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Home My WebLink AboutLand and Water 01-06-09 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA ' ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE "j January 6, 2009 —10:40 a.m. Agricultural Service & Education Center 19608 th Avenue, Baldwin, WI CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING — February 3, 2009 LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Agency reports FSA NRCS DNR RC &D West Central Area NEW BUSINESS: Director's report Vouchers Wildlife Damage Program — Set grain prices CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) — Contract Closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. Sec. 19.85 (1) (c) to consider performance evaluation data of an employee over which the Land & Water Conservation committee exercises responsibility; reconvening into open session. OLD BUSINESS: 2008 Strategic Initiatives 2009 budget/COLP (Capital Outlay Plan) LWRMP (Land & Water Resource Management Plan) Staff reports PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS: Director's report Bills /vouchers Private Lands Agreement/Fish & W ildlife Service View video - Guide to Hudson Area Parks /SCC OLD BUSINESS: 2008 Strategic Initiatives 2009 budget/COLP (Capital Outlay Plan) ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE ADJOURN SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: December 22, 2008 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA /NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS (Items may be taken in different order) *Additions /Changes /Corrections UNOFFICIAL ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI January 6, 2009 Members Present: Linda Luckey, Buzz Marzolf, Bill Peavey, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: Ken Graf, Dan Raebel — both excused Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Dave Hausman -DNR, Steve Pernsteiner -NRCS, Cindy Blonk- Wildlife Damage, Chuck Whiting— County Administrative Coordinator Ruetz called the meeting to order at 10:40 a.m. Action on Previous Minutes: Peavey made motion, seconded by Marzolf, to approve the December 18, 2008 meeting minutes with the amendment suggested by Luckey, under Review of public hearing to add Clemens (Cheryl Clemens - Harmony Environmental, Inc.). Carried. Adoption of Agenda: Motion by Peavey, seconded by Ruetz, to adopt the agenda. Carried. Date of next meeting: February 3, 2009 LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) No report. NA TURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SER VICE (NRCS) Steve Pernsteiner- District Conservationist reported: NRCS is currently conducting the 2009 sign up for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Office is getting a few applications so far. NRCS removed the Conservation Power plant practice from the 2009 program. This would have included wind and solar power plants on the farm. The NRCS office is currently very busy reviewing prior EQIP and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) contracts due to a recent nationwide audit. We must verify signature and control of the land for term of contract. Audit review of all Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Programs (WHIP) have been completed. All St. Croix County contracts have been certified as meeting contracting guidelines. Sign up for the 2009 EQIP program continues until January 30, 2009. NRCS budget for 2009 has not yet been finalized, hopefully will be completed by end of March. Randy Gilbertson is acting Assistant State Conservationist until end of January. Permanent Assistant position has been advertised. We have been getting a little more interest in the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE), probably due to lower commodity crop prices. DE PARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOUR (DNR) Dave Hausman - Conservation Warden Supervisor reported: Deer harvest in St. Croix County was down 20-21% compare to 2007 (record year in county). Deer's Locker reported about 45% less deer brought in for processing. There was a higher percentage of change in deer harvest from last year in the northern part of Wisconsin. Some parts of his administrative area (which covers parts of Buffalo and Pepin counties) reported good deer harvest. Cedar Lake - Fisheries — There will be more fish crib projects this year on Cedar Lake. Carp have created open waters on Cedar Lake, causing an area of the lake to have thin ice. Emerald Dairy permit — Public hearing was held on issuance of a discharge permit for surface water and waste water. Permit has not been issued yet due to questions which have not been answered. There are mileage restrictions to game wardens due to the state budget deficit and higher fuel costs. Vacancies — There are many vacancies in the state. He has field warden openings in both Pierce and St. Croix counties. There are two openings in Dunn County and one in Pepin County. There is a hiring freeze on now. RESOUR CONSERVATION AND DEVELO (RC &D) No report. WEST CENTRAL AREA Heise reported that the next meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 25th at the Dunn County ag center in