LINCOLN SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Minutes of the Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District, Regular Meeting, USDA Building, Ivanhoe, MN, January 16, 2008.

Meeting called to order by the Chairman, Daniel Christianson, at 10:05 a.m.

Members Present:    Daniel Christianson, Chairman

                                Glen Sorensen, Vice Chairman

                                Joe Weber, Treasurer

                                John Boulton, PR&I

Members Absent:     Conrad Schardin, Secretary

Others Present:        Pauline VanOverbeke, District Manager

Terry Dybsetter, Education Coordinator

Ron Madsen, Engineering Technician

Randy Kraus, Farm Bill Assistant

Dennis Johnson, NRCS District Conservationist

Randy Sheik, NRCS Soil Conservation Technician

Curt Blumeyer, County Commissioner, left at 11:35 a.m.

Christianson turned the meeting over to Madsen for Election of Officers.

Election of new officers: Call for nominations for the following offices for 2008:

Nomination open for Chairman:  Motion by Weber, seconded by Boulton to leave all positions the same as they were in 2007 and to move nominations cease and to cast a unanimous ballot.  Question asked three times for any more nominations.  Positions as follows: Daniel Christianson for Chairman; Glen Sorensen for Vice-Chairman; Joe Weber for Secretary; Conrad Schardin for Treasurer; and John Boulton for PR&I; 

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

The meeting was turned back over to the Chairman, Christianson.

Motion by Boulton, seconded by Weber to leave all Special Board Assignments the same as they were in 2007.  Assignments as follows: 

§      RCRCA:  Glen Sorensen, delegate; Conrad Schardin, alternate; SWPJPO:  Daniel Christianson, delegate; Glen Sorensen, alternate; RC&D: Daniel Christianson, delegate; Joe Weber, alternate; LqP Watershed-Clean Water Partnership Team; John Boulton, delegate; and the Yellow Medicine Watershed Advisory Committee; Glen Sorensen, delegate.

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

DESIGNATION OF OFFCIAL PAPER: Motion by Boulton, seconded by Weber to designate the Ivanhoe Times as the official paper for 2008.

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

DESIGNATION OF TAA FOR STATE C-S AND C-S RATE: Motion by Sorensen, seconded by Weber to designate the following for the TAA for State C-S Projects: Sterzinger as the Technician for all tree projects and Madsen as the Technician for all other projects and to set the State C-S rate for 2008 at a rate not to exceed 75% cost-share.

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

DESIGNATION OF BANKS: Motion by Weber, seconded by Sorensen to designate the following banks for the Lincoln SWCD: Bank of the West, Ivanhoe-Checking Account and two-C.D.’s; First Security Bank, Hendricks for the Money Market Savings Account.

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

MINUTES/TREASURER’S REPORT: VanOverbeke presented the Board with an updated/revised Treasurer’s Report for December, 2007.  Motion by Weber, seconded by Boulton to approve the minutes/Treasurer’s Report for December 20, 2007, regular meeting.

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

BILLS: Motion by Boulton, seconded by Sorensen to approve the payment of the bills for $18,893.24 (see attachments).

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

TRANSFER OF FUNDS: Motion by Sorensen, seconded by Weber to approve the transfer of $110,000 from Checking Account to Money Market Savings Account.

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

ACTUAL AND BUDGETED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT: VanOverbeke handed out the actual and budgeted income and expenditure statement for December, 2007.

APPROVAL OF 2008 BUDGET: Motion by Weber, seconded by Boulton to approve the monthly 2008 Budget as presented by VanOverbeke.

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

STATE COST-SHARE APPROVALS: Motion by Sorensen, seconded by Boulton to approve the State Cost-Share Contracts as follows with Sterzinger being the Technician on all projects:  FY07-10 for Larry Olsen, C-S-$3,207, tree project; FY07-11 for Jeff Jerzak, C-S-$3,291, tree project; FY07-12 for Wes Boeve, C-S-$1,348, tree project; and FY08-01 for Wes Boeve, C-S-$2,544, tree project.

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

REDWOOD RIVER/RCRCA COST-SHARE PROJECT: Motion by Sorensen, seconded by Weber to recommend approval of the RCRCA cost-share contract for Ken Krog, Cost-Share amount of $24,562.35 to the RCRCA board.

Affirmative:  Christianson, Boulton, Sorensen, and Weber.

            Opposed:  None

Motion Carried.

