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Minutes of Regular Meeting
VANDERBURGH COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
(SWCD) Office, Evansville, Indiana
7:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Present:                                                                                                                 SWCD Personnel:
David Ellison, Chairman (Absent)                                                                             Norma Duckworth
Les Nunn, Vice-Chairman (Absent)                                                                         Bonnie Bittner (Absent)
Wayne Fehd, Member
Lauren Preske, Member                                                                                         NRCS Personnel:
Holly McCutchan, Member                                                                                     Darrell Rice
Fred Padget  
                                                                                                                              ISDA Personnel:
                                                                                                                             
Ken Eck

GUEST: Dan Hovland, NRCS Area Conservationist (FO-SW)

Lauren Preske, supervisor chaired the meeting.

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

                A motion was made by Wayne Fehd to approve the minutes of the June 27, 2006
                meeting, seconded by Holly McCutchan, and carried.

Lauren gave the June financial report. The previous balance 6-1-06 $36,532.13, Receipts, $39.30, Debits $612.56 and balance as of 6-30-06 $35,958.87.

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

The following claims were submitted for Supervisors’ approval:
JUNE CLAIMS
W4232 Old National Bank Petty Cash (Replenished)                                                          $22.21
W4233 OFSWCD (Registration NACD NC Region Conference)                                     $194.00
W4234 Great Midwestern Publishing Co., Inc. (55 Plat Books @ $7.50)                          $142.50
W4235 Old National Bank Petty Cash (Replenished)                                                          $44.37
W4236 Post Office (July Newsletter Postage)                                                                   $209.48
NOTE: The Auditor paid the following claims
Bonnie Bittner (Mileage/Area Mtg.)                                                                                     $24.00
Cingular (Cell Phone Bill)                                                                                                    $17.84
Vanderburgh County SWCD (Reimbursement NACD Reg.)                                             $194.00
Norma Duckworth (Hotel/Food/Gas)                                                                                $264.42
Oaks Printing, Inc. (July Newsletter Printing)                                                                  $1,087.17
Vanderburgh County SWCD (Reimbursement July Newsletter Postage)                            $209.48

Finance Chairman, Holly McCutchan reviewed the claims stating she recommended the claims be approved. She passed the claims register for board signatures. She also passed a claim register listing all claims sent to the auditor for the board to review and sign.

                Holly McCutchan made a motion to approve the June claims, seconded by Wayne
                Fehd, and carried.

OLD BUSINESS:
Natural Resource Committee – David Ellison, Chairperson
Darrell Rice, District Conservationist, reminded board and staff of the Pike Co. SWCD Field Day at Dr. Dean Beckman’s Farm on August 5, 2006 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. They have sessions on Timber Management, Value of Trees, Wildlife Habitat, Filter Strips, Warm Season Grasses and Fee Hunting. Lunch will be provided at 12:00 noon.

Lauren Preske, Norma Duckworth and Darrell Rice proposed the district sponsor a Farm Tour in the morning and an Urban Tour in the afternoon with a possible canoe tour of pigeon creek. Ken Eck discussed the Clean Water Indiana (CWI) grant opportunities to help fund the Tour and other district endeavors.

                Holly McCutchan made a motion to resubmit the CWI grants for the Zoo
                project and Howell Wetland and a new applications for the Farm/Urban Tour
                and Nutrient & Pest Management on Golf Courses Seminar, second by Wayne
                Fehd and carried.

Board and staff discussed a possible 4 county Marketing Person (Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh & Warrick) Clean Water Indiana Grant proposal. Vanderburgh supports the concept but wants to see the proposal prior to the next board meeting. This proposal was suggested by Bonnie Elifritz to move forward the formation of a Highland/Pigeon steering committee, update the watershed plan and enhance opportunities for funding.

Norma presented a Clean Water Indiana (CWI) Grant proposal from Posey to hire a Regional Technician for members to view.

Norma reported she checked the Fish & Wildlife website and we are still in the running for the Lake And River Enhancement (LARE) Grant.

Board asked staff to tell Bonnie to send Paul Bouseman a copy of the Vanderburgh Co. SWCD Business Plan and a Conservation Partnership Business Plan.

