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Home My WebLink AboutAg & Extension 08-06-02X ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Clarence Malick, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Chris Bethke, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Extension Ag Committee/Resource & Education Committee DATE: August 6, 2002 TIME: 12:30 p.m. LOCATION: Agricultural Services & Education Center CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES ACTION ON VOUCHERS UNFINISHED BUSINESS: ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT • Federal Budget Update • State Budget Update • 2003 County Budget Preliminary Review • Personnel PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S REPORT • Recycling Rules Update • 2003 Budget • Local Grant Disbursement Formula • "Your Wasteline" Newsletter • Fall Collections 4 -H YOUTH AGENT'S REPORT • WI River Adventure • Educational Programs Conducted by County 4 -H Committees • Summer 4 -H Camp • Lead on the Edge 4 -H Camp • County Fair • Coupon Book 1 i 4 -11 SUMMER ASSISTANT REPORT • Action Centers at County Fair • Clothing Revue • Cloverbud/Explorer Day Camp • WI Tour AG AGENT'S REPORT • Resolution regarding the support of federal legislation to prevent increased importation of milk protein concentrates in the US and the use of milk protein concentrates on real dairy products in the state of WI. • Farm City Day • Heat Stress Meeting • Fair • Holstein State Show • Randy Shaver UWEX Dairy Nutritionist Farm Visits • Farm Visits RESOURCE AGENT'S REPORT • Comprehensive Planning Activities • Small Business Management Counseling New Richmond Business Market Analysis HORTICULTURE AGENT'S REPORT • St. Croix County Fair — Master Gardener Booth • Plant Science Day July 9tn • Other Activities NEW BUSINESS: ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order.) SUBMITTED BY: Kim Reaman DATE: July 24, 2002 COPIES TO: County Board Office County Clerk News Media/Notice Board Committee Members 2 AG & EXTENSION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION/PLANNING COMMITTEE August 6, 2002 Agricultural Service & Education Center Baldwin, Wi. Convened: 12:45 pm Adjourned: 2:30 pm Present: Leon Berenschot, Art Jensen, Chris Bethke, Lois Burn, Dave Fodroczi, Lee Milligan, Jim Janke, Kimberly Reaman, Melanie Melander, and Mary Barney Absent: Ron Raymond, excused The meeting was called to order by Chairman Chris Bethke. The date of the next meeting was set for September 3, 2002. The meeting for the formal budget approval was set for August 16, 2002 Jensen moved that the agenda be adopted as presented. Burri seconded the motion. Motion carried. Berenschot moved that the previous meeting's minutes be approved. Burri seconded the motion. Motion carried. Burri moved that the vouchers be approved. Berenschot seconded the motion. Motion carried. Administrative Report Federal Budget Update —No report. State Budget Update —No report. County Budget Reaman presented the 2003 County Budget for UW- Extension. Jensen moved to approve the budget as presented. Seconded by Burri. Motion carried. Personnel —No report Planning Department Report Recycling Rules Update: Barney said that DNR officials are following a tight timeline for passage of proposed rules for Efficiency Grants and Pilot Programs. If the Legislature approves the rules, the efficiency grant program may result in additional grant monies for St. Croix County in 2003. Rule language on eligibility is ambiguous and the DNR anticipates clarifying the proposal for responsible units by Aug. 14 th . Local Grant Disbursement Formula: Barney reported that the recycling program was able to fully reimburse local costs for several years, but a combination of increasing costs, expanded local programs and stable grant revenues has led to partial reimbursement of local costs recently. We have used a prorated percentage method of distribution, whereby municipalities received 53% of their actual costs last year. Because there is such a wide range of total costs, cost per capita and cost per ton among the local programs, staff developed some alternative grant distribution formulas to distribute local grants more equitably. Alternative formulas included a per capita distribution or a reduced percentage paid for yard waste costs or purchased services. Purchased services and newer, expanding yard waste programs are generally the largest expenses incurred by municipalities. Staff recommended the per capita distribution formula as the most equitable approach that provided municipalities the most flexibility for local program design. After discussion and examination of data comparisons, Berenschot moved to use the per capita distribution method for the 2003 grant year. Burri seconded the motion. Motion carried. Barney will notify municipalities of this funding change so they can evaluate the impact on their recycling programs and budget accordingly. Your Wasteline Newsletter: Barney said she has begun preparing the fall newsletter and mailing is expected the first or second week in September. The mailing will coincide with upcoming events, Clean Sweep and Appliance Collections. Fall Collection Programs: Most arrangements have been made for the Clean Sweep hazardous waste collection in New Richmond, and two appliance collections on Saturday, Sept. 21". The Town of Richmond and Glenwood City are hosting the appliance collections. Staff expressed concern that DATCP has announced that budget shortfalls may result in no grants in 2003 for farm chemicals and businesses selling farm- related chemicals. 2003 Budget: Fodroczi reported that staff expected no major changes in the Recycling and Hazardous Waste budgets for 2003. Final budgets would be ready for Committee review on August 16 after the 2003 grant application was received and considered. 