WAUPACA COUNTY

LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

MEETING MINUTES

 

                                                                                                                                                                January 6, 2014

                                                                                                                        Courthouse, Waupaca

 

 

Chair Federwitz call the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m.

 

Present:           DuWayne Federwitz, Bob Ellis, Pat Craig, Darrell Handrich, Lee Much and Walter Strebe

 

Also present:   Roger Holman, Brian Haase, Dave Heideman, Lisa Neuenfeldt and Melanie Boone

 

Federwitz gave the open meeting statement.

 

Motion by Much, seconded by Handrich to approve the agenda.  Motion carried.

 

Motion by Craig, seconded by Strebe to approve the November 4, 2013 minutes with the correction of the date 3013 to 2013 in “farm was sold to Heimbruch in May of 2013”.  Motion carried.

 

Federwitz opened the meeting for public comment.  There was none.

 

Neuenfeldt introduced Melanie Boone, the new NRCS Conservation Technician stationed part time in Waupaca County.  Melanie provided the Committee with background information on herself.

 

Neuenfeldt reported on the 2014 EQIP sign-up which ended December 20, 2013.  Neuenfeldt handed out and reviewed a summary of the practices that have been applied for.  NRCS will complete ranking of the practices by January 22.  Neuenfeldt updated the Committee on the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) with new sign-ups running through February 7, 2014.  Neuenfeldt is finishing up annual checks and payments for the CSP, with 55 active contracts in Waupaca County.

 

Dave Heideman reported the deadline to crop report for perennial forages on fall seeded small grains is January 15, with a late filing fee required for reporting after this date.  The deadline to return County election ballots is January 17, with the residents of Matteson, Larrabee, Bear Creek, Lebanon, Mukwa, Caledonia, Fremont and Weyauwega voting this year.  Heideman thanked LWCD and Golden Sands for sharing a booth at the County Fair.  Heideman updated the Committee on FSA outreach.

 

Federwitz thanked Neuenfeldt and Heideman for their reports.

 

Haase and Holman updated the Committee on the Nutrient Management staff position.  Haase reported that they have received a preliminary ranking of the position at a Grade 7 from Human Resources.  Haase handed out salary information on similar positions in other Counties and based on those positions, the grade falls at about a grade 10.  Additionally Grade 10 had been used to estimate the 2014 budget impact.   Holman stated they will review the position with Mandy Welch to make sure the grade is correct for the position.   The Committee agreed.

 

Haase explained that Wally Sedlar has accepted the position of County Conservationist for Adams County.  The Adams County LWCC has determined that Sedlar’s work as a Golden Sands employee is a conflict of interest due to Adams County being a member of Golden Sands RC&D.  Adams County has agreed to allow Sedlar to do contract work through his own company Agronomy & Nutrient Services, LLC outside of Adams County.  Haase stated the contract with Agronomy & Nutrient Services, LLC would be for an average of 16 hours per week at the rate of approximately $31.00 per hour, similar to the contract with Golden Sands, less the administrative fee.  Haase explained that by contracting with Sedlar we will have continuation of work already started and it will be easier to move to a county position as opposed to a short term contract with Golden Sands RC&D and a new person in the their position that may need training time equivalent to a majority of the contract period.

 

Haase stated that due to the changing of the status of the contracted Nutrient Management position, they may want to fill the county position earlier.   Holman stated they would discuss this with Mandy Welch. 

 

Motion by Craig, seconded by Handrich to enter into a contract with Agronomy & Nutrient Services, LLC, for an average of 16 hours per week at a rate not to exceed $31.00 per hour to be terminated when the County fills the Nutrient Management position.  Motion carried.

 

Haase updated the Committee on the GIS/LWCD intern position.  Haase explained that due to family issues, Stefen Stults was not able to complete the work under his last internship and Ian Grasshoff is interested in sharing an internship this semester with the LWCD that would split Stults’s time, with LWCD getting 1-1.5 days per week and LIO getting 3 days per week.  Haase stated the internship through UWSP would cost the LWCD approximately $1,600 running from January – May.  Discussion followed on the benefits of the program, what the intern would be doing and where the funds would come from.

 

Motion by Craig, seconded by Handrich to enter an agreement with UWSP for an internship of approximately $1,600.00 with Stefen Stults as the intern and sharing the internship with the Land Information Department.  Motion carried.

 

Haase reviewed the 2013 non-lapsing fund purchases including a laser level, Golden Sands Education program, AutoCAD seat, AutoCAD upgrades and a ¾ ton pick-up. These items were on the original non-lapsing fund list approved at the April 2013 LWCC meeting.

 

Haase explained they have ordered a ¾ ton Ford pick-up truck with side boxes from Ewald Automotive Group, LLC for $26,457 using the State of Wisconsin Municipal Discount pending final approval of this committee.

Motion by Ellis, seconded by Handrich to approve the purchase of a ¾ ton Ford truck from Ewald Automotive Group, LLC for $26,457 using the State of Wisconsin Municipal Discount.  Motion carried.

 

Holman reported the Management Team is waiting for direction from the County Board Chair and County Board on how they wish to proceed with addressing the issues that came out of the strategic planning process.  The CIP Task force is working on the CIP plan and early discussion is occurring on the 2015 budget.

 

Haase reported that DOA hearings on TAX 18 may now result in WRP being taxed using the use value assessment.  This has been a factor in WRP participation in the past.  Haase reported that all of the LRWM bonding allocation ($61,741) has been spent on 7 contracts and $15,000 in SEG  allocation was carried over in 2 contracts for 2014.  The TRM grants for Manske and Jonely have also been paid out to the landowner’s.  Haase also reported that DNR has issued Friendship Valley Dairy, one of Waupaca’s CAFO’s, a Notice of Non-Compliance for removing a 4’-5’ foot deep piece of the berm of their manure lagoon.  This is also a violation of the county’s manure storage ordinance and may need further attention.

 

The next meeting was set for February 3rd at 9:00 a.m. 

 

The March meeting was set for March 6th at 9:00 a.m.

 

Motion by Craig, seconded by Ellis to adjourn.  Motion carried.

 

Meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.

 

                                                                       

                                                                                    Submitted by,

 

 

                                                                                    Roger G. Holman                                                                                                                                Recording Secretary