Darrell gave a report and update on the Tillage Plot Field Day that will be held on August 31, 2006 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

BUSINESS PLAN
Continue developer’s workshop to highlight urban control practices and legislation (partnering with other agencies)
Determine SWCD level of involvement with local MS4
Educate public on maintenance of septic related issues by SWCD & Partners with newsletter, flyers, fair booth (Ongoing)
Locate and promote programs that provide incentives to adopt conservation practices (Newsletter/ongoing
Develop a video for youth on impact of farmland conversion by July 2006 (Susan Fowler & Lauren Preske)
Partner with City/County parks department to preserve/create parks & related areas (Ongoing)
Develop information resource on farmland conversion for public officials & general public (Ongoing)
Develop "Farm Day" to promote conservation & related practices by December 2006 (Norma & Committee)
Develop related workshops to promote available programs for natural area preservation by February 2006
Explore role of SWCD by SWCD & Committee (Ongoing)

Preservation/Creation Natural Areas Committee – Lauren Preske, Chairperson
CWI Grants for Howell Wetland and Mesker Park Zoo addressed under Natural Resource Committee.

Farmland Preservation – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
Fred Padget, Smart Growth Committee member, reported on the progress of the group. The next meeting will be August 24, 2006, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Browning Room A, Central Library. It will be a working lunch.

Holly McCutchan presented the Farmland Preservation Video and Members said they would view it on their own time and discuss it at the next meeting. Holly mentioned the Bosse High School Link Group is interested in producing a youth video for Farmland Preservation.

Brown Field and Urban Land Use Committee – Les Nunn, Chairperson
Norma reported on the Section 319 Grant Application for Harper Ditch, Kleymeyer & Locust Creek.

Norma reported on the Pigeon Highland Tri-County Steering Committee meeting.

Norma passed a copy of the Landfill Inspection Report she filled out. She attended training presented by Ken Eck on Landfill Inspection.

Legislative Committee – John Hahn, Chairperson
No Business This Month

Finance Committee – Holly McCutchan, Chairperson
No Business This Month

District Operation Committee – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
The Conservation Farmer decided on by the board was Gary Ludwig.

There was a copy in each member’s packet of Bonnie’s report on the NACD NC Region Conference in Cleveland, OH.

Norma reported she has the district booth set up at the Vanderburgh 4-H Fair this week. WAVE is planning to set up a display in our booth sometime this week.

Natural Resource Committee – David Ellison, Chairperson
Darrell & Norma reported the Commissioners want them to come to their meeting on August 22, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. and report what our partnership is doing at this time for Water Quality and Soil Erosion.

Preservation/Creation Natural Areas Committee – Lauren Preske, Chairperson
No Business This Month

Farmland Preservation – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
No Business This Month

Brown Field and Urban Land Use Committee – Les Nunn, Chairperson
No Business This Month

Legislative Committee – John Hahn, Chairperson
Lauren asked members to refer to copies in their packets of the Resolutions for 2007 Annual Business Meeting. There is a form for resolutions to be submitted if someone has one in mind.

Finance Committee – Holly McCutchan, Chairperson
Norma asked for a motion to attend the Maccaferri Erosion Control & Environmental Solutions Short Course. The cost is $25.00

                Holly made a motion to send Norma for the EC & Environmental
                Solutions Short Course, seconded by Wayne Fehd and carried.

Finance Chairperson, Holly McCutchan reported the petty cash was in order; she passed the report for members to view and initial.

Lauren Preske asked if the district would sponsor her to attend the Water Resource Leadership Development Workshop. After some discussion

                Holly McCutchan moved to send Lauren Preske to the workshop
                seconded by Wayne Fehd and carried.

Holly McCutchan asked staff to have Bonnie price cameras before the next meeting and bring in a report.

District Operation Committee – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
Lauren asked members to refer to copies of the District Survey in their packets. The state association wants one survey from each district. Members asked Staff to fill it out and get a copy to each member for their input and approval.

Darrell reported the following Standard CRP Contracts were written and needed SWCD approval:

  • Raymond Knoll (2)
  • James R Elpers
  • Francis Martin
  • Wallace H Strott (2)
  • Mary Mooney
  • Rexing & Rexing A. Partnership

Holly McCutchan made a motion to approve the above contracts, seconded
by Wayne Fehd and carried.

The county employee time sheets were passed for review and signature.

The August meeting was set for August 22, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. in the Vanderburgh County SWCD conference room.

Wayne Fehd made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9.27 p.m.
seconded by Holly McCutchan and carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:27 p.m.

                                                                                                                                    Respectfully submitted,
                                                                                                                                    Darrell Rice,
                                                                                                                                    District Conservationist

 

Minutes approved on August 22, 2006 by

David R Ellison _______________________

Les Nunn ______________________________

Wayne Fehd_____________________________

Holly McCutchan_________________________

Lauren Preske_____________________________

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