Land Conservation Committee Minutes

DATE: April 9, 2009 UW-Extension ETN West Square Building

Meeting called to order by Chair Wiese at 9:00 a.m. It was certified that the requirements of the open meeting law have been met. Present were Borleske, Puttkamer, Wiese and Zowin from the Committee; Norgard-FSA; Brereton-NRCS; Van Berkel and Pohle-LCD; White from public. Posewitz and Kriegl were absent.

Adopt agenda: Motion by Puttkamer/Zowin to adopt the agenda. Motion carried, all in favor.

Adopt minutes of previous meeting: Motion by Borleske/Puttkamer to adopt the minutes of the regular LCC meeting on March 25. Motion carried, all in favor.

Public comment: The LCC agreed to have Linda White offer inputs during the agenda item regarding the Animal Waste Ordinance.

Communications:

A. Thursday Note(s)-The LCC received the March 26, 2009, Thursday Note at their homes.

B. Received notification from the Lower Wisconsin Riverway regarding purchase of property along Wisconsin River.

C. Letter from the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (WLWCA) regarding cutbacks due to budget shortfalls. The Executive Director will be working part time from April through October.

Legislative updates: Van Berkel noted that comments were sent regarding the state budget. All LCC members received an email copy of the letter that Van Berkel sent regarding the staff fund reduction and reduction to clean sweep grants.

Reports:

A. Land Conservation Department report-Contractors' meeting went well.

B. Natural Resources Conservation Service report-Brereton reported that Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) deadlines were extended until April 17. They have received 47 EQIP applications and two WHIP applications. Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Easement program applications for land in floodplain are due Friday, April 10. The program would purchase a permanent easement; $145 million available nationwide. They have received two applications in the Otter Creek area and Juneau County is working with a few on the border.

C. Farm Service Agency report-Norgard informed the LCC that it is County Committee (COC) election time. The Direct Countercyclical Program (DCP)/ACRE signup is extended until August 14. Opened up Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments buy-in for disaster until May 18. It buys eligibility for2008 crop disaster. To be eligible you have to be insured. They are also anticipating disaster signup late summer or early fall. Nothing new on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) or Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Signups are done continuouslyfor Current Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP) and CREP. Milk payments started being issued last week but have been put on hold until a software issue is resolved.

D. Foresters' report-None.

E. Economic Development Committee report-Zowin reported that the focus at the last meeting was rural broadband connections and possibility of receiving stimulus money. The study with Ayers on the Merrimac bridge is moving forward.

F. Mirror Lake District report-Zowin. Association representatives are working with the LCD to coordinate some gully repairs through the Dell Creek project. If the landowners have not committed by June, Vierbecher will work with them to receive cost sharing through a lake management grant and possibly the Mirror Lake Association.

G. Lake Virginia Management District report-Wiese noted there is a problem with a developer who planted on unsold lots to change the assessment from residential to ag. This impacts funds that can be raised by the Association. Van Berkel noted that developers taking advantage of use value assessment is also a statewide issue.

H. Lake Redstone Management District report-Borleske reported they met on April 6. Will be meeting April 15 with Lloyd Eagan from DNR to discuss critical habitat designations and any impacts on the permitting process.

Review and approval of vouchers: Voucher summaries were distributed to the Committee members. Motion by Borleske/Zowin to approve bills in the amount of $34,277.86. Motion carried, all in favor.

Consider approval of request to DNR to modify operational permit for Plain-Honey Creek Dam #4 (Shanahan Dam) and convert it to a dry dam: Van Berkel reported that the Town of Franklin met last night and passed a resolution in support of the conversion but asking that the change include shaping and seeding of the drained impoundment, fencing along the base of the dam and protection of the stream from cattle access. Next step will be to petition DNR to approve this modification to our operational agreement. If they approve, then we will work out an agreement with Oetzman. Motion by Zowin/Borleske to continue the process to request approval from DNR to convert the Shanaham Dam to a dry dam. Motion carried, all in favor.

