The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutLand & Water 06-03-03 X ST. CROIX COUN'T'Y NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Clarence Malick, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Art Jensen, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Land & Water Conservation /Resource & Education Committee DATE: June 3, 2003 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: Ag Center, Baldwin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: July 1, 2003 ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES NEW BUSINESS: 2003 Soil and Water Resource Management Grant Contract Sale of LWCD zip seeder Resolution: Opposing state legislation seeking to bypass local authority on farm expansions in Wisconsin State budget update - Staff funding County budget Subdivision Review - 10:00 a.m. Vouchers UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Staff Reports Capital outlay Natural Resource Management Plan - Update Municipal Waste - Regional - Update Education Activity Priority Watershed Projects Agency Reports FSA NRCS DNR RC &D West Central Area - June 25 - Summer Tour, Polk County ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: May 21,2003 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA /NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS /CORRECTIONS /CHANGES x UNOFFICIAL Convened: 9:00 a.m. Adjourned: 11:25 a.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI June 3, 2003 Members Present: Leon Berenschot, Chris Bethke, Lois Burri, Art Jensen, Ron Raymond Members Absent Jim Cody (excused) Staff Present: County Conservationist -Bob Heise; Land Specialist -Pete Kling; Secretary - Arlene Lier Others Present: Steve Pernsteiner -NRCS; Andrea Crownhart, Howard Deaton Meeting called to order by Chair Art Jensen. Raymond made motion to adopt agenda. Bethke seconded. Carried. Bethke made motion to approve the May 6, 2003 meeting minutes with amendment to the RC &D portion to read "Recommended funding new RC &D — Town & Country, Milwaukee" rather than "Funded new RC &D — Town & Country, Milwaukee ". Burri seconded. Carried. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 1, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. 2003 SOIL AND WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GRANT CONTRACT Heise presented the department's 2003 SWRM grant from the Department of Ag for signature. The allocation for staffing is $212,483 and an additional $37,310 for cost - sharing of conservation practices to administer the Land and Water Resource Management Plan. These allocated dollars are correct and were budgeted for the 2003 budget. The total of the grant award to the department for 2003 is $249,793.00. Raymond made motion to direct Chair Jensen to sign the grant contract, seconded by Burri, carried. SALE OF LWCD ZIP SEEDER Heise reported that the past number of years the department has been working their way out of the rental business as opportunities present themselves, such as tree planters and other hand equipment. There has been some interest from a rental company to purchase the zip seeder (5- foot, no -till drill for planting cool season grasses). This piece of equipment has not been used very often in the past; in fact since 1995 the department has generated a total of $192.50, or $24.00 annually. Heise suggested removing it from the basement garage and advertise this equipment before it begins to cost us money for repairs. Jensen made motion to advertise the Zip seeder through sealed bids process, Bethke seconded, carried. RESOLUTION: OPPOSING STATE LEGISLATION SEEKING TO BYPASS LOCAL AUTHORITY ON FARM EXPANSIONS IN WISCONSIN Heise referred to a copy of the resolution that was reviewed by Greg Timmerman, presented and supported by the PZ &P committee, and is being presented as a joint resolution between PZ &P and LWCC opposing this legislation. This was introduced at the May LWCC meeting. WLWCA Executive Director Bauman advised Heise to not answer resolution until we know outcome of staffing grants. Raymond made motion to wait until Joint Finance settles other issues and delay decision on resolution until July 1, seconded by Bethke, carried. STATE BUDGET UPDATE — STAFF FUNDING Heise reported that there has been much discussion, however no decision has been reached by the State Joint Finance Committee on staff funding for LWCD's. He will keep LWCC updated of any changes that take place throughout the next week. COUNTY BUDGET Heise reported that there have been no budget instructions distributed to departments. A meeting is to be held on June 12 with the Finance Committee and all committee chairpersons. VOUCHERS Reviewed vouchers. Motion by Raymond, seconded by Bethke, to approve Chair Jensen's signature on the June voucher list. Carried. CAPITAL OUTLAY Heise explained the revised capital outlay plan that was presented to the committee last month. The changes reflect recommendations from the committee and discussion with Administrative Coordinator, Chuck Whiting. Essentially, Heise removed the Information and Education contract position from the capital outlay plan and will incorporate this cost into the department's budget. Discussed the change in the dollar amount for the computer server which was moved from 2007 to 2004. Discussed the idea with Computer Services to move the wiring for the server from the FSA office to possibly installing a rack for connection in the Parks suite. This would allow access to our wiring without interference with FSA. Committee discussed the idea of the proposed microwave system located in Baldwin at the Ag Center. This may be a 2004 budget item for the Emergency Communications Department. Vehicle —Heise talked to Zoning and they prefer just renting a vehicle (van) from us. Plan to phase out the white Ford Contour with a small van. