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Minutes of Regular Meeting
VANDERBURGH COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
(SWCD) Office, Evansville, Indiana
7:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Present:                                                                                                         SWCD Personnel:
Dave Ellison, Chairman                                                                                    Bonnie Bittner
Wayne Fehd, Member
Lauren Preske, Member                                                                                                             NRCS Personnel:
Holly McCutchan, Member                                                                             Absent
Fred Padget, Associate
                                                                                                                       IDNR Personnel:
                                                                                                                      
Absent

The minutes of the August meeting were mailed with the draft agenda. The September meeting was cancelled due to lack of a quorum.

A motion was made by Holly McCutchan to approve the minutes of the August,
2004 meeting, seconded by Dave Ellison, and carried.

Dave Ellison asked Bonnie to give the August & September financial report, which showed the previous balance 8-1-04 $26,469.62, Receipts, $12,638.67, Debits, $1,793.62, Balance as of 8-31-04, $37,314.67. 9-1-04 $37,314.67, Receipts, $624.90, Debits $2,005.10 and balance as of 9-30-04 $35,934.47.

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

The following claims were submitted for supervisor approval:

AUGUST CLAIMS:
The following claims were submitted for supervisor approval:
W4091 Cingular Wireless (Cell Phone)                                                         $19.49
W4092 Bonnie Bittner (Refreshments/Sustainable Evansville Workshop         $11.47
W4090 David Ellison (Hotel/Summer Splash)                                              $263.07
W4090 David Ellison (Mileage/Summer Splash)                                          $148.96
W4092 Bonnie Bittner (Hotel/Dinner/Summer Splash)                                 $278.32
W4092 Bonnie Bittner (Mileage/Summer Splash)                                         $148.96
W4093 Holly McCutchan (Hotel/Food/Summer Splash)                              $205.68
W4093 Holly McCutchan (Mileage/Summer Splash)                                    $155.12
W4094 Norma Duckworth (Hotel/Food/Gas/Summer Splash)                     $215.53
W4089 I.D.E.A. Workshop (2 Registrations)                                                $20.00
W4086 Westside Improvement Association (2004 Dues)                              $25.00
W4094 Norma Duckworth (Access/Excel/Envirothon Meeting/Food/Gas)   $129.60
W4095 Gibson County SWCD (1/3 Hotel Bill/Access/Excel/Enviro Mtg.)   $156.56
W4096 & W4105 Darrell Rice (Refreshments/Quad Co. EQIP Meeting)      $15.86
Note: The Auditor Paid The Following Claims:
Norma Duckworth (Gas)                                                                               $15.00
Norma Duckworth (Mileage)                                                                         $28.56
 

The following claims were submitted for supervisor approval:

SEPTEMBER CLAIMS:
W4102 Norma Duckworth (Vehicle Wash)                                                     $5.00
W4103 Smith & Butterfield (3 Boxes Copy Paper)                                        $80.70
W4104 Rideout’s Transmission Repair (Parts & Labor/Transmission)        $1,330.75
W4088 I.D.E.A. (Fall Workshop/2)                                                             $170.00
W4089 I.D.E.A. (2005 Dues)                                                                        $20.00
W4097 Great Midwestern Publishing Co., Inc. (47 Plat Books @$7.50)      $352.50
Verizon Wireless (Cell Phone)                                                                        $40.89
Claims paid by the Auditor:
Cingular (Cell Phone)                                                                                      $18.67

Holly McCutchan reviewed the claims recommending the August & September claims be approved.

Wayne Fehd made a motion to approve the August claims with the correction made
on the claims register and back of the Darrell Rice claim payment, seconded by Lauren
Preske, and carried.

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

OLD BUSINESS

Natural Resource Committee – David Ellison/Todd Thomas, Co-Chairperson
Bonnie asked member refer to copies in their packets of the draft copy of the Vanderburgh County Tillage Initiative Cooperator Proposal. Alan Stahl agreed to have the tillage plots on his ground, the plots are laid out, the aisles are seeded with grass and wheat will be drilled as soon as weather permits. There was quite a discussion on how best to advertise and show off the plots. Holly McCutchan offered to put down all the ideas and e-mail them to Bonnie.

Chairman Dave Ellison said he would like to implement a new proposal for our board meetings. People have been telling him our meetings last too long so he would like public comment to be limited to three minutes for any one topic by any one person. A board member can make a motion to give more time to a topic of utmost importance. Lauren Preske added she would like to see more professionalism when anyone attending the board meetings is out talking to the public about the SWCD. Holly McCutchan agreed and asked that everyone support the district in a positive way when talking to the public and each other.

Dave reported he has talked to some of the officers of the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) and was advised to send a letter to the President of IASWCD requesting help and advice for better enforcement in areas of high demand.

Bonnie reported the building commissioner was willing to come to a board meeting but was out of town on the date of the September meeting that was cancelled. Copies of the Local Ordinance for the county, city and town of Darmstadt were passed.

BUSINESS PLAN
Darrell and Bonnie sent packets of several fact sheets explaining program opportunities for the farming community and landowners to the Farm Bureau, Inc. annual meeting in August. This meets part of the action items for our business plan. The October action items had to be tabled because Darrell and Amy were unable to attend. Bonnie talked to both about it and they have a plan in the works for the November meeting.

