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Minutes of Regular Meeting

VANDERBURGH COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
(SWCD) Office, Evansville, Indiana
7:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Present:                                                                                                             SWCD Personnel:
Les Nunn, Vice-Chairman                                                                                   Bonnie Bittner
Wayne Fehd, Member                                                                                        Norma Duckworth
Lauren Preske, Member                                                                                      NRCS Personnel:
Fred Padget, Associate                                                                                       Darrell Rice
Dave Ellison, Chairman (Absent)                                                                         Nick Fellows (Absent)
Holly McCutchan, Member (Absent)

GUEST: Edward J Belmonte, Senior Ecologist/Project Manager, V3 Companies, LTD
                Presentation on the Draft-Barr Creek Watershed Post-Construction Monitoring Study Vanderburgh and Posey Counties, Indiana

Mr. Belmonte gave a power point presentation on the 10,000 acre, mostly agriculture, Barr Creek Watershed Post-Construction Monitoring Study. The baseline was done in 1994; the second one in 2004 in which they wanted to compare Habitat, Water Quality and Macro Invertebrates. He talked about the objectives, gave a list of the land Use Conservation Practices done in Vanderburgh and Posey counties, the project tasks, the benthic macro invertebrate field sampling, identification of macro invertebrates, habitat evaluation and water quality analysis. Supervisors and staff had lots of questions for Mr. Belmonte and he will send a disk of his power point.

The minutes of the September meeting were mailed with the draft agenda.

A motion was made by Lauren Preske to approve the minutes of the September,
2005 meeting, seconded by Wayne Fehd, and carried.

Les Nunn asked Bonnie to give the September financial report, which showed the previous balance 9-1-05 $33,427.99 Receipts, $134.08, Debits $5,508.40 and balance as of 9-30-05 $28,053.67.

                    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:
W4181 I.D.E.A. (Registration for Conference/2006 Dues 2)                                                     $85.00
W4192 Dave Ellison (Tillage Plot Caterer/36 Dinners @ $5.65)                                              $203.40
W4195 KBS Farms LLC (Buffer Strip Programs)                                                                $1,625.00
W4194 Gene A. Koester (Buffer Strip Program)                                                                  $1,365.00
W4196 Alan Stahl (Tillage Plot Contract/2005 Payment)                                                      $2,000.00
W4187 Great Mid-Western Publishing Co., Inc. (42 Plat Books @ $7.50)                              $315.00
Note: The Auditor Paid The Following Claims
Norma Duckworth (Gas)                                                                                                           $10.00
Norma Duckworth (Soil Judging Refreshments)                                                                          $42.60
Cingular Wireless (Cell Phone)                                                                                                   $19.75
Office Depot (Office Supplies)                                                                                                  $162.35
ICON Exhibits (Portable 3 Panel Tabletop Display)                                                                  $335.00
Oaks Printing (October Newsletter)                                                                                       $1,063.21
Bonnie Bittner (Reimbursement for IDEA Conference/Hotel/Meals)                                           $143.09
Piranha Shredding and Recycling (Document Destruction & Recycling)                                        $94.50
Bonnie Bittner (Mileage)                                                                                                             $78.08
 

Wayne Fehd reviewed the claims recommending the September claims be approved.

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

OLD BUSINESS
Natural Resource Committee – David Ellison/Todd Thomas, Co-Chairperson
Darrell reported Mr. Stahl finished fall tillage on the Tillage Plot. Bonnie reported she will send Mr. Stahl a check for the first payment of the contract which is $2,000.00 per year for five years. She also reported she has updated the Tillage Plot on the website.

Darrell said he and Norma gave a presentation at the Profession Training Institute (PTI) to builders and contractors. He gave seeding recommendations, the need for buffer strips and recommended green spaces in subdivisions. Norma gave a power point presentation on Rule five including Introductions, Background Overview/Purpose, Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans, Site Evaluations, Seeding & Other Vegetative Practices and a Questions and Evaluations time.

BUSINESS PLAN
October
– Natural Areas
November – Encourage the Utilization of "green spaces" in subdivisions & urban areas by November 2005 (Builders Booth)

Preservation/Creation Natural Areas Committee – Lauren Preske, Chairperson
Scott Twp. Park Addition Update tabled.

Bonnie reported the Basic Tree Care Workshop is scheduled tomorrow at the Vanderburgh 4-H Center with registration starting at 8:30 a.m. and it will end at 4:00 p.m. Darrell and Nick helped her set up the tables and chairs this afternoon. Jeri Ziliak, Posey County and Ann Ice Gibson County will be their first thing in the morning to help April and Bonnie get everything ready before people start arriving. We have 62 people signed up so far. Supervisors commented it is something this day and time to get sixty-two people in the same place at the same time for any meeting. They were pleased with the numbers.

