Land Conservation Commitee

Date: November 13, 2003
Place:
Upstairs Meeting Room Sauk County Highway Shop

Present were Cassity, Lehman, Wiese, and Zowin from the Land Conservation Committee; Hartje, Meister, Schmitz, Sprecher, and Stevens from the Transportation and Parks Committee; Cal Brey-Town of LaValle; Wiegand-Administrative Coordinator; Muchow and Carignan-Highway Department; Hendee-Corporation Counsel; Koenig-Parks Department; Norgard-FSA; Mueller and Brereton-NRCS; Van Berkel, Albrecht, Vosberg, and Pohle-LCD

Call to Order and Certify Compliance with Open Meeting Law: Joint meeting of the Transportation and Parks Committee and Land Conservation Committee called to order by Chairmans Hartje and Wiese at 9:00 a.m. It was certified that the requirements of the open meeting law have been met.

Adopt Agenda: Motion by Cassity/Stevens to adopt the agenda.
Motion carried, all in favor.

Update on White Mound Dam Rehabilitation Project:

Dredging Issues:
Van Berkel and Vosberg of the Land Conservation Department presented the proposal and plans prepared for the dredging project. They also provided answers to several of the questions that arose from the previous meeting regarding drawdown, permitting and the placement of spoils. Committees discussed the timing concerns and the benefits of moving forward yet this year. Samples taken from the lake bed were exhibited to demonstrate consistency. Motion by Cassity/Meister to put the dredging of White Mound Lake out on bids with several variations being requested and that the Committees then review these bids at a future joint meeting. The variations to be bid would include taking all of the sediment up to the ridgetop sites by truck, to truck some quantity of the material to various highway storage locations, and to allow the contractor to bid for removal of a quantity of sediment for which they may want to take ownership. The bid deadline and opening will be December 9 and action will be taken at a Joint Committee Meeting on December 11.
Motion carried, all in favor.
Reuse of Nachreiner Shop Building:
Van Berkel reported that the Transportation and Parks Committee expressed an interest in using the shop building which previously housed Denny's Gasoline and Diesel Repair for winter storage of vehicles from the Parks and Highway departments. Van Berkel reported that DNR and NRCS could grant permission to use it for storage only, but it can never be used for a business or repair and maintenance facility. The decision would not affect grant eligibility. The LCC had originally discussed reselling the building for agricultural storage but were advised by the Corporation Counsel to dispose of it. Chad Hendee, Acting Corporation Counsel, continued to advise the Committees that their recommendation is not to use the building in any manner. Van Berkel spoke against the reuse because of the poor public relations that may be generated through the community. Committee members pointed out that it would be even poorer public relations to destroy a useful building. Motion by Zowin/Stevens to keep the building for use by the parks or highway for storage.

Motion to adjourn the Joint Committee Meeting until December 11, 2003 by Stevens/Wiese at 10:15 a.m.
Motion carried, all in favor.

Kathy Zowin, LCC Secretary

MINUTES

SAUK COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

Date: November 13, 2003
Place:
Upstairs Meeting Room Sauk County Highway Shop

Present were Cassity, Lehman, Wiese, and Zowin from the Land Conservation Committee; Norgard-FSA; Mueller and Brereton-NRCS; Van Berkel, Albrecht, Vosberg, and Pohle-LCD

Adopt Agenda: Motion by Cassity/Lehman to adopt the agenda.
Motion carried, all in favor.

Adopt Minutes of Previous Meeting: Motion by Cassity/Lehman to adopt the minutes from the regular meeting on October 8 and the special meeting on October 29.
Motion carried, all in favor

Appearances: There were none.

Training events: Motion by Lehman/Cassity to approve the list of training events.
Motion carried, all in favor.

Bills: Bill summaries were distributed to the Committee members. Motion by Lehman/Zowin to approve bills in the amount of $194,512.60.
Motion carried, all in favor.

Correspondence: Van Berkel distributed copies of the latest Thursday Notes.

Reports: Brereton reported that no Sauk County applications were funded for the Grassland Reserve Program in 2003. There were 20 applications funded in the state. The ranking is being reviewed and may be adjusted for next year. Unless they withdraw, applications from landowners that were not accepted will be kept on file for next year and will be reranked if the ranking changes.

