollars limited to 10% on BMP's, meeting the first and second priorities of our policy, seconded by Zoerb. Carried. Draft — MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) — DNR Administering NR -151 Heise stated the purpose of the MOU is to have an understanding between St. Croix County and DNR staff on how we plan to administer the State performance standards and prohibitions. It spells out the responsibilities of both the County and the DNR. Corporation Counsel has a copy of the MOU for review. The goal of the department is to have this in effect by January 1, 2005. 2005 budget Heise reported that there were no changes made to the LWCD budget. County Board passed the 2005 budgets on October 28. Farmland Preservation Program — Soil & Water Conservation Standards Heise reported that DATCP legal staff has reviewed and made suggested changes to our Soil & Water Conservation Standards. Heise handed out the "tracked" changes in the document. Zoerb questioned SECTION III (B) "Annual compliance certification shall include a report of crops grown and tillage used on each cropland field during the year for which certification is being made." Heise stated that when certification is made, farmers are certifying that they are following their farm plan and by following their farm plan, they are under the soil loss tolerance. That is what we are looking at on the cropland. Peggy Rode (visitor) questioned whether these document amendments are on the County's web page. Heise stated that this is in a "draft" format. She was offered a copy of the document. Most of the language in the document is similar to our existing Soil & Water Conservation standards. New Farmland Preservation agreements will have to meet the state performance standards. The existing contracts will have to meet the obligations set forth when they signed the contract. Landowners can voluntarily follow the new state standards. Zoerb made motion that LWCC approves the changes to the Soil & Water Conservation Standards, seconded by Burri. Carried. Heise will send a memo with the corrections indicated on the document to DATCP for presentation to the State Land & Water Board in December. Information & Education Report Heise reported that the I & E report was mailed to the LWCC. Wittmer reported that our native prairie garden is just about complete; in a couple of weeks we will be doing a dormant seeding and final mulching. We're looking to next spring for the dedication of the site and to recognize all parties that made it possible. Overall, the project has been a great success and we look forward to using it for many years to come. Priority Watershed Projects Wittmer reported: Lakes Cluster - Bass Lake - The Engelhart/Wilson shoreline restoration permit was approved by the DNR and the Corp of Engineers. They are still waiting for an aquatic plant permit. In addition, they are waiting to settle the ownership issue with the township. Once everything is settled and permitted, construction is slated to begin in spring of 2005. Pine Lake, - She is working with Pete Wurzer from DATCP to determine the proper procedure for rock riprap on the Parks shoreline property. The riprap project would take place in fall of 2005. Kinnickinnic - Dave Nelson is waiting for the contractor to begin construction on his dam, waterway, and crossing. The Goodman riprap project is scheduled to begin November 18''. South Fork of Hay River - Fairgrounds - Waiting for the estimates from the DNR for the rock and equipment lease. Project to begin shortly after. Announcements & Correspondence Heise reported that recently he received four bills from Farm Service Agency for phone service at the Agricultural Center for the last four years (2000 -2004) amounting to a total of approximately $20,000. The bills have been forwarded to Emergency Communications and Administration. Rebecca Baumann, WLWCA Executive Director, sent us a "COOPERATIAVE WORKING AGREEMENT between STATE OF WISCONISIN - DATCP, DNR, USDA FSA, NRCS, UWEX -CE, WLWCA, and LCC ". Every county is requested to sign and return the agreement to WLWCA. Raymond, LWCC Chair, was directed to sign the agreement. Meeting adjourned at 2:52 p.m. Jan Zoerb Secretary Arlene Lier Recording Secretary