LEGISLATIVE BRIEFING/DAY AT CAPITAL: Boulton and VanOverbeke will be attending Legislative Briefing/Day at Capital on February 25-26 at St. Paul.  VanOverbeke will call closer to date to see if other board members are interested.

REPORTS:

COUTY COMMISSIONER’S REPORT: Curt Blumeyer, County Commissioner, reported on the following:

·        Joan Jagt, Chairperson; Jim Johansen, Vice Chairman for 2008.

·        Lake Benton Lake treatment; waiting for DNR permit; cost is $160,000.

·        Environmental Office- will be hiring another technician to work on feedlots.

·        Audit/GASB34; in progress.

·        County will have to hire an Assessor.

DISTRICT MANAGER’S REPORT: Pauline VanOverbeke, District Manager, reported on the following:

·        Completed W-2’s and on-line Federal/State W-2 reporting; completed year-end accounting worksheets-reviewed w/board; continue working on year-end: MDA; Ag BMP Report; NRBG.  VanOverbeke explained that she had worked until 5:30 p.m. Tuesday evening and had Nancy from FSA initial time sheet and asked the Board about putting in extra time the next couple of months to meet deadlines for year-end reporting.  The Board okayed extra hours for VanOverbeke.

·        Was asked to serve on the Local Water Management Core Performance committee; will get more information about how many meetings and where for the next meeting.

·        Thank you from LouAnn Nagel, Yellow Medicine for help given her on year-end.

·        Time documentation/office time: topics covered with direction from board:

·        Reviewed with the board the Daily Interval Appointment Calendars purchased for use by district staff along with the calendars on Outlook.  Employees have option to use whichever they chose, but they must have them initialed at the end of each week by someone in the office.  Beginning time and ending time of day will be noted on time sheets. 

·        Breaks: breaks will be staggered; if only one in the office, function phone to break room or to answering machine; also for when only one is in office and goes to get mail or bank.

·        Phone calls: if only one in office; calls will be answered; put current person on hold if phone rings or ask customer to please excuse to answer the phone.

·        Annual Leave:  Try to make sure office is covered if at all possible. 

·        Staff meetings will be held every two weeks, to verify meetings; annual leave, vacations, sick leave, who can cover, etc.

·        Upcoming meetings: Women’s Day Meeting-January 22; RC&D meeting-January 24; SW/WC Computer training-February 7; Legislative Briefing/Day at Capital-February 25-26; BWSR Program rules training-February 22.

·        Worker’s Comp. issue with an employee reopened.  Discussion.

·        2007 Audit- VanOverbeke has permission to contact Holmberg for the 2007 audit this spring.

Blumeyer left the meeting at this time.

EDUCATION COORDINATOR’S REPORT: Terry Dybsetter, Education Coordinator, reported on the following:

·        Worked on calendar in Outlook.

·        Education: Library programs, Soil and Water Stewardship Material to churches; Poster contest material sent out to schools for 5/6 grade poster contest; also new for this year will try a 4th grade poster contest just with schools in Lincoln County with just school prizes given.

ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN’S REPORT: Ron Madsen, Engineering Technician, reported licensing and feedlot permits with 250 animal units or more; working on elink reporting.  No word yet from BWSR on the 2006 State C-S closeout from last month.

CONSERVATION TEHCNICIAN’S REPORT: Dale Sterzinger, Conservation Technician’s report is attached.  Accounts receivable were discussed.  Motion by Weber, seconded by Sorensen to allow Sterzinger to send final letter to Bill Barber for his accounts receivable before action is taken in conciliation court.

EASEMENT TECHNCIAN’S REPORT: Randy Kraus, Farm Bill Assistant, reported on the following:

·        Continuous CRP; explain CP38 program; CP25 seed mix.

·        Conservation information available for purchase on NACD web site for schools if district has any extra dollars to spend on education.

DISTRICT CONSERVATIONIST’S REPORT: Dennis Johnson, District Conservationist, reported on the following:

·        Making CSP payments for 2008.

·        EQIP-13 contracts; still two unfunded.

Other items of discussion: Christianson-Open Lot Agreement- April 4, 2007, 9:00 a.m.- SWPTSA; Sorensen-RCRCA, $1.6 million to dredge Lake Redwood.

The next meeting of the Lincoln SWCD will be on Wednesday, February 20, 2007 at 10:00 a.m.

The meeting declared adjourned by the Chairman, Christianson, at 12:10 p.m.

APPROVED:    ______________________________     __________________________________

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