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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand & Water 07-02-02ST. CROIX COUNTY 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: July 2, 2002 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: Ag Center, Baldwin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: August 6, 2002 ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES NEW BUSINESS: 2003 State Allocation /Program Administration Subdivision Review - 10:00 a.m. Vouchers *Possible Parks Reorganization UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Staff Reports: Municipal Waste - Regional CREP(Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) Education Activity Priority Watershed Projects Glen Hills Watershed - Relocation update - Pipe separation Ag Issues LESA(Land Evaluation and Site Assessment) - Work group update Agency Reports: FSA NRCS DNR RC &D West Central Area ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: June 20, 2002; amended June 27, 2002 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA /NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS /CORRECTIONS /CHANGES X Convened: 9:00 a.m. Adjourned: 11:40 a.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI July 2, 2002 Members Present: Leon Berenschot, Lois Burri, Chris Bethke, Jim Cody, Art Jensen, Ron Raymond Members Ahsent None Staff Present: County Conservationist -Bob Heise; Land Specialists -Pete Kling, David Sander; Program Assistant -Jonna Fedie; Secretary - Arlene Lier Others Present: Bob Hendrickson -FSA; Steve Pernsteiner -NRCS; Joe Grant - County Parks Meeting called to order by chair Art Jensen. Cody made motion to adopt agenda. Bethke seconded. Carried. Berenschot made motion to approve the June 4, 2002 meeting minutes. Burri seconded. Carried. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 6, 2002 at 9:00 a.m. 2003 STATF, ALLOCATION/PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION Heise provided a presentation to the committee on the proposed 2003 state allocations to the Land & Water Conservation Department. The presentation involved the current department's program administration and discussed potential revenue sources to offset the proposed state shortfall. Committee requested to be kept informed of 2003 budget issues. PARKS DF.PARTMFNT REORGANIZATION Chairman Jensen presented to the committee the proposal of reorganizing the Parks Department under the direction of the County Conservationist, Land and Water Conservation Department. Jensen informed the committee that the reasons for considering this reorganization are for fiscal and efficiency purposes. Jensen made a motion that the Land & Water Conservation Committee is in favor with the reorganization of the Parks Department reporting to County Conservationist in the Land and Water Conservation Department. Seconded by Raymond. Discussion. Clarification by Raymond that the committee structure would remain the same. County Conservationist reports to LWCC for Land and Water Conservation responsibilities and Planning, Zoning, and Parks Committee for Parks responsibilities. Vote: Unanimous. MUNiCIPAi, WASTE - REGIONAi, Heise reported on the meeting he attended on June 6 2002 at the DNR regional office with DNR staff, members of the Hammond/Roberts waste water commission, and engineers of Ayres Associates to discuss future groundwater discharge locations for the proposed Hammond/Roberts waste water treatment facility and the proper procedures for logging soils and soil analysis that meet NR 110. Heise also reported that there is a series of three scoping sessions set for Wednesday, July 17, 24, and August 7 th to discuss the regional waste water issue and scope out alternatives for a long -term waste water solution. Heise reported that letters have been sent out and are by invitation only. CREP ( CONSERVATiON RESERVE FNHANCEMF,NT PROGRAMI Heise reported that the department has 2 -3 signed CREP contracts and 2 -3 ready for signature. The department has not had the opportunity to work on any easements yet, however there continues to be some interest among landowners with perpetual CREP easements. EDUCATiON ACTIVITY Heise reported that the Environmental Educational Workshop for Teachers is scheduled for August 12- 16 at the UW -RF. Four teachers had expressed interest in attending, however one teacher has cancelled because of the scheduled dates of the course. Sportsmen's Alliance will sponsor two teachers and the LWCD will sponsor one. The department will have a booth at the County Fair. The fair dates are July 18 -21. The department plans to display well and manure storage abandonment. Jensen suggested that a well abandonment demonstration be conducted by staff this year and cordially invite all County Board supervisors as well as the general public. Farm City Day event will be held on August 10 at the Huppert Brothers farm located in section 24 of Troy Township. PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECTS Heise recommended to the committee that the vacant state funded Kinnickinnic Watershed position be filled. Discussion. Berenschot reiterated the importance of filling this watershed position. Committee informed Heise to discuss with Personnel Department to begin the process of filling this position. Heise and Fedie will be working on state reimbursements from January 1 -June 30 2002 for the watershed activities and operating costs. CTiYN HILLS WATERSHED Relocation Update: Heise reported that the house was removed from the site on June 7 th and the garage was removed on June 28 The contractor was to be working on the site today to remove the concrete pads of the existing garage and house, and reshape the area. Greg Timmerman, Corp Counsel, is beginning the purchase agreement to sell the former homeowner the garage and land back to her. Pipe Separation: Heise presented an agreement from NRCS for the repair of the pipe separations in the five Glen Hills Dams. There is no financial obligation to the county to repair these structures. MRCS is responsible for the costs of repairs. NRCS is also responsible for all construction activities and inspections. AGRICULTURAL ISSUES — UPDATE. Sander reported: