WAUPACA COUNTY
LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
February 3, 2014
Courthouse, Waupaca
Chair Ellis called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
Present: Bob Ellis, Darrell Handrich, Pat Craig, and Walter Strebe (DuWayne Federwitz and Lee Much were excused).
Also present: Roger Holman, Brian Haase, Dave Heideman, Adam Abel and Ty Larson
Ellis gave the open meeting statement.
Motion by Craig, seconded by Handrich to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Motion by Craig, seconded by Strebe to approve the January 6, 2014 minutes. Motion carried.
Ellis opened the meeting for public comment. There was none.
Heideman reported on the current status of the Farm Bill. He stated the bill has passed the House and is expected to pass in the Senate. He shared a chart showing the breakdown of projected Farm Bill spending from 2014-2023. He noted that 79% ($756 billion) of the spending is for the Nutrition program, 9% ($88.9 billion) for the Crop Insurance, 6% ($56 billion) for Conservation, 5% ($44.4 billion) for commodities and 1% ($8.2 billion) for other. He showed a fact sheet on where $569 million in federal program payments and loans to Wisconsin farmers and ranchers were delivered by the USDA Farm Service Agency during fiscal year 2013.
Abel reported that the 2014 EQIP sign-up is wrapping up and contracts will be obligated by March 28th. Last year’s NWQI or Watershed based EQIP sign-up for the Pigeon River Watershed received national attention due to the successful sign-up. Abel noted the LWCD staff is helping NRCS to design over 20 practices and are a huge part of the successful sign-up in 2013. Ty Larson, Assistant State Conservationist, also noted the success in the Pigeon River area was due in large part because of the work done by the LWCD staff. Abel reported there will be a second NWQI sign-up for the Pigeon River Watershed in 2014 with applications dated by May 16th and planned contract obligation date of July 1st. Discussion occurred on the projects in the Pigeon River area.
Abel shared a success story being highlighted on the Wisconsin NRCS website and also in the Wisconsin Annual Report to National Headquarters. The article is about Arthur and Rheta Richardson who run a successful beef grazing operation 5 miles south of Waupaca. They received EQIP funds to help transition their farm to grazing and are now a show case example for how managed grazing is better for the land and profitable. Discussion followed on how the practice works.
Larson again thanked the LWCC and LWCD for their support and willingness to work in partnership with the NRCS. Larson explained the NRCS structure in Wisconsin and shared the goals of Jimmy Bramblett, new NRCS State Conservationist, with the main goal to work from the bottom up and get everybody to the table that wants to be and should be involved in conservation.
Ellis thanked everyone for their updates.
Meeting reports; Haase and Ellis briefly discussed the January Golden Sands RC&D meeting. RC&D recently took part in two meetings to discuss AIS Grant coverage with East Central Regional Planning Commission, Glacierland RC&D and other counties in the Winnebago system. Haase also recently attended the yearly organizational meeting of the Lake Winnebago Land & Water Conservation Association. Waupaca will not be hosting any of the 2014 meetings but has assumed its 3 year turn in the rotation as secretary of the association. Haase also discussed the teleconference that he, Neuenfeldt and Abel took part in with NRCS in regard to the 2nd NWQI signup period. NRCS has promised a third sign up in 2015 which Haase and Neuenfeldt thought would be more effective due to the ability to have BMP’s in place in the watershed by then.
Haase and Holman updated the Committee on the Nutrient Management staff position. Haase stated that Mandy Welch is reviewing the position grade to make sure we are placing it at a level that is fair and competitive in the market. Haase noted that due to the changing status of the contracted position they are recommending filling the position before the August approval date with the contracted funds allowing the position to be filled earlier. Discussion followed on how this may be done, and when the position should be filled.
Motion by Craig, seconded by Ellis to recommend changing the August 1st date to fill the Nutrient Management position to June 1st. Discussion followed on start date possibilities.
Motion by Craig, seconded by Ellis to amend their motion from June 1st to May 1st. Motion carried.
Motion by Craig, seconded by Ellis to recommend changing the August 1st date to fill the Nutrient Management position to May 1st. Motion carried.
Haase gave an update on the Farmland Preservation Plan. The last Steering committee meeting until implementation was held on January 15th. The committee made some decisions regarding minimum lot size for land that would potentially be rezoned out of Farmland Preservation as well as acreage size for development rights. Haase and Ryan Brown expect the townships to start their public hearings soon to advance Farmland Preservation to the county level and hope to have the process wrapped up by July.
Haase reported that he and Neuenfeldt have sent out the yearly Nutrient Management plan request letters to applicable farmers. Haase also reported that grant reimbursements are underway for state cost share and staff grants.
Holman reported that the Management Team is working on CIP and Department Head Evaluations. Holman shared the book “Strengths Finder 2.0” by Tom Rath which the Human Resources Committee is using as part of their evaluation process.
The next meeting was set for March 6th at 9:00 a.m.
Motion by Craig, seconded by Handrich to adjourn. Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 10:15 a.m.
Submitted by,
Roger G. Holman
Recording Secretary