Washington Conservation District April 14 2021 BOARD MINUTES

washington conservation district april 14, 2021 board minutes ============================ approved call to order -----------

Washington Conservation District
april 14, 2021 BOARD MINUTES
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approved
Call to Order
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The Virtual NRCS Local Workgroup Meeting was held at 8:30a.m.
The regular Board Meeting was called to order at 9:00a.m. by Chair,
John Rheinberger. It was a Zoom meeting and all participants attended
remotely, except for the Manager, who was in the office.
Members Present: John Rheinberger, Chair
Jim Levitt, Vice Chair
Diane Blake, Treasurer
Bob Rosenquist, Secretary
Tim Behrends, Public Relations and Information
Staff Present: Jay Riggs
Shari Larkin
Other Agencies: Michelle Wohlers, NRCS
Additions or Deletions to Agenda
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One item was added under New Business. Item I is an ArcGIS Database
Request. A motion to approve the revised agenda was made by Tim
Behrends, seconded by Jim Levitt. Motion carried.
APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA
Items to approve this month are the FY21 Chisago SWCD LSC 1W1P Shared
Staffing Host and Admin in the amount of $363,500; the 2021 VBWD Water
Monitoring Agreement in the amount of $70,726; the FY21 BWSR Metro WBF
East Mississippi Grant Agreement in the amount of $97,695; and the
2021 City of Stillwater BMP Maintenance Agreement in the amount of
$3,000. A motion to approve the Consent Agenda was made by Jim Levitt.
Seconded by Bob Rosenquist. Motion carried.
APPROVAL OF march 10, 2021 BOARD MEETING MINUTES
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A motion to approve the March 10, 2021 minutes was made by Jim Levitt
and seconded by Tim Behrends. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report
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Items to note are $717.57 payable to Happy’s Stillwater Automotive for
vehicle repairs; $607.20 payable to Viking Industrial Center for water
monitoring expenses; and $4,632.50 payable to Metropolitan Council for
water monitoring expenses. A motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report,
subject to audit, was made by Diane Blake, seconded by Jim Levitt.
Motion carried. Also discussed was the outstanding balance with the
Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Office. We have received a response
regarding the waiver of interest charges. The request was denied, so
they are requesting that the interest amount be paid. Tim Behrends
made a motion to approve sending another letter requesting that the
interest be waived, due to us not receiving the notifications by mail,
which is one of their acceptable reasons for dispute. Bob Rosenquist
seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Board Committee Reports
Personnel – There will be one item later in the agenda.
Budget and Finance – Nothing to report.
Cost-Share – The Committee met and there will be two items later in
the agenda. Both are recommended for approval.
Communications and Outreach – Our deposit has been submitted for the
fair, and we will start planning for the booth.
AGENCY / PARTNER REPORTS
County – Nothing to report.
NRCS – Michelle is currently working on the three pre-approved EQIP
applications that received funding for 2021, two of which are high
tunnels and one for honey bee planting. They have to be signed into
contract by May 7th.
BWSR – BWSR is going to have a listening session for planning efforts.
MCD/Area IV – The next MCD meeting will be May 28th. The Area IV
meeting will be June 17th.
Watersheds – Nothing to report.
MASWCD – MASWCD is encouraging Board members to contact our
legislators.
EMPLOYEE REPORTS/PRESENTATIONS/INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
a.
WCD and EMWREP Outreach – See Attached and Newspaper Article
Binder.
b.
Presentation – None this month
Old Business
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a.
COVID-19 Updates – Staff and Board members have started getting
vaccinated.
b.
Building Operations and Vehicles – We are currently looking for
the replacement pick-up. We are waiting to sell the GMC until a
replacement has been found.
c.
WCD Equity Discussions and Follow-Up – Meetings are ongoing
regarding racial and gender equity issues. We would like to bring
in a third party to facilitate those discussions in the future.
One item that came up in discussions was to have more diversity on
the Personnel Committee. The recommendation was to have Diane
Blake take Tim Behrend’s spot on the Committee. Tim Behrends would
take her spot on the Budget and Finance Committee. Bob Rosenquist
made a motion to approve the Committee changes. Jim Levitt
seconded the motion. Motion carried.
d.
Position Announcement and Interview Updates – The AIS Inspector
interviews are continuing. Two people have been hired to fill the
BMP Maintenance positions. The Education Specialist position just
closed for applications, and interviews will be next week. We will
be the host for the future Agronomist position.
e.
1W1P, NRSF, Grant, and Program Updates – Nothing to report.
f.
2021 Day at the Capitol – A discussion was held about the latest
at the Capitol.
g.
WCD Comp Plan Update – Staff is going to start working on each of
the components. A draft will be brought to the Board at the May
meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
a.
FY19 WBF Encumbrance Request - Daninger – In 2019, WCD received a
BWSR 2019 Watershed Based Metro Funding grant. Under this grant,
the WCD allocated $30,000 to implement rural nonstructural
practice incentives. The goal of this funding is to install best
management practices to reduce phosphorus in areas that are
targeted and prioritized. WCD staff requests the encumbrance of
$4,104 from the rural nonstructural practice incentives to
implement cover crops on 45.6 acres of agricultural land on Luke
Daninger’s property in Forest Lake. The agricultural land drains
to Hardwood Creek, which is a priority waterbody for the Rice
Creek Watershed District. The project would remove an estimated
21.5 lbs. of phosphorus per year. The proposed project would allow
Mr. Daninger to pilot cover crops for 3 years, with the goal of
long term cover crop adoption. The implementation of cover crops
will follow the WCD’s Nonstructural Land Management Practices
Implementation Plan, at $30/acre/year for a three-year contract.