Review of comments from public hearing, consider possible changes and consider submission of Manure Management Ordinance to County Board: Summary of comments from public hearing were distributed along with the recommendations from staff. Linda White reviewed the new recommended changes she distributed to the LCC. Corporation Counsel is also reviewing Draft No. 8. Committee recommended a more thorough review of White's proposed revisions and asked that Van Berkel, Vosberg, and White meet prior to the May LCC meeting, and the LCC will review and consider the outcome at the May meeting.

Visioning and development of strategic issues for 2010 budget: The goal of the effort is to identify external issues that impede progress toward goals. Committee touched on staff shortages and the need for a Clean Sweep Program. Van Berkel provided flip chart with a breakdown of the Vision, and Committee offered the following as strategic issues for each component.

CRITICAL NATURAL RESOURCES ARE PROTECTED AND ENHANCED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF ASSISTANCE, INCENTIVES AND REGULATIONS

Mixed (unclear) enforcement
- Staff and funding shortfalls
- Negative attitude toward regulation
- Lack of identification of critical resources
- Lack of intergovernmental cooperation
- Lack of public support and a willingness to speak out
- Misconceptions/poor communication
- "Bar stool beliefs" -- common misconceptions
  --don't believe truth
  --planted misinformation
- Takes seven years to change perceptions
- People don't care until it affects them
- People don't care until it affects them closely, then "Not In My Backyard" (NIMBY)
  A WELL-TRAINED COMPETENT STAFF WITH VARIED EXPERTISE ARE AVAILABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL CITIZENS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE
  - Not enough staff, funding shortfalls
  - Need for training
  - Lack of qualified staff to address new issues
  - Citizens not aware of services available
  - Not coordinating well enough with other natural resource professionals
  - No money for use to hire contracted professionals
  - Reduced partner availability (due to retirements and cutbacks)
  - No defined list of services we do provide or connection for those we don't
    A KNOWLEDGEABLE CITIZENRY ASSURES THAT AN EVALUATION OF ANY IMPACTS ON NATURAL RESOURCES IS A PART OF EVERY LAND USE DECISION MADE IN THE COUNTY
    - Need more educational programming
      --both from the Department and other agencies/departments
    - Lack of evaluation tools to use
    - Inventory of natural resources needed
    - Lack of expert contact list
    - Issue is often turned to economics versus natural resources
    - Lack of method to measure long-range value of natural resources
    - No office measure to report value and educate public
Update on the HCC management and fertilizer needs: Van Berkel informed the LCC that the fertility level requirements have not been enforced since 1999 making it difficult for us to enforce it for the most recent renter. He assured Committee that the Department will handle it correctly in the future. The Finance Committee has agreed the County needs to cover the cost of fertilizers needed and Committee also agreed.

Selection of teacher scholarship recipient(s): Pohle presented an application from Dana Westedt to attend Forestry and Education in the Wisconsin K-12 Classroom. She is a teacher at South Elementary in Reedburg. Motion by Zowin/Borleske to approve Westedt for a 2009 teacher scholarship up to $250. Motion carried, all in favor.

Selection of youth conservation camp(s) scholarship recipient(s): Pohle presented eight youth camp scholarships for the WLWCA Camp and Sand Lake Conservation Camp Motion by Zowin/Borleske to approve Dalton Goethel, Drew Klemm, Haley Bonilla, Ashley Brockman, Jennifer Krueger, Stephanie Otto, Rachel Perkins, and Jordan Schara for 2009 camp scholarships. Motion carried, all in favor.

Review and acceptance of 2009 donations to youth education efforts: Motion by Borleske/Zowin accepting the donations in the amount of $1,710 from various organizations for various youth education efforts. Motion carried, all in favor.

Puttkamer commended Stanek for his excellent work providing nutrient management and agronomic assistance. Van Berkel agreed and informed Committee of Stanek's work toward an M.S. in Agricultural Education. He also complimented the rest of the staff in the Department for their continuing efforts and taking the lead in various critical departmental initiatives.

Motion to adjourn until May 14 at 9:00 a.m. by Borleske/Puttkamer at 11:45 a.m. Motion carried, all in favor. They also set Thursday, June 11, for a future meeting.

Linda Borleske, Secretary