UPPER ELKHORN NATURAL RESOURCES
DISTRICT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
June 25, 2007 ~ 8:00 P.M.
O’Neill, Nebraska
CALL
TO ORDER, STATEMENT OF ADVERTISEMENT AND OPEN MEETING LAW NOTIFICATION:
The
regular meeting of the Board of Directors was called to order at 8:12 P.M. by
Chairman Jerry Heithoff.
DIRECTORS
PRESENT:
Jerry
Childers
Chris Dierks
James Dvorak
Gregg
Felker
Curtis Gotschall
Reg
Green
Jerry Heithoff
Ted Hughes
Jim Keller
Tim Knuth
Roy
Stewart
Dale Wiles
DIRECTORS
ABSENT:
Janet
Koinzan
Jeff Krebs
Mike Russman
STAFF
PRESENT:
Dennis
Schueth, General Manager
Beth
Walsh, Information & Education Coordinator
Don
Caouette, Assistant Manager
GUESTS
PRESENT:
John
Ludwig – NRCS - O’Neill, NE
Rob
Hanger – Village of Chambers
MINUTES:
The
minutes of the May Meeting were reviewed by the Directors.
[It
was moved by Curtis Gotschall and seconded by Roy Stewart to
approve the minutes of the May Meeting. AYE:
Dierks, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Knuth, Stewart & Wiles.
NAY: None.
ABSTAIN: Childers
& Keller. ABSENT: Dvorak, Hughes, Koinzan, Krebs & Russman.
MOTION CARRIED.
TREASURERS
REPORT:
The
May treasurers report was reviewed by the Directors. [It
was moved by Jerry Childers and seconded by Curtis Gotschall to approve the May
Treasurers Report. AYE:
Childers, Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes,
Keller, Knuth, Stewart & Wiles. NAY:
None. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT: Koinzan, Krebs & Russman.
MOTION CARRIED.
PUBLIC
FORUM-INPUT:
None
VILLAGE
OF CHAMBERS PARK AND RECREATION:
Rob Hanger representing the Village of Chambers
attended the meeting to request assistance from the UENRD regarding their plans
for park and community improvements. Rob
explained their improvement plans for the ball fields, park and park equipment,
which will include tree planting and grass seeding.
[It
was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Jim Keller to allocate $300 to the
Chambers Park Improvement Committee. AYE:
Childers, Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes,
Keller, Knuth, Stewart & Wiles. NAY:
None. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT:
Koinzan, Krebs & Russman. MOTION
CARRIED.
AGENCY
& STAFF REPORTS:
NARD
Report: Ted Hughes reported that
he attended the June Board meeting. The
NARD Board finalized the Risk Pool Management Agreement, evaluated the insurance
program finances and appointed a committee to oversee the Risk Management Pool.
They also discussed legal fees for LB 751, carbon trading and adopted the
FY 07-08 budget with a 9% dues increase and a 5% dues increase for FY 08-09. The dates for the fall conference in Kearney are September
23-25 and the Legislative Conference will be held February 5-6, 2008.
The deadline for fall legislative resolutions is August 17.
NRD
Pool Agreement By-Laws: Dennis
Schueth handed out a draft of the NARD Intergovernmental Risk Management Pool
Agreement for the Directors to review. We
will be receiving the finalized document and will need to adopt the agreement to
participate in the risk management pool. [It
was moved by Ted Hughes and seconded by James Dvorak to adopt the NARD
Intergovernmental Risk Management Pool Agreement, which can be signed by either
the UENRD General Manager or Secretary/Treasurer when it arrives.
AYE: Childers,
Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Knuth,
Stewart & Wiles. NAY:
None. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT: Koinzan, Krebs & Russman.
MOTION CARRIED.
DNR
Report: There
has not been a meeting since Garry Anderson’s last report.
NRCS
Report: Jerry Kovarik’s report
was sent out to the Directors, John Ludwig, NRCS Water Quality Specialist
attended the meeting to answer any questions.
John reviewed the proposed office closures with the Board and explained
that the closures would be subject to the National Headquarters.
There is still a possibility that Phase II of the plan could be
considered and that phase could impact NRCS field offices in the UENRD.
After last month’s discussion regarding flowmeters, Jerry included some
examples of the NRCS reporting forms in his mailing for the Directors
information.
