DRAFT MINUTES
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Frank W. Bratt Ag Center, Jamestown, NY 14701
District Board of Directors' Regular Meeting
April 26, 2001
I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: 1:15 P.M.
A. Present:
David Sturges - Chairman Debra Kelley - Secretary
Robert Thompson - Co-Chair David Wilson - Manager
Fred Croscut - Director Rob Halbohm - NRCS
Robert Anderson - Director Leon Beightol - Treasurer
Tom Brace - State Committee Perry & Betty Dewey - Cooperators
II. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING:
MOTION by Croscut seconded by Anderson to approve the minutes of the March meeting.Carried.
III.TREASURER'S REPORT:
MOTION by Anderson seconded by Beightol to accept the Treasurer's report and pay current bills. Carried.
A. The following bills were approved for payment:
SEE ATTACHED
IV. CORRESPONDENCE - none
V. REPORTS:
A. Other Agencies
B. Committees
C.State Committee - Tom Brace
1. State Reimbursements have been sent off, the amount of reimbursement is $30,000 this is the first time that districts have received the full amount allowed by law. Chautauqua County SWCD has already received their reimbursement.
2. Annual Plan of Work - Chautauqua Counties Plan was received and approved on April 17, 2001.
3. Ag Non-Point Source Grant Program - Contracts for round seven are done. We are still waiting for the list of approvals for round eight. Plans are being made now for round nine grants.
MOTION by Croscut seconded by Anderson to accept the State Committee Report. Carried!
D. District Conservationist - Rob Halbohm
1. FSA Plans - Currently, I’m working on FSA Plans for 24 different agricultural producers. They need Highly Erodible Land (HEL) Determinations done on their land, so they can participate in the FSA Programs.
2. EQIP Project Design - I have been working with Dominic and Bryan on several of the EQIP designs that are to be done this year. We hope to start construction on the projects soon.
3. Local Project Area for 2002- The Local Working Group met in early March and decided to go with French Creek for the fiscal year 2002. I have been working on the draft application for this, which is due to the Area
District Minutes Page 2.
District Conservationist (cont.)
Conservationist by mid May. The final version is due in Syracuse by the first part of June.
4. NRCS Area Reorganization - Currently the state is broken down into four areas with an Area Conservationist for each Area. A decision has been made to reduce the number of areas to three by October 1, 2001. Area one, which is this Area is scheduled to pickup four additional counties. This has not yet been finalized. I think that the biggest concern that everyone has is will we continue to receive the engineering support that is needed.
5. RC&D Grazing Program - RC&D hires Grazing Technicians Larry Brown being one of them, up to last year this funding came through Seneca Trail RC&D. There was a decision made by the Grazing Land Conservation Initiative which covers the whole State of New York not to fund this program through Seneca Trail RC&S, but through another RC&D area to the North. They are in the process of negotiations for this coming year.
E District Field Manager - David Wilson
1. Trees & Shrubs - We have a total of 384 orders for trees and shrubs. We start distribution today here at the Ag Center and go through Saturday. We will also distribute on Saturday at the Chautauqua County Fair Grounds. We have some extra stock left over for sale.
2. Envirothon - Will be taking place on May 2, 2001 here at the Ag Center. We have thirteen schools and twenty-one teams participation this year. County Executive Mark Thomas will be giving the opening remarks and Judge Steve Cass will be presenting the awards this year.
3. Hydro-Seeder - The Hydro-Seeder has finally arrived from Finn. We are storing it at the Fair Grounds. We will be setting up an appointment with the salesman from Finn to come out and show us how to run it.
4. Grant/Lake Erie Stream Monitoring - The District and the Health Dept. have received a grant for $17,000 to do a Stream Monitoring Educational Project along Lake Erie the High School Students. We will be starting this project in a couple of weeks.
5. Spring Workload - There is a lot of outside work going on already. We have looked at some tile jobs, streambank jobs and pond sites. Everything will be on hold for two weeks while we take care of trees and the Envirothon, then we will get back outside.
F. District Secretary
1. Soil Stewardship Sunday - will be observed on May 6, 2001 at the United Methodist Church in Mayville, with a Tureen Dinner to follow at the Grange Hall.
2. Grass Carp - To date I have sold 200 carp, but I expect to get more orders for a total of about 300.
District Minutes Page 3.
VI. OLD BUSINESS
A. Appointments to the Board - Tabled
B. Addendum to Contract with the County - We have the Addendum for the additional money in our contract. It has been signed and returned to the County Law Department.
C. Election of Officers - Tabled
D. 2000 Cooperator of the Year - Tabled
E. Committee Assignments - Tabled
F. Review Policies - The Policies were reviewed by the Board. MOTION by Croscut seconded by Beightol to approve the policies as they are. Carried!
G. Personnel Appraisals - Tabled
H. New York State Association Conservation District - Pay Dues - Tabled
VII.NEW BUSINESS
A. Dewey Pit Bid Opening - The bids were opened and reviewed. MOTION by Beightol seconded by Croscut to turn the bids over to David Wilson and the Dewey’s for review and to make recommendations.
B. Tire Cutter - We have ordered a tire cutter for farmers to use to cut the tires that they use on their bunk silos. The cutter will be paid for out of West Nile Virus Funds and the District will house it and transport it to the farmers for use.
VIII. RC&D
IX. WATER QUALITY
A. Water Week - Is the second week in May, we will be having a display and a water tasting contest at the Chautauqua Mall again this year. Ronny Rain Drop will also be there on Saturday passing out balloons.
X. COOPERATORS - none
XI. NEXT MEETING - Thursday, May 24, 2001, 1:15 P.M. at the Frank W. Bratt Ag Center
XII.Meeting Adjourned
MOTION by Beightol seconded by Croscut to adjourn at 3:10 P.M. Carried!
Respectfully Submitted,
Debra A. Kelley
Secretary
David J. Sturges
Chairman