UPPER
ELKHORN NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
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 8:15 P.M. by
Chairman Jerry Heithoff.
DIRECTORS
PRESENT:
Chris
Dierks
Gregg Felker
Curtis Gotschall
Reg
Green
Jerry Heithoff
Ted
Hughes
Tim Knuth
Janet Koinzan
Jeff Krebs
Mike Russman
Roy
Stewart
Dale Wiles
DIRECTORS
ABSENT:
Jerry Childers
James Dvorak
Jim
Keller
STAFF
PRESENT:
Dennis
Schueth, General Manager
Beth
Walsh, Information & Education Coordinator
Tylr
Naprstek, Water Resources Manager
GUESTS
PRESENT:
Jerry
Kovarik, NRCS O’Neill
MINUTES:
The
minutes of the April Meeting were reviewed by the Directors. [It
was moved by Ted Hughes and seconded by Dale Wiles to approve the minutes of the
April Meeting. AYE: Felker,
Gotschall, Heithoff, Hughes, Knuth, Koinzan, Stewart & Wiles.
NAY: None.
ABSTAIN: Dierks,
Green, Krebs & Russman. ABSENT:
Childers, Dvorak & Keller. MOTION
CARRIED.
TREASURERS
REPORT:
The
April treasurers report was reviewed by the Directors.
[It
was moved by Ted Hughes and seconded by Gregg Felker to approve the April
Treasurers Report. AYE:
Dierks, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Knuth, Koinzan,
Krebs, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY:
None. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT:
Childers, Dvorak & Keller. MOTION
CARRIED.
PUBLIC FORUM-INPUT:
No
one from the public wished to address the UENRD Board.
AGENCY
& STAFF REPORTS:
NARD
Report: Ted
Hughes reported that the Insurance Committee would be meeting May 22 but he
would be unable to attend; however, Marsha Hart will be attending the meeting.
Ted updated the Board on the situation with the lawsuit in Colorado,
which would have been settled accept that a filing deadline was missed and now
the issue must be addressed again by the Colorado court.
Ted also reported that he attended the State Envirothon at Fort Robinson.
Ted represented the NARD along with Senator Louden in handing out the
Envirothon awards. Dennis Schueth
reported on the State’s proposed budget, which does not appear at this time to
affect the NRD’s and the cost share funding for the upcoming fiscal year.
He also reported on LB 701 and the questions regarding funding.
DNR
Report: There
has not been a meeting since Garry Anderson’s last report.
NRCS
Report: Jerry Kovarik reported
that they are finishing up EQIP contracts, they have nine left.
Whitney Haraguchi, the student
trainee from Hawaii joined the O’Neill NRCS staff May 14; and, Shelly Taylor
will be assisting in the Ainsworth office part-time throughout the summer. Joe Fuchtman, has accepted a job in Hanover, Virginia and
will be leaving the first week in June. It
is likely to be October or November before Joe’s position is filled.
Jerry also reported that the O’Neill NRCS office would be hosting the
2007 State Range Judging contest and they are looking at Brown County as a
potential site. O’Neill will be
hosting an area range contest in 2008.
RC&D
Report:
North Central RC&D:
Minutes were passed around.
Loup Basin RC&D:
Minutes were passed around.
Northeast RC&D:
Minutes were passed around.
Information
& Education Report: Beth
Walsh’s report was mailed out in the Directors packets.
Beth reported that the UENRD has received 3 range camp grant
applications, 2 from Holt County and 1 from Antelope County.
Once each applicant has met the criteria they will be awarded a $100
scholarship.
Water
Resources Report:
Tylr Naprstek’s report was mailed out in the Directors packets.
Tylr discussed the deployment of the transducers and explained the data
in the director’s packets. He
reported on the Chen study to analyze the streambed conductivity and vertical
hydraulic conductivity. Tylr
attended an ELM meeting and reported on the modeling status, possibility of a
grant for the project and well locations and their impact on the study.
He also reported on the livestock waste facility sampling, installation
of district operated rain gauges, flowmeter cost share and well permits.
On another note, Tylr reported that the work we are doing with the Chen
Study might compliment a study Steve Pederson is proposing regarding streambed
conductivity and could be used as inkind match for an Environmental Trust Grant.
EBVC
Update: No
Report.
EXCUSED
ABSENCES:
[It
was moved by Ted Hughes and seconded by Curtis Gotschall to excuse the absence
of Jerry Childers, James Dvorak and Jim Keller.
AYE: Dierks, Felker,
Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Knuth, Koinzan, Krebs, Russman, Stewart
& Wiles. NAY:
None. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT: Childers, Dvorak & Keller.
MOTION CARRIED.