4 -H Youth Development Agent's Report WI River Adventure — Reaman chaperoned 4 St. Croix County 4 -H members on the Wisconsin River Adventure. The segment they canoed began at Rhinelander and ended at Merrill. Reaman was most pleased with how the group of 23 paddlers, who had never met one another, came together as a team over the week. Educational Programs Conducted by County 4 -H Committees —Since October, 2001, there have been 57 educational programs for members which were planned and taught by 12 County Project Committees which are made up of volunteer 4 -H leaders. This resource is invaluable in providing additional opportunities for the 4 -H members in St. Croix County. Lead on the Edge 4 -H Camp —This leadership camp designed for freshman was cancelled due to low enrollments. Only 7 campers signed up and the break even point to make it financially is 10 campers. Reaman will discuss possible causes and options for next year with the camp association, which consist of Polk, Dunn and St. Croix Counties. IPA County Fair —Final report will not be available until October. To increase the educational value of exhibitors at the Fair, all non - livestock departments were conference judged on Thursday. Conference judging gives each exhibitor an opportunity to visit with the judge about their project(s) and share what they made and learned. Because all of that judging was done on Thursday, there was much more time to plan and carry out additional programs on Friday and Saturday. The new programs coordinated by Reaman and Calmes, the 4 -H Summer Assistant included three action centers for fairgoers and a 4 -H Family History Display. The action centers lead by Reaman and Calmes were sand art and a Fair Scavenger Hunt. Two 4 -H members, Gina and Matt Hanzlik also planned an action center with face painting and balloon animals. All the action centers were well attended and the 4 -H Family History Display will be exhibited in the hallway of the Ag Services and Education Center until the end of the year. Coupon Book —Due to an assortment of complaints, Reaman discontinued the fundraising arrangement with C &C Marketing July 11. Sales of the coupon book were originally to be made through the end of August. The 4 -H Leaders' Council had received a check for almost $600 but to date there has not been enough money in the account to cash the check. Reaman also learned that when C &C Marketing discontinued the operation, the last check they wrote to pay their employees have been returned due to insufficient funds. The Leaders' Council will discuss the situation at their August meeting to determine what course of action should be taken. Ag Agent Report Milligan coordinated and taught a program on the use of high volume, low speed fans in dairy free -stall barns. Twenty -eight producers participated in the program. Milligan has been collaborating with Penny Winzer on the development of an English as a Second Language (ESL) program for non - English speaking employees on farms. A class has been stared in July and Milligan is surveying producers for interest in another class. Winzer is an instructor with WITC – New Richmond. Milligan made four farm visits with Randy Shaver, UWEX Dairy Nutritionist. Milligan is working with these dairy producers on nutrition, herd health, and milk quality issues. Milligan participate in the St. Croix County Fair. Milligan attended the State Holstein Association Show in Ellsworth. Farm visits and office calls included dairy nutrition, dairy housing, farm management, custom rates, grazing, government programs, pricing crops, wheat, heat stress, and other issues. Upcoming plans include Fan Day, and a Milking System Analysis program. Milligan will also attend the UW- Extension Farm Management Agent/Specialist Summit in August. Milligan is continuing development of the AgFA farm financial analysis program user's manual. The Ag Lender's Conference Planning Committee will meet in August. Resource Agent Report Janke reported that his work on comprehensive planning continues to be focused on opinion surveys and workshops. He is working with the Plan Commissions in Erin Prairie, Stanton, and Cylon to have surveys ready for mailing by mid - September. A workshop for the towns in the Heartland Planning project is scheduled for August 21 in the Hammond Town Hall. The topics will focus on Purchase of Development Rights, Transfer of Development Rights, and Conservation Easements. Small Business Management Counseling is scheduled in Hudson for August 7. All appointment slots have been filled, and there is a waiting list. Work on the New Richmond Business Market Analysis is moving ahead of schedule. Janke described the data gathering and analysis activities that have taken place. Horticulture Educator's Report On July 9th Melander went to the 4 -H Plant Science Day in Hancock. There the participants were are able to judge 100 different varieties of vegetables, houseplants, fruits and woody ornamentals. They also judged 10 different classes of plants. In the afternoon we went on a tour of the research station learning about the their research with snap beans and potato fields. At the St. Croix Fair Melander helped the master gardeners develop their booth and answer any questions. The booth was a large success a lot of fair goers were asking questions and keeping the master gardeners on their toes. The community garden is a large success. The snap beans are in full swing, Melander helped pick just about 50 pounds of beans in one night. The tomato plants are just covered with green tomatoes and looking very healthy. A lot of hard work was put into that garden and it is really paying off. The calls that were coming in the office were bug problems. Melander has had many calls about the imported long -horned weevil. Several calls have been about apple tree problems, basically most individuals had apple scab and a couple people had fire blight. Most of the calls this year have been bug problems and fungal disease problems. The fungal diseases are due to the wet spring we had and it is affecting a wide range of plants. Jensen moved to adjourn. Burri seconded the motion. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Art Jensen Secretary pnih 19