DRAFT MINUTES
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Frank W. Bratt Ag Center, Jamestown, NY 14701
District Board of Directors' Regular Meeting
March 1, 2001
I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: 1:15 P.M.
A. Present:
Debra Kelley - Secretary
Robert Thompson - Co-Chair David Wilson - Manager
Fred Croscut - Director Rob Halbohm - NRCS
Robert Anderson - Director Leon Beightol - Treasurer
JoAnn Kurtis - RC&D
II. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING:
MOTION by Beightol seconded by Anderson to approve the minutes of the January meeting.Carried.
III.TREASURER'S REPORT:
MOTION by Croscut seconded by Anderson 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
D. District Conservationist - Rob Halbohm
1. Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) - This program did get funded for this FY in New York for $340,000 for the hole state. They will be having approvals on April 13 and May 25, so any applications that we get will have to be submitted before these dates for approval.
2. Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)- 6 landowners in this county did get funded for this program. These contracts could take up to a year before they close on the easements. Any Construction on these projects will probably take place next year.
3. Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)- There is $75,000 for special projects state wide. This is funding for farms that are outside of an approved EQIP area. We are in the process of preparing an application to be submitted for Landmark Acres. This is sort of a continuation from last year, when we submitted one for Chautauqua Lake. Landmark Acers is the biggest farm in that watershed. The application for Landmark Acers is due by the end of March. In addition to the special project money there is also funding for the Local Priority watersheds. There will be a meeting of the Local Work Group on March 9th to disced which Local Priority area we will be submitting an application for.
District Minutes Page 2.
District Conservationist (cont.)
4. Forestry Incentive Program (FIP)- Under this program landowners can apply for cost sharing for tree planting or timber stand improvements. The majority of this program is done by the DEC Forestry Dept.
5. Debt for Nature - We have one landowner who has applied through FSA for this program. Under this program the landowner has debt with FSA and by retiring part of their land from production and leaving it for nature part of their debt is forgiven
6. Grazing Conference - There is a Grazing Conference scheduled for Chautauqua County on March 16th. It will be a similar format to those in the past with different topics.
7. NRCS Report - See Attached
EB. District Field Manager - David Wilson
1. Trees & Shrubs - To date we have 172 orders for Trees and Shrubs with $15,343.98 in gross sales. For the 2000 at this time we had 151 orders with $11,395.00 in gross sales , so it appears that the program is still growing.
2. Envirothon - is scheduled for May 2, 2001 here at the Ag Center. We have 12 schools and 19 teams participating this year so far. We held the review session at the Ashville BOCES again this year. We have invited the County Executive to give the opening remarks for use this year.
3. Farm & Garden Show - is scheduled for March 30th through April 1st, 2001 at the Chautauqua Mall. The District will have a display booth at the event this year.
4. Legislative Day - Was held February 27, 2001 in Albany David Sturges and David Wilson attended the event. The had meetings with Pat McGee, Kathy Young and Bill Parment.
5. Dewey Pit - The plans are completed for the pit and the announcement for bids will be in the newspaper this week. We will be holding a site showing on March 23, 2001 for prospective contractors to look at the site.
6. District 1 ton Truck - The truck came in two days ago, I put plates and insurance on it the other day
7. Hydro Seeder - The Seeder has to have a few modifications made to it, but it should be here with in a week or two. We are working with the County on an agreement to do all of the hydro seeding for the county.
8. Computer Grant from Pat McGee - MOTION by Croscut seconded by Beightol to purchase the second CPU that was sent by Gateway to replace the one that was lost and then found. Carried!
9. Northern Community Foundation Grants - We have received two small grants for educational materials from The Northern Community Foundation in the amount of $500.00 each.
10. Storage Building - I meet with Charlie Hodges from the County Airport, to talk about the building placement. They would like us to move the storage building from our side of the to the other side. This would work for us, but we are still waiting for approval from the FFA.
District Minutes Page 3.
F. District Secretary
1. Annual Financial Report to the State Committee and the State Comptroller. - The Reports have been completed, signed and mailed in, I have a copy of the completed report for each of the board members.
2. Soil Stewardship Sunday - will be observed on May 6, 2001 at the United Methodist Church in Mayville, with a Tureen Dinner to follow.
VI. OLD BUSINESS
A. District Budget 2001 -
B. Appointments to the Board - Tabled
C. Annual Plan of Work - The Annual Plan of Work for 2001 was reviewed. MOTION by Croscut seconded by Anderson to approve the Annual Plan of Work for 2001. Carried!
D. Long Range Plan of Work - The Long Range Plan of Work was reviewed. MOTION by Beightol seconded by Anderson to Approve the Long Rang Plan of Work. Carried!
E. Election of Officers - Tabled
F. 2000 Cooperator of the Year - Goodyear Report - Tabled
G. Committee Assignments - Tabled
H. Review Policies - Tabled ( Mail a copy of the policies with the minutes for the board members to review prior to the meeting).
I. Review Rental Fees - Equipment & Services fees for 2001 were reviewed. MOTION by Beightol seconded by Anderson to approve the Rental Fees. Carried!
J. Personnel Appraisals - Tabled
K. New York State Association Conservation District - Pay Dues - Tabled
VII.NEW BUSINESS
VIII. RC&D - JoAnn Kurtis
A. Report - See Attached
IX. WATER QUALITY
A. West Nile Virus - The WQTF are working on a list of farmers that have bunk silos and use old tires to hold down the tarps on the silo. They would like to try and get them to have their tires cut so they would not hold water.
X. COOPERATORS - none
XI. NEXT MEETING - Thursday, April 26, 2001, 1:00 P.M. Dewey Pit Bid Opening at the Frank W. Bratt Ag Center
XII.Meeting Adjourned
MOTION by Beightol seconded by Anderson to adjourn at 3:10 P.M. Carried!
Respectfully Submitted,
Debra A. Kelley
Secretary
David J. Sturges
Chairman