Farmland Preservation – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
Darrell reported staff met on October 24th to discuss what our next step should be for the Smart Growth Seminar. Bonnie will contact the SWCDs in Posey, Warrick, Gibson, Spencer and Henderson Counties to see if they are on board and/or do they need a meeting either by e-mail, conference call, etc. to discuss the workshop. Bonnie will draft a letter to be sent to database (by e-mail and mail) decided by the group explaining the workshop and asking people to put the date on their calendars. Personal contact will be made and another letter sent end of February first of March asking for RSVP. Staff will meet again on November 3rd to decide next step. Bonnie was directed to forward information Bob McCormick sent to Lauren Preske. Fred Padget will get her information on some other contacts.

Brown Field and Urban Land Use Committee – Les Nunn, Chairperson
No business this month

Legislative Committee – John Hahn, Chairperson
No business this month

Finance Committee – Holly McCutchan, Chairperson
Bonnie reported she had headers made at Budget Signs for the new display board.

District Operations Committee – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
The county commissioner report was tabled. Norma was unable to attend due to sickness.

Board said to tell Norma to let them know about the success of the Basic Tree Seminar at the next commission meeting.

Bonnie asked members to refer to copies in their packets of the registration form for Annual Conference and also registration forms for the hotel. Supervisors and staff wanting to attend should fill out the registration form and get it to Bonnie. Each should make their own hotel reservations.

                    Lauren Preske made a motion to send staff and any supervisors that could attend
                    to Annual Conference, seconded by Wayne Fehd and carried.

NEW BUSINESS
Soil and Water Resource Committee – David Ellison/Todd Thomas, Co-Chairpersons
No Business This Month

Preservation/Creation Natural Areas Committee – Lauren Preske, Chairperson
Lauren Preske asked Bonnie to e-mail the Environmental Management Systems - Indiana CLEAN Community Challenge flyer to the County Commissioners and the Mayor.

Bonnie passed an article with picture from the Evansville Courier and Press on the Black Willow Wetland Project at Angel Mounds. Fifteen students from Stanley Hall Enrichment Center and their teacher Lisa Goodman turned farmland into a wetland at Angel Mounds with the help of the Vanderburgh County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The Wetland was dedicated on September 30, 2005. Bonnie asked supervisors if the district could give them an award at Annual Meeting. Lauren Preske said she thought we should and name it the Environmental Stewardship Award. Bonnie will contact the students, teacher and principal.

Farmland Preservation – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
No business this month.

Brown Field and Urban Land Use Committee – Les Nunn, Chairperson
Darrell reported Chris Kolb (KBS Farms LLC and Gene A. Koester) completed the district buffer strip program. Bonnie will send each of them a check this week.

Legislative Committee – John Hahn, Chairperson
Bonnie reported she had contacted the supervisors asking them to e-mail Senators Lugar and Bayh about the proposed cuts in the Conservation Farm Programs. She also reported Dean Farr, Director of the Indiana Association Soil & Water Conservation District (IASWCD) thanks everyone who contacted them.

Les Nunn asked members to refer to copies in their packets of the 2006 Resolutions for Consideration at the business meeting at Annual Conference. Supervisors need to decide how they want our delegate to vote at the meeting on the two issues. Supervisors asked for time to think it over and asked Bonnie to put it on the November agenda.

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

Wayne reported Petty Cash needs to be replenished.

                Wayne Fehd made a motion to replenish Petty Cash for
                $41.24 seconded by Lauren Preske and carried.

District Operations Committee – Wayne Fehd, Chairperson
Members were asked to refer to copies in their packets of the Water Quality Specialist’s report.

The Inspection Site and Mileage log reports were tabled.

Darrell reported he had Sod Buster Plans signed by the following cooper

  • Frank Farney – Tract 8850
  • Glen Schlensker – Tract 3616
  • Kent Lamey – Tract 7840
  • Steve Spahn – Tract -80
  • Steve Jackson – Tract - 8969
  • County Employee time sheets to be passed for review and signatures were tabled.

    The November board meeting was set for November 30th the fifth Wednesday because the fourth Wednesday fell the evening before Thanksgiving. Bonnie will put the change on he website, send it to the media and post it in the entry way of the office. She will also send out a letter to all requesting to know the date of the next board meeting.

                    Wayne Fehd made a motion to adjourn at 9:15 p.m., seconded
                    by Lauren Preske and carried.

    Respectfully Submitted
     

                                                                                                                                                          Bonnie Bittner
                                                                                                                                                          Executive Assistant

    Minutes approved on November 30, 2005 by

    David Ellison ____________________________________________

    Les Nunn _________________________________________________

    Wayne Fehd _________________________________________________

    Holly McCutchan _____________________________________________

    Lauren Preske _________________________________________________

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