UPPER ELKHORN NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
November 23, 2009 -- 2:30 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER, STATEMENT OF ADVERTISEMENT AND OPEN MEETING LAW NOTIFICATION:
The regular meeting of the Board of Directors was called to order at 2:45 P.M. by Chairman Dale Wiles.
DIRECTORS PRESENT:
Jerry Childers Chris Dierks James Dvorak Gregg Felker Curtis Gotschall
Reg Green Jerry Heithoff Ted Hughes Jim Keller Mike Russman
Roy Stewart Dale Wiles
DIRECTORS ABSENT:
Tim Knuth Janet Koinzan Jeff Krebs
STAFF PRESENT:
Dennis Schueth, General Manager
Tom Riley, Water Resources Manager
Beth Walsh, Information & Education Coordinator
Marsha Hart, Administrative Secretary
GUESTS PRESENT:
Jerry Kovarik, NRCS Office O’Neill
Donita Pokorny, Dana F. Cole & Associates
AGENDA:
]It was moved by Jerry Childers and seconded by Jim Keller to adopt the agenda. AYE: Childers, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: None. ABSTAIN: Heithoff. ABSENT: Dierks, Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED.
MINUTES:
The minutes of the October Meeting were reviewed by the Directors. ]It was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Roy Stewart to approve the minutes of the October Meeting. AYE: Childers, Dvorak, Felker, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: None. ABSTAIN: Gotschall. ABSENT: Dierks, Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED.
TREASURERS REPORT:
]It was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Ted Hughes to approve the October Treasurers Report. AYE: Childers, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: None. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT: Dierks, Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED.
ACTION SPECIAL BOARD MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 9, 2009:
The minutes of the November 9, 2009 Special Board Meeting were reviewed by the Directors. ]It was moved by Reg Green and seconded by Roy Stewart to approve the minutes of the November 9, 2009 Special Meeting. AYE: Childers, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: None. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT: Dierks, Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED.
UPPER ELKHORN NRD 2008-2009 AUDIT – DANA F COLE (Donita Pokorny):
Donita Pokorny, Dana F Cole, attended the board meeting to review the audit with the Directors and answer any questions. Donita reviewed the audit report explaining the different aspects of the audit. ]It was moved by Ted Hughes and seconded by Jim Keller to approve the 2008-2009 Audit. AYE: Childers, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: None. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT: Dierks, Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED.
PUBLIC FORUM-INPUT:
None
AGENCY & STAFF REPORTS:
NARD Report: Ted Hughes reported that he was unable to attend the NARD Board Meeting November 9 due to the UENRD Special Board Meeting. Ted reviewed the minutes from the NARD Board Meeting, financial reports and the risk management pool.
(Dierks arrived)
Ted also mentioned that the NARD Board discussed some Republican Basin issues regarding certain news articles. The UENRD Board members reviewed the articles which are causing some controversy within the NRD system. ]It was moved by Ted Hughes and seconded by Gregg Felker to have the Chairman submit a letter to the Lower Republican NRD outlining our position on their recent newspaper publications. AYE: Childers, Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: None. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT: Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED. Dennis also discussed the legislative special session and how the budget reductions will affect the NSWCP and Water Well Decommissioning Funds.
DNR Report: Garry Anderson’s report was included in the Directors folders.
NRCS Report: Jerry Kovarik reported that they have been working on the Conservation Stewardship Program. There will also need to be an EQIP meeting in December with the local workgroup to review the EQIP ranking criteria. Jerry also reported that the technician position in the Neligh office has closed and they may have the position filled within the next 2-3 weeks; and, there is the potential for the O’Neill NRCS office to house a new TSP biologist.
RC&D Report:
North Central RC&D: Minutes were included in the Director packets and reviewed.
Loup Basin RC&D: Minutes were included in the Director packets and reviewed.
Northeast RC&D: Minutes were included in the Director packets and reviewed.
