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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 27, 2005

Present:                                                                                                             SWCD Personnel:
Les Nunn, Vice-Chairman                                                                                   Norma Duckworth
Wayne Fehd, Member                                                                                         Bonnie Bittner, Absent
Lauren Preske, Member
Holly McCutchan, Member                                                                                 NRCS Personnel:
Dave Ellison, Absent                                                                                                                         Darrell Rice

                                                                                                                           IDNR Personnel:
                                                                                                                          
Rob Brown

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 Holly McCutchan to approve the minutes of the June 22, 2005
            meeting, seconded by Lauren Preske, and carried.

Lauren gave the June financial report. The previous balance 6-1-05 $25,904.01, Receipts, $184.40, Debits $1,603.58 and balance as of 6-30-05 $24,423.88.

            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
W4176 Old National Bank Petty Cash (Replenished)                                                         $35.74
W4171 Central High School (State Envirothon Fee Reimbursed)                                      $100.00
W4172 C.C.C. (Reimbursement for Measurement Service Fee)                                         $16.00
W4173 Linda Powell (Intern/20 hrs. @ $5.15 per hr.)                                                     $103.00
W4177 Allen County SWCD (2 NACD NC Region Conference Fees)                            $330.00
W4179 Great Midwestern Publishing Co., Inc. (55 Plat Books @ $7.50)                         $412.50
NOTE: The Auditor paid the following claims
Cingular (Cell Phone Bill)                                                                                                    $19.19
Oaks Printing, Inc. (Letterhead & Envelopes)                                                                    $189.44
Soil & Water Conservation Society (Dues 2005/Norma) $75.00
Muensterman’s Car Service Center (Oil, Lube, Filter) $20.50
Bauer’s Tents & Fast Structures, Inc. (Ten/Table/Chairs rental for Tillage Tour) 287.90
Oaks Printing, Inc. (Newsletters/One Pulled & Replaced Ad) $1,082.18
Vanderburgh County SWCD (Reimbursement July Newsletter Postage) $149.88
Vanderburgh County Fair Association (Booth Rental) $120.00

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/Todd Thomas, Co-Chairperson
Darrell update board on the No Till Plot, reporting the speakers are set, signs have been installed, the tent/tables/chairs rented and the caterer hired. The meal will be by reservation and cost $6.00 with the checks made out to the Vanderburgh County SWCD. Flyers have been distributed in the surrounding counties, sent to the news media and Extension Service. Holly suggested passing out flyers of the meeting at the Fair.

Conservation and Master Farmer Committee tabled due to the absence of Dave Ellison

BUSINESS PLAN
May: Preservation/Creation of Natural Areas
– Partner with Keep Evansville Beautiful to promote relevant programs by 2005
June: Preservation/Creation of Natural Areas – Partner with City/County parks department to preserve/create parks & related areas (on going)
Ann Ennis, Director of Keep Evansville Beautiful plans to attend the August board meeting.

Preservation/Creation Natural Areas Committee – Lauren Preske, Chairperson
Holly reported the Scott Twp Park will be applying for a grant to purchase farmland behind the park.

Lauren reported Howell Park Mitigation Plan will be developed by a consultant involved in Waste Treatment Design.

Farmland Preservation – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
Bob McCormick will meet with staff and Bonny Elifritz on August 12th in the office conference room at 10:00 a.m. Supervisors are encouraged to attend.

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

Legislative Committee – John Hahn, Chairperson
Holly reminded board this was the last call for resolutions. They must be in by August 2, 2004.

Finance Committee – Holly McCutchan, Chairperson
Holly reported the projector arrived and the cost is $1519.98 after the $100 Rebate.

District Operation Committee – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
Wayne reported Bonnie and John Bittner attended the meeting. He asked member to refer to copies in their packets for a report on the meeting from Bonnie.

Wayne also asked members to refer to a copy in their packets for an associate membership application. He encouraged members to join.

Bonnie has Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director for the new Indiana State Department of Agriculture confirmed for the February 28, 2006 Annual Meeting Speaker. She would also like approval for an Annual Meeting date for February 27, 2007. She wants to confirm the date with Gail Peas, Director of the Division of Soil Conservation to be our speaker. Consensus was to approve the date.

Norma reported the fair booth is set up, but the downing board blew over and some of the parts broke. Holly said the booth was well attended Tuesday night when she was demonstrating the ground water display from IDEM. Holly recommended handing out newsletters at the livestock barns to recruit new members. Les Nunn volunteered to work Thursday night. Wayne volunteered to work Wednesday.

Norma reported district owes intern Linda Powell one more check for 4 hours. She felt the project was successful. The budget for the county will be discussed next week and we will not know if Intern proposal for 2006 will be approved until after budget hearings.

Great Midwestern Publishing Company contract was signed by the president and sent back to us for our file.

Norma reported she will attend Minority/Women Business board meeting. Holly suggested putting accomplishments in newsletter and an article on YMCA presentation.

NEW BUSINESS

Natural Resource Committee – David Ellison/Todd Thomas, Co-Chairperson
Rob Brown, Resource Specialist, ISDA report he was appointed Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) coordinator for the Pigeon Highland Watershed.

Preservation/Creation Natural Areas Committee – Lauren Preske, Chairperson
Bonnie visited the Indiana State Museum to see the Watershed Exhibit on the way back from the NACD NC Conference. Would the board like to get the display for Evansville, if possible; consensus was yes.

Lauren reported on the Tree Stewardship Program, suggesting we partner with the City Arborist, Larry Caplan, invite local nurseries plus tree Trimmers. SWCD will sponsor, contact Vectren to co-Sponsor. Have basic tree care workshops. See if Vectren would purchase a tree for each participant. It was suggested we have this on a Saturday in October 2005.

Farmland Preservation – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
No Business This Month

Brown Field and Urban Land Use Committee – Les Nunn, Chairperson
Norma recapped the meeting with Bonny Elifritz, Southwest Watershed Coordinator, IDEM. Bonny discussed with board and staff what can be done to acquire a grant for the watershed. She will let us know when she can come down to look at the previous grant application and make suggestions.

Legislative Committee – John Hahn, Chairperson
No Business This Month

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

IDEA’s fall workshop will be on October 4-5, 2005 in Spring Mill State Park. The cost is $65 for members and Rooms are $76.59 plus tax.

                Lauren Preske moved to send Bonnie and Norma to the I.D.E.A. Workshop,
                seconded by Les Nunn and carried.

Holly asked for a motion to pay I.D.E.A. dues for Norma and Bonnie.

                Lauren moved to pay the 2006 I.D.E.A. dues for Norma and Bonnie,
                seconded by Les Nunn and carried.

District Operation Committee – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
Wayne asked members to put the Annual Conference January 17, 18 & 19, 2006 date on their calendars and plan to attend.

Rob asked members to refer to copies in their packets of his activity report. Les gave Rob some suggestions on how to make his report more concise.

Norma asked members to refer to her activity report in their packets; also the Inspection Site Log and Mileage Log is included. Norma also requested a motion to purchase water for the Project WET program Splash.

                Les Nunn moved to purchase water for Project WET program as needed,
                seconded by Holly McCutchan and carried.

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

The August meeting was set for August 24, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. in the Vanderburgh County SWCD conference room.

Holly McCutchan made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:00 p.m. seconded by
Wayne Fehd and carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.

                                                                                                                                                Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                                                                                Darrell Rice,
                                                                                                                                                District Conservationist

Minutes approved on August 24, 2005 by

David R Ellison _______________________

Les Nunn ______________________________

Wayne Fehd_____________________________

Holly McCutchan_________________________

Lauren Preske_____________________________

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