Date: April 8, 2004
Present were: Cassity, Craker, Lehman, Wiese, and Zowin from the Land Conservation Committee; Brereton-NRCS-FSA; Van Berkel and Pohle-LCD. Bernien was absent.
Call to Order and Certify Compliance of Open Meeting Law: Meeting called to order by Chairman Wiese at 10:10 a.m. It was certified that the requirements of the open meeting law have been met.
Adopt Agenda: Motion by Craker/Cassity to adopt the agenda. Motion carried, all in favor.
Adopt Minutes of Previous Meeting: Motion by Zowin/Cassity to adopt the minutes from the regular meeting on March 11. Motion carried, all in favor.
Appearances: There were none.
Training events: Motion by Craker/Cassity to approve the list of training events. Motion carried, all in favor.
Bills: Bill summaries were distributed to the Committee members. Motion by Craker/Cassity to approve bills in the amount of $398,274.27. Motion carried, all in favor.
Correspondence: Van Berkel distributed copies of the latest Thursday Notes.
Reports: Brereton informed the Committee that NRCS is taking Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) signups. The official signup is on hold for the Grassland Reserve Program, but interested individuals can still apply. There is $500,000 available statewide for the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) with signups being taken until the end of May.
Request 2004 Supplemental Grant: Van Berkel informed the Committee that DATCP has funds available from some counties that did not spend their entire 2003 staffing grant amount. They are offering these funds to counties that received grant reductions for the 2004 year. Sauk County is eligible to receive $6,436 of the $161,513 available statewide. Motion by Craker/Cassity to authorize requesting $6,436 more for staffing cost reimbursement from DATCP.
Motion carried, all in favor.
2005 Grants Submission Approval: Van Berkel stated that the projected 2005 staffing grant from the state will drop to $155,447 because the Narrows Creek - Baraboo River Watershed Project will end. This year our grant for staff is $291,342 including the $6,436 just approved. Using an approximate 5 percent cost increase in salary and fringes would leave us with a shortfall of about $167,000 to address. This is the equivalent of three full-time staff. We will have to be very resourceful to make up as much of this as possible. Reductions in staffing grants has been a continuing trend. The 2003 grant was $321,420, and the 2002 grant for staff was $340,540. Over the same years staff costs have risen from $541,000 in 2002, to $619,000 in 2004, and an estimated $650,000 in 2005. At the same time the demand for services and the cost-sharing assistance available for practice installation is increasing. Van Berkel recommended submitting an application for $388,533 in DATCP state grants, well above the maximum. This amount reflects the level of funding needed to meet the statutory goal of providing 100 percent state funding for the first position in a Land Conservation Department, 70 percent for the second, and 50 percent of the cost of the remaining positions.
Van Berkel also outlined some other possible grant funds that may help address this shortfall. The DNR Targeted Runoff Management (TRM) project grants now have the ability to pay for contracted design and construction inspection services. The county could contract with landowners to provide this service, and the landowner would receive reimbursement for 70 percent of these costs upon installation of a practice. He proposed that a grant application be submitted focusing on correcting the remaining polluting sites within the Narrows Creek - Baraboo River Project area. These sites are located where owners have chosen not to participate and are not in compliance with the new state nonpoint pollution rules. The effort would be similar to the "critical sites" designation in more recent projects. These sites contribute considerable nonpoint pollution and can offset all of the voluntary work done by others in the project area. The new nonpoint rules require compliance with minimal standards if cost sharing is offered. The Committee would review the proposed sites and make a decision to enforce the rules in conjunction with DNR. The TRM funds could then be used to offer the necessary cost sharing, and the county could receive some payment for the time spent designing the pollution control practices. Most importantly however, the approach would require that the remaining worst case operations do something to address their nonpoint problems. This would help assure improved water quality.
Another suggested grant would be to request a River Planning Grant for Otter Creek. This subwatershed has been identified in the Land and Water Resource Management Plan as a priority area for the last several years. The recent update of the DNR Lower Wisconsin River Basin Plan also identifies the area as a priority for nonpoint pollution control efforts. Lately, there has been a lot of discussion regarding the problems in Otter Creek, including the loss of a defined channel, trampled streambanks, and flooding. The River Planning Grant cannot be used to provide cost sharing for landowners but would provide $10,000 in staffing money to work with residents to raise awareness regarding the issues, the possible solutions and to promote programs such as CREP that could help through installation of buffers, etc.
Motion by Cassity/Craker to authorize Van Berkel to apply for the 2005 grants as presented.
Motion carried, all in favor.
Support Addition of Farming and Conservation Together (FACT) Area to Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP): Van Berkel notified Committee that another addition to the eligible CREP area was being proposed by the DATCP. Comments regarding the addition are being accepted until April 30. The Land Conservation Committee previously went on record in May 2000 requesting that the towns covered by the FACT area be added to the CREP eligible area. The program would fit the needs in this area well by providing buffering along the streams and drainage ditches throughout the region. The idea has also been presented to the Aldo Leopold Foundation, and they have supported this addition. The FACT field person Jeff Knetter could help to make contacts regarding the program. Motion by Zowin/Lehman to request the addition of the FACT towns, Fairfield and Greenfield in Sauk County and Caledonia in Columbia County to the eligible CREP area. Motion carried, all in favor.
Support Continued Commitment of State Funds to Staff Needs of LCD: Van Berkel provided a background on the present statute regarding funding for LCC staff. The statute says the state shall assist counties to address staff needs by providing 100 percent funding for the first position, 70 percent funding for the second position, and 50 percent for the remaining positions with an average of three staff persons per county. At present there are watershed projects ending and the funds could be used to move toward implementation of this goal. DATCP has not agreed to keep this money directed toward LCD staff. Van Berkel suggested the LCC request that DATCP continue to dedicate these funds toward staff. Cassity commented that rather than just having the Committee involved, it may be more effective to have the entire County Board endorse this as a resolution. Motion by Cassity/Craker for Van Berkel to prepare a resolution to support the maintenance of the existing state commitment of funds to LCD's for staff.
Motion carried, all in favor.
Support Resolution for Grant Application for Mirror Lake Dredging Project: Zowin is a member of a committee working on resource issues at Mirror Lake. The west end of the lake has a lot of sediment deposition, and the channel from Dell Creek is nearly impassable. Landowners have gone through an initial study on the feasibility of dredging the west bay and installing an off-line sediment trap to capture future sediment. The resolution was prepared by the Mirror Lake group and does not ask for any commitment of funds by the county. The group is also looking into the possibility of creating a lake district. The Town of Delton has been supportive of the proposed project. Motion by Lehman/Craker to forward the resolution to County Board supporting the grant application for the Mirror Lake dredging project.
Motion carried, all in favor.
Selection of Teacher Scholarship Applicants: Pohle informed the LCC that each year we sponsor two teachers for environmental education course scholarships for their expenses up to $250 each. Dave Holm from Baraboo's West Elementary School and Susan Wittenberger from Reedsburg's Sacred Heart were the only two applications received. Motion by Lehman/Wiese to approve Holm and Wittenberger for this year's teacher scholarships for expenses up to $250 each.
Motion carried, all in favor.
Selection of Conservation Camp Scholarship Applicants: Pohle stated that there were no applications again this year. One reason for the lack of applicants is that the camp is held in early June while students are still in school or just out of school. The Committee recommended we send a letter encouraging that the camp be held later to accommodate the revised school calendar and increase participation.
Motion to adjourn until May 13 at 9:00 a.m. by Lehman/Craker at 11:17 a.m.
Motion carried, all in favor.
Respectfully Submitted: Kathy Zowin, LCC Secretary