Information & Education Report: Beth Walsh’s report was mailed out in the Director’s packets. Beth reported that 14 posters were submitted for the District Poster Contest. The posters were judged with the First Place poster being forwarded on to the NARD State Poster Contest. Photos of the winning posters were passed around during the board meeting.
Water Resources Report: Tom Riley’s report was mailed out in the Director’s packets. Tom highlighted the meeting in Lincoln regarding the ELM project and discussions surrounding the third party review. He also reported on the static water level sampling, flowmeter readings and updating the water sampling database.
East Branch Verdigris Creek: No Report.
ELM Update: Dennis Schueth handed out the minutes from the last ELM meeting and reviewed the crop irrigation requirement map with the Board. When looking into an allocation system some NRDs are considering a percentage of irrigation reduction, zones for reduction or an acre reduction. After discussing the various options, ]It was moved by Gregg Felker and seconded by Chris Dierks to recommend a percent of acre reduction if an allocation system is needed. AYE: Childers, Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: Green. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT: Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED.
EXCUSED ABSENCES:
]It was moved by Ted Hughes and seconded by Jim Keller to excuse the absence of Tim Knuth, Janet Koinzan and Jeff Krebs. AYE: Childers, Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: None. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT: Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Legislative, Budget and Finance Committee: The Legislative, Finance and Planning Committee met prior to the Board meeting and reviewed the current bills.
· Action on Current Bills and Cost share Requests: ]It was moved by Mike Russman and seconded by Curtis Gotschall to approve the current bills. AYE: Childers, Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Gotschall, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: None. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT: Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED. Dennis Schueth also reviewed the affect state cuts will have on the UENRD cost share allocation. There was no action taken on cost share.
Water Resources & Watershed Committee:
The Water Resources & Watershed Committee met prior to the Board meeting. Gregg Felker reported that they discussed the LB 483 rules and regulations and the changes to the criteria sheet which were made at the last board meeting. ]It was moved by Gregg Felker and seconded by Chris Dierks to approve the clarification changes to the LB 483 Rules and Regulations. AYE: Childers, Dierks, Dvorak, Felker, Green, Heithoff, Hughes, Keller, Russman, Stewart & Wiles. NAY: None. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT: Gotschall, Knuth, Koinzan & Krebs. MOTION CARRIED.
COALITIONS UPDATE:
Nebraska Habitat Conservation Coalition (Piping Plover): No Report.
Nebraska Ground Water Management Coalition: No Report
Lower Platte Basin Coalition Meetings: No Report
LOWER PLATTE BASIN COALITION MEETINGS:
None
NIOBRARA RIVER BASIN FULLY APPROPRIATED DESIGNATION – ACTION:
Dennis Schueth passed out information from Don Blankenau regarding the Niobrara River Basin. There has not been any decisions made regarding this issue.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT:
Dennis Schueth’s report was mailed out to the directors prior to the board meeting in their packets. A copy is included with the official copy of the minutes in the office. Dennis discussed the past LB 483 sign-up and some of the obstacles encountered. He reviewed some of the changes which will be made for the January sign-up and what information the NRD will be providing to cooperators. He also highlighted the minutes from the Managers Meeting. Other items reviewed included the deadline for the GMDA conference, the new Adventure Camp and the Inter-related Water Management Plan handout.
DECEMBER BOARD MEETING:
The December Board Meeting will be held on the 21 at 2:30 PM with Committee Meetings beginning at 1:30 PM.
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 4:55 P.M.
I, the undersigned Secretary of the Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources District hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the proceedings had and done by the Board of Directors on November 23, 2009 that all of the subjects included in the foregoing proceedings were contained in the agenda for at least twenty-four hours prior to said meeting, the minutes of the Chairman and the Board were in written form and available for public inspection within ten working days and prior to the next convened meeting of said body, that all news media requesting notification of the time and place of said meeting and the subjects to be discussed at said meeting.
________________________________
Gregg Felker, Secretary/Treasurer