Minutes of Regular Meeting

VANDERBURGH COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Exposition Hall 4-H Center, Evansville, Indiana
9:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Present:                                                                                                         SWCD Personnel:
Phil Hoy, Chairman                                                                                           Bonnie Bittner
Wayne Fehd, Member
Holly McCutchan, Member
Lauren Preske, Member                                                                                   NRCS Personnel:
Fred Padget, Associate                                                                                     Darrell Rice
Todd Thomas, Associate
Tom Niksch, Associate                                                                                     IDNR Personnel:
Susan Fowler, Associate                                                                                   Amy Steeples

The minutes of the January meeting were mailed to each member prior to the meeting.

A motion was made by Todd Thomas to approve the minutes of the January,
2004 meeting, seconded by Wayne Fehd, and carried.

Phil Hoy asked the board to refer to the January financial report. The previous balance 1-1-04 $36,326.07 Receipts, $13,825.89, Debits $14,268.33 and balance as of 1-31-04 $35,883.63.

A motion was made by Wayne Fehd, seconded by Todd Thomas, and carried,
to approve the treasurer’s report as presented.

JANUARY CLAIMS
W4034 Lauren Preske (Annual Conference/meals & hotel)                                   $411.27
W4037 Norma Duckworth (Annual Conference/meals, parking, gas, hotel            $468.86
W4039 Wayne Fehd (Annual Conference/meals, parking, hotel)                           $451.28
W4039 Wayne Fehd (Annual Conference/mileage)                                               $100.24
W4028 Jim McCampbell (Refund/Grazing Conference)                                          $20.00
W4029 Old National Bank (Replenish Petty Cash)                                                 $15.12
W4036 Norma Duckworth (Gas & Food/Storm Sewer Mtg. & Grant Mtg.)           $21.11
W4030 SWCD (Phil Hoy/Grazing Conference/Invocation at Dinner)                       $20.00
W4040 Custom Enterprises LLC (Grazing Conference Program Books)            $1,882.95
W4047 Office Depot (Name Badges/Ink Cartridges)                                              $98.05
W4031 Steve Hollister (Refund Grazing Conference)                                              $45.00
W4035 Indiana Department of Revenue (Sales Tax for 2003)                                 $89.21
W4032 Mark Sulc (Refund Grazing Conference)                                                    $50.00
W4033 Old National Bank (Grazing Conference/Cash Change)                            $200.00
W4041 Schmitt Photo (Camera Card 128 MB)                                                      $47.96
W4045 Holiday Inn (Grazing Conference/Hotel Bill)                                        $10,343.73
This amount paid to the Holiday Inn $10,343.73 was $91.62 more than was
approved because the County Tax had to be added back on as per Allen Ullom)
W4042 Post Office (Bulk Mailing Fee 2004)                                                        $150.00
Note: The Auditor Paid the Following Claim:
Verizon Wireless (Cell Phone/January)                                                                    $31.55
NACD (2004 Dues)                                                                                             $775.00
Smith & Butterfield (Hanging Folders/Copy Paper)                                               $109.46
Verizon Wireless (Cell Phone/February)                                                                  $31.55

Finance Chairman, Todd Thomas reviewed the claims and asked for a motion to approve the claims.

Todd Thomas made a motion to approve the claims, seconded by Holly McCutchan, and carried.

OLD BUSINESS:
Natural Resource Committee – Dave Ellison & Todd Thomas, Chairpersons
Lauren reported she and Norma met with Commissioner Catherine Fanello and in her opinion she was upfront and open to what they had to offer, and specifically seemed eager to remedy the situation. She recommended we forward the information we gave her to John Stoll and mention that we had met with her and she requested he be sent the info so we could possibly be included in the transitional planning.

She also recommended we counter the negativity around us and gave suggestions. Lauren asked supervisors to look over the two copies in their packets of the meeting recap and the thank you letter sent to Commissioner Catherine Fanello.