Menomonie. He will be giving a presentation on the "Working Lands Initiative" and tour he participated in. Marzolf will be attending the meeting in place of Ruetz, who will not be able to attend. LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS Director's report Heise reported: • There will be a Working Lands Initiative meeting at WITC in New Richmond on March 11 (all day). More information will be coming out regarding the meeting. • Our 2009 Soil and Water Resource Management grant allocation (from Department of Ag to support county staff and cost -share dollars — funding roved n October. put on hold until We cannot commit funding t landowners state wners ffor any practices budget. This normally was app Kinnickinnic watershed or Land & Water plan. Vouchers Reviewed vouchers. Peavey made motion, seconded by Ruetz, to approve Chair Ruetz's signature on the January LWCD voucher list (total $32,087.92 - $24,552.06 reimbursable). Carried. Wildlife Damage Program — Set grai prices Cindy Blonk presented the 2008 Wildlife Damage Program grain reimbursement rates from several sources: CORN - $4.75 /bushel - average from Chicago, Jenni -O Turkey Store - Barron, Minneapolis, Wisconsin Farm Reporter; SOYBEANS - $11.10 /bushel — average from Wisconsin Farm Reporter; OATS — $3.45 /bushel - average from Minneapolis, Wisconsin Farm Reporter; ORGANIC SPRING WHEAT — $16.00 /bushel - based on the individual farmer's established organic contract; ORGANIC SOYBEANS - $26.00 /bushel — based on the individual farmer's established organic contract. Organic prices are still needed on organic barley and corn. Motion by Peavey, seconded by Ruetz, to approve the grain prices as presented. Carried. CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) — contract Heise reported that the USDA Farm Bill extended the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program until 2012. Peavey made motion, seconded by Luckey, to authorize LWCC chair Ruetz to sign the contract amendment which would allow landowners the opportunity to enroll in the program. Carried. OLD BUSINESS LWRMP (LAND & WATER RESOURSE MANAGEM PLAN) Heise commented that he will be presenting the Land & Water Resource Management plan to the state Land and Water Conservation Board on February 3, 2009. After approval by the LWCB, the LWRMP will be presented to the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors for approval on March 17. PARKS DEPARTMENT Members Present: Linda Luckey, Buzz Marzolf, Bill Peavey, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: Dan Raebel — excused Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Operations Manager -Dave Larson, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Chuck Whiting- County Administrative Coordinator NEW BUSINESS Director's Report Heise reported: • Staff will be building fish cribs on Glen Hills Lake some in early February. • Snowmobile trails are open. • Heise informed the committee about a recent court case S.C. Johnson vs. Bayfield County, WI. Regarding judgment on abandoned rail road right of ways for public use. Eventually staff would hope to have Greg Timmerman - Corporation Counsel review the court case and tell us what happened in the court case and what it means for us in the future on old railroad beds that are abandoned or perhaps existing rail road right of ways that are abandoned. • Larson provided the Committee a brief status update on the Pine Lake auxiliary parking lot and Xcel Energy's counter offer. Park staff will consult with our Risk Manager and Corporation Counsel on response. Vouchers The January bills list for Parks was presented. Motion by Peavey, seconded by Ruetz, to approve Chair Ruetz's signature on the voucher list (Snowmobile accounts total $726.94, Park accounts total $5,513.71). Carried. Private Lands Agreement /Fish & Wildlife Serv Larson reported that he will be meeting with Jim Riemer -USFWS Private Lands Biologist. Fish & Wildlife Service has offered fiscal help with the ongoing oak savanna restoration at Homestead Parklands on Perch Lake. County matching share would be through staff labor. County Parks could use Fish & Wildlife Service funds to hire outside help. Discussion. OLD BUSINESS 2008 Strategic Initiatives No report. 2009 budget /COLP (Capital Outlay Plan) Heise reported that $11,000 was reinstated for seal coating the internal park roads in the Glen Hills campground. Committee and staff viewed the cable Channel 15 "Guide to Hudson Area Parks /SCC" DVD. LWCC took break at 12:25 p.m. Closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. Sec. 19.85(1)(c) to consider performance evaluation data of an employee over which the Land & Water Conservation Committee exercises responsibility; reconvening into open session. Position to be reviewed: Director, Land & Water Conservation and Parks Department Motion by Peavey, seconded by Marzolf, to move into closed session at 12:31 p.m. Roll call vote: All "Yes ". Carried unanimously. Reconvene into Open Session. Motion by Peavey, seconded by Luckey, to come out of Closed session at 1:55 p.m. Carried. Chair Ruetz adjourned meeting at 1:57 p.m. Buzz Marzolf Secretary Arlene Lier Recording Secretary