He will be meeting with Ellen Denzer from Planning and Corporation Counsel, Greg Timmerman to discuss the information from the DATCP and how we can utilize it in the new ordinance. LF.SA (LAND EVALUATION AND SITE ASSFSSMENTI Berenschot commented as a LESA work group member on the progress and the development of the County LESA system. Heise reported that there is a recommended "DRAFT" of the LESA system and that a joint meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14 for the Planning, Zoning and Parks Committee and Land and Water Conservation Committee to present the developed product to the committees. The LESA work group members will also be invited to attend this meeting. This presentation of the LESA system is to take place at the Agricultural Center in Baldwin, from 7:00- 9:00 p.m. Additional information will be forthcoming. SUBDIVISION REVIEW Pete Kling presented: Wild Turkey Retreat (In the NE' /4 of the SW '/4 and the SE' /4 of the SW 1 /4 of Section 12, T31N -Rl9W, Town of Somerset, St. Croix County, Wisconsin) — 80 acre development, 24 lots total. All LWCD comments have been addressed and a revised plan has been submitted to reflect the recent changes. Recommended for approval. Berenschot made motion to recommend that the storm water and erosion control plans are acceptable and a letter be sent to the Planning & Development Committee. Bethke seconded. Carried. Alexander Meadows (In part of the NW 1 /4 of the SW' /4, part of the NE '/4 of the SW '/4, and part of the NW '/4 of the SE 1 /4 of Section 13, T29N -R19W, Town of Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin) — 62 acre development, 18 lots total. All LWCD concerns have been addressed and a revised plan has been submitted. Recommended for approval. Cody made motion to recommend that the storm water and erosion control plans are acceptable and a letter be sent to the Planning & Development Committee. Berenschot seconded. Carried. VnU('NF.RS Reviewed vouchers. Motion by Raymond, seconded by Bethke, to approve vouchers. Carried. FARM SERVICE AGENCY Bob Hendrickson reported: 100 CRP contracts have been extended for one more year, which includes 3,682.2 acres. 3 out of our 4 hardwood contracts have also extended for one more year. FSA will continue to check the pastureland on all of the CP -22 CREP contracts. Approximately 3,000 letters were sent out to inform producers that they can now late file for a Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP) on 2001 crops even if they have lost beneficial interest in the crop. Staff has calculated approximately one -fourth the bases and yields for producers of the county. This is in anticipation of the new farm bill. There may be a dairy sign up for the new farm bill as early as the end of July. NRCS will be the administrative agency for EQIP. Currently crop reporting is a high priority in our office. Numerous farm programs are based on what producers report. • Budget has also loosened up a little and FSA will be hiring a temporary position. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE Steve Pernsteiner reported: Signup is under way for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Applications will be accepted from July 1 -July 26. Cost sharing is now available for Nutrient Management, Prescribed Grazing, Conservation tillage, Well Plugging, Grassed Waterways, Grade Stabilization Structures, and Ag. Waste Storage. Additional 2002 funding for EQIP is anticipated. The Farm Bill also shows a big increase in EQIP funding over the next five years. NRCS is going to have more direction on this program and would like to have it locally driven. We will need to have the local work group develop targeted areas or practices. NRCS anticipates being able to reimburse counties for cost of assisting with technical designs and planning for EQ1P. The first step will be to update the local Operational Agreement, which specifies how the LCC/NRCS relationship operates. Things work good here in St. Croix County. RC &D will be providing a summer intern to help with the CREP program. NRCS has also hired a student, Jennifer Emmerich, to work exclusively on CREP. DNR No report. RC &D Berenschot reported: • Attended June 20th board meeting. Met the 2 new interns who are supervised by Sarah Peot (buffer specialist). • Pam Herdrich is working on a grant to help pay for the LESA program (requested by Heise). • An attempt is being made to get younger personnel (FFA groups, etc.) to become involved with RC &D. • Jim Hartung -RC &D President and myself plan to go to Milwaukee to set up informational meeting on possible new council in the southeast part of the state. Will talk to group to see if a council would work out in that area. • Ed Weber, former RC &D coordinator, attended meeting. He was appointed to the Eau Claire County board of supervisors. • Joint meeting at St. Croix Falls with Minnesota Council on August 22. • National meeting will be held at Eau Claire in September. Tours are being arranged: One is grazing (beef cattle) at Huntsinger Farms. • National RC &D goal is to involve the entire U.S. to work together on agriculture issues. WEST CENTRAL AREA The West Central summer tour is to be held on Wednesday, July 17 in Pierce County. Heise had made arrangements for transportation. Heise informed the committee members to be at the Agricultural Center, Baldwin by 7:45 a.m. that morning. Raymond reported that the business meeting is to take place the first hour of this tour to elect officers and conduct whatever business matters that need to be addressed. ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE Heise reported that Kyle Kulow, president of the Sportsmen's Alliance, cordially invited the committee to the Sportsmen's Alliance annual picnic and meeting on Tuesday, July 9` 2002. The meeting is going to be held at Hatfield Lake in New Richmond and will begin at 6:00 p.m. Heise informed the committee that the ATCP -50 rule that has been extremely controversial has become law. Heise thanked the committee for their support and letters to their state representatives opposing this rule. Cody made motion to adjourn meeting at 11:40 a.m. Seconded by Raymond. Carried. Jim Cody Secretary