Brereton also informed the LCC that 20 EQIP applicants were funded in the county. The Local Work Group will meet soon. Any comments or suggestions regarding the ranking of projects can be given to Van Berkel or Brereton. The Work Group will bring the ranking recommendations to the LCC for final approval. Applications are being taken for next year.

Norgard reported that they finished the general bid signup on CRP, and there may be another signup in mid to late winter. FSA is taking contract signatures for the Direct Counter Cyclical Program. There are no new major programs or LDP's going on right now. Norgard will report back at the next meeting with the annual rate for CRP rentals for Sauk County.

Establishment of 90% Harvest Date for Wildlife Damage Claims: Van Berkel stated that it is standard procedure each November to set a date when we assume 90 percent of the crops are harvested. After this date landowners currently in the program will no longer receive additional payment for further crop damage. Motion by Lehman/Cassity to set the 2003 90 percent harvest date as December 1.
Motion carried, all in favor.

Approval of Conservation Credit Applications: Albrecht explained that the Conservation Credit Program rewards landowners who are doing a good job of conservation, who have all of their five plans in place, and have no active erosion on their farms. There were 43 applications received this year. Of these, 40 met all of the requirements. This will be the last year for this program since it was cut from the 2004 budget. The three not recommended for approval are: Scott Onesti-lacks a nutrient management plan, Nancy Bohn-Fochs-has a soil loss plan that includes alternative systems and no forestry or nutrient management plan, Duane Lins-no forestry plan. Motion by Zowin/Lehman to approve the following applications: David Allen, Jim Allen, Troy Allen, John Birrenkott, Greg Brickner, Jim Dohner, Richard Garland, Harold Haag, Michael Hendricks, Muhammad Kharbush, John D. Kinsman, John G. Kinsman, William Klink, Durlin Knuth, Mike Kozlowski, Harold Kruse, Curt Larson, Mark Lundell, Tom Luxton, Bruce Marion, Larry Mundth, Darrell Myers, John Pearson, Ron Pinnt, Joe Prem, Riverland Conservancy, Tim Schmitz, William Schmitz, Dale Schultz, Charles Schwichtenberg, Matthew Sharp, Wendell Shore, David P. Smith, Paul Sprecher, Steve Sprecher-Scott Sprecher-Teresa Rider, Mike Stanek, Terbilcox Living Trust, John Toeder, Jerry White, Robert Yanke.
Motion carried, all in favor.

Proposed Change to 2004 Budget: Van Berkel would like to propose eliminating the FPP fee for 2004 which was budgeted for $25,000 in revenues. DATCP has increased our staffing grant by $12,519. There will be $9,000 in carryover money available in the Conservation Credit Program account do to the unanticipated Finance Committee and County Board elimination of that program. The well decommissioning program would have approximately $2,200 left in that account. These three amounts total approximately $23,500. The difference could possibly be found by cutting summer staff, etc. Van Berkel would need to present this proposal to Finance and get their approval to use these carry forward funds. This would allow us to delay the implementation of the FPP fee until 2005. If we are going to implement these FPP fees, the FPP guidelines need to be amended and approval of these modified guidelines is needed from the Land and Water Conservation Board. They would be requested to do this at the same meeting that they are establishing new guidelines. Deferring the fees for a year would give us time to amend the guidelines and make the landowner aware of the fee one year in advance. Motion by Lehman/Cassity to have Van Berkel bring this proposal to the Finance Committee.
Motion carried all in favor.

Possible Resolution Regarding High Capacity Wells-Tabled at October Meeting: Van Berkel stated that there is not an alternative resolution available yet so no action needs to be taken at this time. Wiese will be representing the Committee on this resolution at the WLWCA December meeting.

Review of Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (WLWCA) Resolutions: Van Berkel reviewed the resolutions with the LCC and gave his recommendations. Wiese will vote on them at the WLWCA Conference in December. Motion by Zowin/Cassity to authorize Wiese to vote as he determines appropriate at the WLWCA Conference. Motion carried, all in favor.

Motion to adjourn until December 11 at 9:00 a.m. by Cassity/Lehman at 11:15 a.m.
Motion carried, all in favor.

REspectfully Submitted: Kathy Zowin, LCC Secretary