WCD staff requests approval to enter into the contract for FY19
Watershed Based Metro Funding, Contract 19-07 BWSR. A motion was
made by Jim Levitt, to approve an encumbrance of $4,104 and enter
into the contract for FY2019 Watershed Based Metro Funding,
Contract 19-07 BWSR. No second to the motion was required. The
district technical representative (Angela Defenbaugh) has
performed a site inspection, concept design, and cost estimate.
All members voting yes. Motion carried.
b.
FY19 WBF Encumbrance Request - Oehlke – In 2019 WCD received a
BWSR 2019 Watershed Based Metro Funding grant. Under this grant,
the WCD allocated $30,000 to implement rural nonstructural
practice incentives. The goal of this funding is to install best
management practices to reduce phosphorus in areas that are
targeted and prioritized. WCD staff requests the encumbrance of
$6,624 from the rural nonstructural practice incentives to
implement cover crops on 73.6 acres of agricultural land on Steven
Oehlke’s property in Afton. The agricultural land drains to a
Public Water Wetland impacted by the MN Buffer Law (50-ft buffer
required) in South Washington Watershed District. The agricultural
land is also in an area identified as very high pollution
sensitivity (karst) of near-surface material on the Washington
County Natural Resources Protection and Management System
Framework, making this land a very high priority for groundwater
protection. The project would remove an estimated 31.7 lbs. of
phosphorus per year. The proposed project would allow Mr. Oehlke
to pilot cover crops for 3 years, with the goal of long term cover
crop adoption. The implementation of cover crops will follow the
WCD’s Nonstructural Land Management Practices Implementation Plan,
at $30/acre/year for a three-year contract. WCD staff requests
approval to enter into the contract for FY19 Watershed Based Metro
Funding, Contract 19-08 BWSR. A motion was made by Jim Levitt, to
approve an encumbrance of $6,624 and enter into the contract for
FY2019 Watershed Based Metro Funding, Contract 19-08 BWSR. No
second to the motion was required. The district technical
representative (Angela Defenbaugh) has performed a site
inspection, concept design, and cost estimate. All members voting
yes. Motion carried.
c.
2021 WCD Nonstructural Incentives Policy – The WCD was awarded a
$97,695 FY21 Metro WBIF – Mississippi East Watershed grant to
develop Subwatershed Analysis (SWA) reports to target and
prioritize implementation of voluntary best management practices
within the East Mississippi drainage of Washington County, and
promote, design, and install BMPs identified in the SWAs. The WCD
allocated $24,847.50 from this grant to fund installation of
rural/agricultural best management practices, which may include
both nonstructural practice incentives and structural practice
cost-share. Because there is potential to fund nonstructural
practice incentives, the WCD needs to provide an updated
Nonstructural Land Management Practices Implementation Plan with
the grant workplan. WCD staff have updated the existing WCD
Nonstructural Land Management Practices Implementation Plan to
include potential work under the FY21 Metro WBIF – Mississippi
East Watershed grant. WCD staff recommend Board approval of the
updated plan. If the plan needs to be modified in the future to
account for additional nonstructural land management practices
under the FY21 Metro WBIF – Mississippi East Watershed grant, it
will again be brought before the Board for approval. Jim Levitt
made a motion to approve the updated Nonstructural Land Management
Practices Implementation Plan (April 2021). Changes to the policy
will be made as needed. Diane Blake seconded the motion. Motion
carried.
d.
Letter of Support for U of M Study – Jay wrote a letter to LCCMR
supporting the U of M’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust
Fund application entitled “can we turn our cities’ green lakes
blue?”
e.
WCPI Quarterly Update – The latest update was included in the
packet.
f.
2021 Seasonal Water Monitoring Position Announcement – The
position announcement was included in the Board packet. A motion
to approve posting for the position was made by Bob Rosenquist,
seconded by Tim Behrends. Motion carried.
g.
2021 SWWD Erosion Control Inspection Services and New FTE Position
– WCD will provide technical services to the City of Woodbury via
the South Washington Watershed District Agreement. Inspection
program provides support for ongoing routine inspection of erosion
control practices on permitted construction sites in the City of
Woodbury, with respect to NPDES, City, and Watershed erosion
control requirements. Due to the amount of work, Board approval is
requested for a new full-time position. Bob Rosenquist made a
motion to approve posting for the new position. Tim Behrends
seconded the motion. Motion carried.
h.
Laptop Purchase Request for EMWREP/LSC1W1P Educator – Approval is
requested to purchase a new laptop for the new Educator, and a
replacement laptop for Matt. The total expenditure will not exceed
$2,600. A motion to approve the laptop purchases was made by Jim
Levitt, seconded by Diane Blake. Motion carried.
i.
ArcGIS Database Request – Approval is requested to upgrade our
ArcGIS software, and developing our own BMP database. The change
would require approximately $5,000 in staff time, and $7,068 for
the first year ($1,650 recurring cost per year). Jim Levitt made a
motion to approve the purchase. Tim Behrends seconded the motion.
Motion carried.
AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING
None.
Jim Levitt moved to adjourn the public meeting. Bob Rosenquist
seconded the motion. Meeting adjourned at 10:16 a.m. The next
scheduled meeting is May 12, 2021 at 9:00a.m.
Secretary Approved Date
4
April 14, 2021 Minutes