Preservation/Creation Natural Areas Committee – Lauren Preske, Chairperson
Lauren Preske said she would be thinking of possibilities for the Preservation/Creation Natural Areas

Farmland Preservation – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
Wayne Fehd said he also would be thinking of possibilities for Farmland Preservation.

Brown Field and Urban Land Use Committee – Phil Hoy, Chairperson
No business this month

Legislative Committee – John Hahn, Chairperson
No business this month

Finance Committee – Holly McCutchan, Chairperson
Holly McCutchan reported the County Commissioners and County Council passed a $400 increase for the 2005 district budget.

Holly reminded members that Chairman Dave Ellison asked that each of them consider attending the Farming on the Fringe Workshop to be held in Warrick County on December 10, 2004. Bonnie passed registration forms to be filled out.

            Holly McCutchan made a motion to pay the registration fee for board members,
            seconded by Wayne Fehd and carried.

District Operations Committee – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
The county commissioner report was tabled due to board meeting cancellation and Norma on vacation.

Dave asked board members and staff to give district accomplishments:
The Cooperative Research Proposal for tillage plots
District partnering with Sustainable Evansville for meetings to educate the public
Community Tree Sale
Supervisor Holly McCutchan wrote and obtained a grant from Toyota for the Scott Twp. Park
District is currently applying for a grant to be used in Locust Creek
40 Erosion Control Plans
100+ site visits
The Envirothon was held in Vanderburgh Co. at the 4-H Center
Ag days (3) Norma did the soil pizza for 1400 students
Earth Day at Evans School (180) students
Norma is now a Riverwatch facilitator
Poster Contest (sixty students participated)
Soil Stewardship Week materials to libraries, schools

NEW BUSINESS

Soil and Water Resource Committee – David Ellison/Todd Thomas, Co-Chairpersons
Construction in a Floodway Review was tabled

Bonnie reported we need a Conservation & Master Farmer Committee with a deadline of December 15th for submission of a name on each. Dave volunteered and said he would contact Todd Thomas to help him.

Holly reported Rick Obenshain and she wrote a Locust Creek Watershed E-coli Project Grant, which would be a two year grant with a coordinator hired.

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 – Phil Hoy, Chairperson
No business this month.

Legislative Committee – John Hahn, Chairperson
Bonnie asked for an election committee to nominate one supervisor and to ensure two candidates to run for the elected position. Lauren Preske volunteered to be Chairman and said she would ask two other interested people to serve with her.

Wayne Fehd volunteered to be a delegate at the Annual Conference business meeting and Dave Ellison volunteered to be the alternate.

Supervisors went through the 2005 Resolutions for Consideration and gave the delegate and alternate their view on which way they wanted them to vote.

Bonnie asked for signatures on the Elected Position form, the legal notice for annual meeting, the election committee form and the supervisor appointment form.

Finance Committee – Holly McCutchan, Chairperson
Holly McCutchan reviewed the Petty Cash report and asked for members to initial it.

Holly reported Norma asked for two Watershed Stewardship Action Kits. Bonnie looked up the price on the internet. They are $11 apiece.

                   Dave Ellison made a motion to purchase two Watershed Stewardship Action Kits,
                   seconded by Lauren Preske, and carried.

Holly asked for a motion to send up to four teachers to Camp Gallahue Environmental Workshop April 27, 28, 2005.

                Dave Ellison made a motion to send up to four teachers to Camp Gallahue, seconded
                by Lauren Preske and carried.

Holly reported our digital camera gave out, Norma took it to be repaired. They advised her it would cost more to repair it since it was old technology than to purchase a new one. Bonnie talked to Darrell and he suggested we share the NRCS camera, if the district looses or breaks it the district replace it if he does NRCS replaces it. It was decided to give it a try.

District Operations Committee – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
Bonnie asked members to refer to copies in their packets of the Annual Conference information. Staff and supervisors who are going should fill out the registration and Training Session Selections form getting them to her as soon as possible. Members & staff are to make their own hotel reservations.

            Wayne Fehd made a motion to send supervisors and staff to Annual Conference,
            seconded by Holly McCutchan, and carried.

Dave asked members to refer to copies in their packets of the IDNR report, Water Quality Specialist report, inspection site log and mileage log. Any questions e-mail Amy or Norma.

NRCS report was tabled.

County Employee time sheets were passed for review and signatures.

Holly asked if the board would partner and sponsor a Leopold Meeting in Vanderburgh County. We would hold it at the Scott Twp Park. She will work on getting Pheasants Forever to partner with us.

The November board meeting will be held on the 23rd of November. Dave suggested we start at 6:30 with a turkey dinner and convene at 7:00 in the conference room for the meeting. Everyone agreed and volunteered to bring dishes.

            Dave Ellison made a motion to adjourn at 9:20, Holly McCutchan seconded
            and carried.

Respectfully Submitted

                                                                                                                                                      Bonnie Bittner
                                                                                                                                                      Executive Assistant

Minutes approved on November 23, 2004 by

David Ellison ____________________________________________

Phil Hoy _________________________________________________

Wayne Fehd _________________________________________________

Holly McCutchan _____________________________________________

Lauren Preske _________________________________________________

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