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN (LWRMP) — UPDATE Heise reported that everything is on schedule. Staff has looked at the work plan with projected hours. It has been sent back to Cheryl Bursik. She will prepare a "draft copy" which will be reviewed by Greg Timmerman, Corporate Counsel. LWCC action on plan at July meeting, present to County Board in September, and DATCP in October. MUNICIPAL WASTE - REGIONAL - UPDATE Heise commented that there is not much new information to report. This issue appears to be very quiet at the moment. EDUCATION ACTIVITY Heise reported that we are nearing the end of the school year with our school information and educational activities. He referred to Ruth Stern's report which indicates a total number of 2,470 students participated in conservation education activities during the 2002 -2003 school year. PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECTS Heise reported that Kyle Kulow has been working on the Dorwes farm property easement and that everything is lining up and all indications are that this project is near completion. Landowner has agreed to the financial numbers. The appraisal cost of $2,500 is on the June voucher list. SUBDIVISION REVIEW Pete Kling presented: GLENVIEW (In part of the NW 1 /4 , Section 19, T30N, R18W, Town of Richmond, St. Croix County, Wisconsin) —100 acre development, 43 lots total. All storm water and erosion control issues have been resolved and a revised plan has been submitted. A pre - construction meeting will be held prior to the start of any road construction. Berenschot made motion to recommend that the plans for this subdivision are acceptable and a letter be sent to the Planning & Zoning Committee. Raymond seconded. Carried. CODY HILLS - (In the NW 1 /4 of the SW 1 /4 and in the SW %4 of the NW 1 /4 of Section 9, T28N -R19W, Town of Troy, St. Croix County, Wisconsin) —17 acre development, 5 lots total. All storm water and erosion control issues have been resolved and a revised plan has been submitted. A preconstruction meeting will be held prior to the start of any road construction. Bethke made motion to recommend that the plans for this subdivision are acceptable and a letter be sent to the Planning & Zoning Committee. Raymond seconded. Carried. QUAIL RIDGE — (In part of the SE 1 /4 of the SW 1 /4 of Section 18, T30N, R19W, Town of Somerset, St. Croix County, Wisconsin) — 24 acre development, 11 lots total. All storm water and erosion control issues have been resolved and a revised plan has been submitted. A pre - construction meeting will be held prior to the start of any road construction. Berenschot made motion to recommend that the plans for this subdivision are acceptable and a letter be sent to the Planning & Zoning Committee. Seconded by Bethke. Carried. FARM SERVICE AGENCY No report. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE Steve introduced two summer students: Andrea Crownhart, an intern paid by scholarship by Pheasants Forever, and Howard Deaton, an intermittent employee paid by NRCS. The office has received several new applications for the CREP program. Andrea will be contacting potential participants and helping Jay with applications. The EQ1P program received a tentative allotment of just over $150,000 for St. Croix County. We have already taken applications for program, which will use most of the allotment of funds. Once a cut off date for applications is set, applications will be evaluated and contracts developed. It appears that NRCS will be developing plans for the CRP sign up currently in progress. NRCS has certified several hundred Technical Service Providers (TSP) through an online system. These people will be able to contract technical work with NRCS. DNR No report. RC &D Berenschot reported: • RC &D still has prairie seed available for sale. • Working on project of hooking up FFA's to RC &D in 14 counties in western Wisconsin. Already have a couple of schools involved. Hope to spread throughout state and maybe even nationally. • Two counties (Polk and Trempealeau) are considering not being members of RC &D. However, Polk County is reconsidering their position. • Civil rights team visited RC &D. Their job is mostly pro active. Discussed the $550,000 which will be coming to Wisconsin for promoting rotational grazing. • A Grazing field day was held in Jackson County. Visited a grazer who has 60 Brown Swiss cattle. Program complimented what Mary Anderson teaches future grazers. WEST CENTRAL AREA Heise reported that Polk County will be hosting the summer tour on Wednesday, June 25. Burri, Jensen, Raymond, Pernsteiner, Heise and possibly Bethke plan to attend the event. Next year 2004 St. Croix County will be hosting the summer tour. Suggested tour possibilities were Emerald Dairy, University -MN calving barn, Eco- fuels, and Homestead Park. MISCELLANEOUS Berenschot asked for information on whether the Rivard property was in the flood plain. Heise explained that this property is in the flood plain, whether it is annexed into the City or not. The SCS 1984 flood plain map was adopted into the County Floodplain ordinance to assist in determining flood plain elevations. Construction was started on a home below Glen Hills structure #3. Map showed that it was out of the flood plain. This was also physically confirmed by Zoning Department. Raymond suggested committee consideration of adding "Parks" to the Land & Water Conservation Committee. This would allow more time for the Planning & Zoning committee meetings. It would save Heise's time because of his reporting at both committee meetings on different days. With the ordinance re -write, it would be the time to change the committee. Perhaps Ag Extension (Resource and Education) Committee could meet in a.m. and LWCC would convene after the first meeting. Raymond requested scheduling a joint committee meeting to discuss the possibility. Berenschot reported that he was elected president of WACEC (Wisconsin Association of County Extension Committees). Leon is also a member of the WCA (Wisconsin Counties Association) Ag Steering Committee which recently met in Stevens Point. WCA is proposing a resolution to use the money to support purchase of development rights program, if the Farmland Preservation program is phased out. ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE None. Bethke made motion to adjourn meeting at 11:25 a.m., seconded by Raymond, carried. Arlene Lier Recording Secretary i