NEW BUSINESS:
Natural Resource Committee – Dave Ellison & Todd Thomas, Chairpersons
Lauren reported she and Darrell met with Brian Herr from Daylight Farm Supple, Inc. Brian asked if the district would be interested in partnering with Daylight Farm Supply on a cooperative research initiative to establish long term plots aimed at reducing erosion and preserving the environment within Vanderburgh County. They are asking the district to consider offering a financial incentive to those farmers for the inconvenience of their long-term commitment to these plots. After a short discussion it was decided to table this proposal until the March meeting.

Lauren asked to table the Sustainable Evansville, Inc. Workshop until the March meeting.

Holly McCutchan reported the Scott Township Park now has a group called Friends of Scott Township Park, who elected David Ellison president. Four Rivers RC&D is working on forming the group as a nonprofit group, writing their bi-laws, structuring the group and administration. Dave Ellison will ask Farm Bureau, Inc. for $500.00 to help with the mailing to all residents in Scott Township. Holly asked the board if the district could help with the printing of the postcards. After some discussion the board said they would pay for the printing, if staff couldn’t do it in house.

Wayne Fehd made a motion to be in partnership with the Scott Township Park
and help with the printing of the postcards, seconded by Lauren Preske, and carried.

Finance Committee, Todd Thomas Finance Chairman
Todd reviewed petty cash and passed the report for review and signature.

Holly McCutchan made a motion to pay the Four Rivers RC&D dues ($300),
Seconded by Wayne Fehd and carried.

Bonnie asked for a motion to have 7 signs printed for the Envirothon on April 13^th. She gave a quote from AmeriStamp for $169.25 to print five 18” x 24” signs with heavy duty step stakes and two similar signs only printed on both sides. Holly said she thought we could get them done cheaper at Budget Sign, Alveys or Creative Signs. Bonnie said she would check it out but needed a motion to purchase the signs now in order to insure they are ready for the Envirothon.

Wayne Fehd made a motion to purchase the signs at the best price, seconded by
Lauren Preske, and carried.

Todd reported Norma’s printer is not pulling paper through at all and really did not work well even after we took it to the repair shop last time. They told us at that time the best they could do was clean it and adjust the rollers, it would not be cost effective to replace the rollers. Bonnie got an estimate from Keller Schroeder for a Color Laserjet 3500 for $829.49 and if we need cables they would be $4.00. Some members thought it sounded expensive since they had purchase a printer for $100.00. It was noted this is a Color Laserjet not and inkjet and it is a business model not a home model. After some discussion it was decided that Bonnie should price the same model at a couple other places but to purchase Norma a printer not to exceed $900.00

Holly McCutchan made a motion to purchase a Color Laserjet not to exceed $900.00,
seconded by Wayne Fehd, and carried.

Bonnie asked for an audit committee to audit the 2003 books. The signed report must be mailed to the state by the end of March. Todd Thomas, Wayne Fehd and Les Nunn volunteered to audit the books.

District Operations Committee, Robert Zimmerman, Chairman
Bonnie reported the SWCD Supervisor/Staff Training would be held on March 9^th in Winslow, IN, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Wayne Fehd, Lauren Lynch, Holly McCutchan and Bonnie will attend. Bonnie will fill out and fax the registrations in to Ken Eck.

Phil asked members to refer to copies in their packets of the IDNR Resource Specialists and the Water Quality Specialists reports.

The March meeting was set for March 23, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Vanderburgh County SWCD conference room.

Phil reported he talked with Carolyn Rusk, Brownfield Coordinator and she will attend our March board meeting and is excited to partner with us to see what can be done to eliminate brownfields.

Susan Fowler made a motion to adjourn at 9:30 p.m., seconded by Holly McCutchan
and carried.

Finance Chairman, Todd Thomas reviewed the claims and asked for a motion to approve the claims.

Todd Thomas made a motion to approve the claims, seconded by Holly McCutchan, and carried.

Finance Committee, Todd Thomas Finance Chairman Todd reviewed petty cash and passed the report for review and signature.

Finance Committee, Todd Thomas Finance Chairman
Todd reviewed petty cash and passed the report for review and signature.