MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 21, 2017 BOARD MEETING The regular monthly board meeting of the East Otter Tail Soil and Water Conservation District was held on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 7:30 a.m. at the USDA Service Center Conference Room at 801 Jenny Ave S.W., Perham, MN. The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Lyle Dittmann at 7:31a.m. Members Present: Others Present: Members Absent: Chairperson: Lyle Dittmann Secretary: Terry Greenwaldt Treasurer: Dennis Reynolds Public Relations: Marion Gill County Commissioner: Doug Huebsch District Conservationist: Alan Lepp BWSR: Pete Waller (via phone) Asst Manager: Anne Oldakowski Administrative Secretary: Chantal Tougas Wadena Liaison: Nancy Benson Vice Chairperson: Steve Inwards Agenda Motion made by Dennis Reynolds, seconded by Marion Gill to adopt the Agenda. Opposed: None, motion Approve Board Meeting Minutes: Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Dennis Reynolds to approve the previous month Board Meeting Minutes as presented. Opposed: None, motion Treasurer s Report: Motion made by Marion Gill, seconded by Terry Greenwaldt to approve the Treasurer s Report as presented, subject to audit. Opposed: none, motion Bills Paid & Bills Payable: Motion made by Marion Gill, seconded by Dennis Reynolds to approve the Bills Paid and Bills Payable as presented.
Cost Share STATE COST SHARE 01-CSW-2017; Otter Tail Water Management District is requesting a cost share payment for 101 Unused Well Sealings. The total cost of the project was $30,070.00, the cost share amount is $15,035.00 which is 50%. Motion made by Dennis Reynolds, seconded by Marion Gill to approve. Opposed: none, motion 2-SCS-2017; Caleb Olson, Woodside, Section 31, is requesting a cost share payment for a Field Windbreak. The total cost of the project was $7,324.65, the cost share amount is $5,493.49 which is 75%. Motion made by Marion Gill, seconded by Terry Greenwaldt to approve. Opposed: none, motion 1-DC SCS-2017; Dawn & Kevin Gode of Otter Tail Township, Section 2 are requesting cost share assistance for a Native Buffer Installation. The cost estimate is $ 2,195.26 with the encumbered cost share amount of $ 1,646.44 or 75%, whichever is less. Motion made by Marion Gill, seconded by Terry Greenwaldt to approve. Opposed: none, motion 3-DC-2017; Brian & Melissa Graff, Otter Tail Township, Section 2, is requesting cost share assistance for a Native Shoreline Buffer. The cost estimate is $ 941.20 with the encumbered cost share amount of $ 705.90 or 75%, whichever is less. Motion made by Dennis Reynolds, seconded by Marion Gill. Opposed: none, motion 4-DC-2017; City of Ottertail, Ottertail Township, Section 10, is requesting cost share assistance for a Native Buffer Installation. The Cost estimate is $ 8,380.61 with the encumbered cost share amount of $ 6,285.46, or 75% whichever is less. Motion made by Marion Gill, seconded by Terry Greenwaldt to approve. Opposed: none, motion 5-DC-2017; City of Ottertail, Ottertail Township, Section 10, is requesting cost share assistance for a Well Sealing. The Cost estimate is $ 565.00 with the encumbered cost share amount of $ 250.00, or 50% whichever is less. Motion made by Dennis Reynolds, seconded by Marion Gill to approve. Opposed: none, motion 3-CSW-2016; Sue & Doug Huebsch, Pine Lake Township, Section 7, are requesting a cost share payment for their Shoreland Buffer. The total cost of the project was $ 3,390.00, the cost share amount is $ 2,542.50 which is 75% of the total cost. Motion made by Dennis Reynolds, seconded by Marion Gill. Opposed: none, motion 7-DC-2017; Pete & Colleen Knapp, Girard Township, Section 34 are requesting cost share assistance for a Native Buffer Installation. The cost estimate is for $ 5,422.45 and we will encumber $ 4,066.69 or 75% whichever is less. Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Dennis Reynolds. Opposed: none, motion
Agenda continued... District Manager s Report: See attached report as written by Darren Newville. 8:03 a.m. Pete Waller entered the meeting via telephone. District Conservationist s Report: EQIP* Received 21 applications, 12 were funded. Mostly cover crops CSP* In the process of ranking Operational agreements will be presented at the next meeting The SWCD has purchased a Total Station. Wes Drake, P.E. has done some training with SWCD & NRCS staff. County Commissioner Report: Have attended quite a few meeting lately, one being the Tax Equalization meeting. Casino meeting at Pelican Rapids. Tribe isn t in agreement on Casino. Notice was posted in the Fergus Falls journal regarding meeting on the Turkey barns being installed. 