COMMITTEE
REPORTS:
Legislative,
Finance and Planning Committee: The
committee met prior to the board meeting to review the current bills, cost share
requests and cost share programs. [It
was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Tim Knuth to require a flowmeter
installation on NC-17 Nozzle Conversions; and, require the flowmeter data to be
recorded and submitted to the UENRD for the period of the cost share contract or
10 years. This would begin with the
new cost share allocation July 1, 2007. AYE:
Dierks, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Knuth, Koinzan,
Krebs, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY:
None. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT: Childers, Dvorak & Keller.
MOTION CARRIED.
Discussion was held on various issues surrounding flowmeters, the
information generated from them and how to record and submit such data.
[It
was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Curtis Gotschall to establish a local
cost share fund to cost share 50% on internet monitoring systems to work in
conjunction with NC-17 Nozzle Conversion flowmeter requirements not to exceed
$450 per unit
for
the
initial
year. AYE: Gotschall,
Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Knuth, Koinzan, Krebs, Russman, Stewart & Wiles.
NAY: Dierks &
Felker. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT:
Childers, Dvorak & Keller. MOTION
CARRIED. Discussion was held regarding the different technology available and
what would work the best for recording data.
[It
was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Roy Stewart to pay the current bills.
AYE: Dierks, Felker,
Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Knuth, Koinzan, Krebs, Russman, Stewart
& Wiles. NAY:
None. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT:
Childers, Dvorak & Keller. MOTION
CARRIED.
The cost share applications were reviewed before the board meeting.
[It
was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Curtis Gotschall to approve the current
cost share applications pending funding. AYE:
Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Knuth, Koinzan, Krebs,
Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: Dierks.
ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT:
Childers, Dvorak & Keller. MOTION
CARRIED.
Water Resources & Watershed
Committee: The
committee met prior to the board meeting. Dale
Wiles reported that the committee has been working on the UENRD groundwater
quantity plan rules and triggering mechanisms.
[It
was moved by Dale Wiles and seconded by Tim Knuth for NRD staff to take the
Water Resources Committee constructed draft of the Groundwater Quantity Rules
and Plan to DNR for review, recommendations and potential application as an
integrated management plan. AYE:
Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Knuth, Koinzan, Krebs,
Russman & Wiles. NAY:
Dierks. ABSTAIN:
Stewart. ABSENT: Childers, Dvorak & Keller.
MOTION CARRIED. The
Committee has also discussed expenditures regarding the Natural Resources
Enhancement Fund. [It
was moved by Dale Wiles and seconded by Gregg Felker to allocate the remainder
of the Natural Resources Enhancement Fund to purchase additional automated rain
gauges to be used in conjunction
with flowmeters, replace the projector and a computer. AYE: Felker,
Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Knuth, Koinzan, Krebs, Russman, Stewart
& Wiles. NAY:
Dierks. ABSTAIN:
None. ABSENT: Childers, Dvorak & Keller.
MOTION CARRIED.
Personnel, Equipment, Promotion & Education Committee:
The committee met prior to
the board meeting to set the date for salary review and recommendations.
They will be meeting on June 19, 2007.
NSWCP-NC
17 IRRIGATION WATER MANAGEMENT-FLOWMETER REQUIREMENT:
This
item was covered earlier in the meeting.
NIOBRARA
RIVER ISSUES:
Dennis
Schueth handed out a summary of the Niobrara River issues and concerns.
As it stands now, NPPD is not receiving their total allocation of water
on the Niobrara River so DNR has issued approximately 400 administrative letters
ordering landowners to stop pumping. This
has raised many questions and concerns regarding the Niobrara River and
surrounding water users. Landowners
are confused at to why they would wait until after their crops are planted only
to inform them that they will not be able to irrigate unless NPPD’s water
right is being met. NPPD is however
willing to lease water to landowners for 70 cents per acre foot.
Dennis handed out a map showing the area that could be impacted within
the UENRD if the Niobrara Basin would be labeled fully appropriated based on the
10/50 line. Currently there are
over 590 irrigation wells within the area.
Dennis will keep the directors informed on this issue.
HOLT
CREEK DRAINAGE UPDATE:
No
update at this time.
COALITION/TASK FORCE UPDATE:
Nebraska Habitat Conservation Coalition (Piping
Plover):
No Report.
Pallid Sturgeon/Sturgeon Chub Task Force:
No Report.
Nebraska Ground Water Management Protection Act
Coalition:
No Report.
Water Policy Task Force Meetings:
No Report.
NARD-LOWER PLATTE BASIN TOUR (JUNE 18-19, 2007):
This information is in the
director’s packets. Anyone
wishing to attend should contact the office.
ADMINISTRATIVE
REPORT:
Dennis Schueth’s report was mailed out in the Director’s packets and
kept on file in the NRD office.
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 9:55 P.M.