RC&D
Report:
North Central RC&D:
No Report.
Loup Basin RC&D:
Agenda and Minutes passed around.
Northeast RC&D:
No Report.
Information
& Education Report: Beth
Walsh’s report was mailed out in the Directors packets.
Beth updated the Directors regarding the Range Camp Grant applications.
We had three applications and to date only one student has submitted his
report following range camp. Casey
Seger from Atkinson sent in his report and a copy was passed out to the
Directors at the board meeting. Beth
also answered questions regarding the upgrade to her computer.
Water
Resources Report: Tylr
Naprstek’s report was mailed out in the Directors packets.
Dennis Schueth reviewed aspects of Tylr’s report including water well
permits; the flowmeter map and he discussed the meeting he and Tylr had with
Tina Kurtz regarding the UENRD Groundwater Management Plan.
Some of the key components discussed included moving the rules and
regulations from the plan, re-wording the triggering mechanism section, the
allocation system and maintenance on flowmeters.
Dennis Schueth and Dale Wiles reported on the meeting held regarding the
explanation of the lag effect and Dennis reported on the GMDA meeting attended
by himself, Tylr and Janet Koinzan.
EBVC
Update: No
Report.
EXCUSED
ABSENCES:
[It
was moved by Jerry Childers and seconded by Ted Hughes to excuse the absence of
Jeff Krebs, Janet Koinzan and Mike Russman.
AYE: Childers,
Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Knuth,
Stewart & Wiles. NAY:
None. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT: Koinzan, Krebs & Russman.
MOTION CARRIED.
COMMITTEE
REPORTS:
Legislative,
Finance and Planning Committee: The
Committee met prior to the board meeting to review the current bills and cost
share requests. They also met with Steve Reiser of Reiser Insurance to review
the Districts insurance coverage. Reg
Green reviewed the insurance coverage and reported that the premium would be a
little lower than last year. [It
was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Roy Stewart to pay the current bills.
AYE: Childers,
Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Knuth,
Stewart & Wiles. NAY:
None. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT:
Koinzan, Krebs & Russman. MOTION
CARRIED.
Upon reviewing the cost share applications, the Committee realized that
Gale Rittscher had applied for three nozzle conversions, which would require
flowmeters and put him at the $7000 limit per cooperator.
Since this cooperator has reached the $7000 limit he would not be
eligible for the new internet software cost share for reporting flowmeter data.
[It
was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Jim Keller to exclude the new internet
software package cost share in the $7000 cost share limit.
AYE: Childers,
Felker, Gotschall, Green, Keller, Knuth & Wiles.
NAY: Dierks, Dvorak,
Heithoff, Hughes & Stewart. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT:
Koinzan, Krebs & Russman. MOTION
CARRIED.
The Board discussed the both the advantages and disadvantages of
flowmeters, the use of the internet software and whether or not to change the
cost share limit. [It
was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Jerry Childers to approve the current
cost share applications. AYE:
Childers, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller,
Knuth, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: Dierks.
ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT:
Koinzan, Krebs & Russman. MOTION
CARRIED.
Personnel,
Equipment, Promotion & Education Committee:
Dennis Schueth reported
that the Committee met last week with the staff.
They will be making their recommendations at the July board meeting.
Dennis described some District equipment, which is no longer needed and
proposed selling it. This includes a tractor, 4-wheeler and pickup trailer.
Dennis will send out notifications of the equipment and take bids.
He also reported that there might be a vehicle request for the upcoming
fiscal year.
HOLT
CREEK DRAINAGE UPDATE:
Dennis
Schueth reported that he and Don would be flying this area again in the next
week.
COALITION/TASK
FORCE UPDATE:
Nebraska
Habitat Conservation Coalition (Piping Plover):
No Report.
Pallid
Sturgeon/Sturgeon Chub Task Force: No
Report.
Nebraska
Ground Water Management Coalition (NGWMC):
No
Report.
Water Policy Task Force: No
Report.
ADMINISTRATIVE
REPORT:
Dennis Schueth reported that there would be a meeting July 2 to review
the instream flow for the Game and Parks Commission on the Platte River.
He also pointed out some of the news articles in the Directors packets
and discussed NPPD’s call for water on the Niobrara River.
There
being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at
10:14 P.M.