8:43 a.m. Doug Huebsch left the meeting BWSR Report: See attached Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Dennis Reynolds to grant Darren permission to sign off on the Buffer Cost Share. Opposed: none, motion As suggested by BWSR: Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Marion Gill to allow Liz Reed to be the Technical Rep to sign off on Buffer Contracts to speed up the process. Opposed: none, motion As suggested by BWSR: Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Marion Gill to allow either Darren Newville or Chantal Tougas to be the Administrative Rep to sign off on Buffer Contracts to speed up the process. Opposed: none, motion The last two are to allow staff to approve these contract instead of having to wait until the next board meeting. If this funding is not used or encumbered the balance needs to be returned by 3/1/2018 so the money can be redistributed to other districts. On the flip side, if you use or encumber all of the money and customers keep coming in for funding, keep a running list of those. Currently the flat rate is $200/acre and that may get bumped up to $300/acre. 8:46 a.m. Pete Waller left the meeting
Old Business Department of Ag Update: Nothing to report at this time. TSA Update: The TSA met yesterday after the area meeting. Motions were made and approved to put $ 50,000 toward IT services that will benefit multiple districts. New Business Meetings and Trainings: MASWCD Leadership Program Motion made by Dennis Reynolds, seconded by Marion Gill to send those Darren sees fit to this leadership program. Opposed: none, motion Governance 101 Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Marion Gill to send one or two people to this 2-day training. Opposed: none, motion Wetland Delineation Field Day Motion made by Dennis Reynolds, seconded by Marion Gill to send Ben to this training. $200 registration fee + expenses. Opposed: none, motion Legislative Update: This was discussed earlier. IT Information: Anne read out loud the Draft MOU for the joint server through Lakes Country Service Cooperative. Motion made by Marion Gill, seconded by Terry Greenwaldt to commit to moving forward with this agreement. Opposed: none, motion Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Dennis Reynolds to purchase two ipad s for the District Staff to use. Opposed: none, motion Farmbill Assistance Grant FY2018: Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Marion Gill to approve Darren to sign this grant contract. Opposed, none: motion RIM Joint Powers Agreement: Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Dennis Reynolds to approve Darren to sign this agreement. Opposed, none: motion DNR Ob Well Contract: Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Dennis Reynolds to approve Darren to sign this contract. Opposed, none: motion Freshwater Society Agreement: Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Dennis Reynolds to approve Darren to sign this agreement. Opposed, none: motion Buffers: Other Waters Resolution: Motion made by Dennis Reynolds, seconded by Terrry Greenwaldt to approve the resolution. Opposed, none: motion
RC&D: Motion made by Dennis Reynolds, seconded by Marion Gill to call them if we need them. Opposed, none: motion Personnel: Motion made by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Dennis Reynolds to remove Jim Lahn from probationary status at the recommendation of Darren Newville. Opposed, none: motion Public Comments: None Adjourn: 9:38 a.m. Motion to adjourn by Terry Greenwaldt, seconded by Marion Gill. Opposed: none, motion * Acronyms MAWQCP Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program EQIP Environmental Quality Incentives Program CSP Conservation Stewardship Program CRP Conservation Reserve Program RCPP Regional Conservation Partnership Program NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service Meetings and Training MCIT Training St. Paul May 11 Chantal, Ben Wadena SWCD Board Meeting Wadena May 15 EOT SWCD Board Meeting Perham May 17 OTR Cohort Otter Tail May 17 Darren, Ben OTC COLA Meeting Otter Tail May 17 Darren SWCD Forestry Assoc. Mtg McGregor May 18 Anne CCM Intern Starts Perham May 22 Breakfast on the Farm Meeting Perham May 23 LCSC IT Meeting Fergus Falls May 23 NRCS Operation Agreement Training Fergus Falls May 24th Memorial Day Holiday May 29th Office Closed Area 8 Meeting Bemidji June 2nd MACAI Executive Board Meeting Owatonna June 14 Aimee Wadena SWCD Board Meeting Wadena June 19th Area I Meeting Crookston June 20th EOT SWCD Board Meeting Perham June 21 Soil Health Training Mahnomen June 21 MARL Session Duluth June 21-23 Darren Administrative Session Walker June 28-29 Chantal Independence Day July 4 Office Closed MACAI Conference Owatonna July 17-19 Aimee CCM Crew Perham July 10-14 & 20-21