DRAFT MINUTES

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Frank W. Bratt Ag Center, Jamestown, NY 14701

District Board of Directors' Regular Meeting

May 25, 2000

 

I.  MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: 1:00 P.M.

    A.  Present:

         David Sturges - Chairman     Robert Anderson - Director

         Leon Beightol - Treasurer   David Wilson - Manager

         Bob Thompson - Director      Debra Kelley - Secretary

         Fred Croscut - Director      Rob Halbohm - NRCS

 

II. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING:

MOTION by Beightol seconded by Thompson to approve the minutes of the April meeting.Carried.

 

III.TREASURER'S REPORT:

    MOTION by Croscut seconded by Thompson to accept the Treasurer's report     and pay current bills. Carried.

 

    A.  The following bills were approved for payment:

              SEE ATTACHED

 

IV. CORRESPONDENCE

    A.  Letter from Jim McCardell of the New York State Soil & Water Conservation Committee, thanking Debbie for instructing at the 2000 Water Quality Symposium.

    B.  Letter from Pat McGee, regarding member initiative funding to Chaut. County SWCD

    C.  Letter from Susan Wolfe for the Sherman Days Committee, asking if the SWCD would participate in the Sherman Days again this year and bring the milking cow. MOTION by Beightol seconded by Anderson to participate in Sherman Days on August 5, 2000. Carried!

 

V.  REPORTS:

    A.  Other Agencies

    B.  Committees

C.State Committee David Wilson for Tom Brace

         1.  RFP’s - Round VIII - Will be out the first of August and will be due back in September. Rob and I will look this over and see if there is something we would like to apply for.

         2.  State Reimbursement - The state reimbursement to Conservation Districts has passed. Districts will receive the full reimbursement of up to $30,000 to each District.

    D.  District Conservationist - Rob Halbohm, DC

         1.  Conewango Creek Watershed - Update on the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). Through the RC&D they are putting together a proposal for a focus area under WRP for the Conewango Creek Swamp area; This will be in three phases. Phase I will all be in Cattaraugus County just north of Randolph. If they accomplish what they want then they will start phase II, which will then move into Chautauqua County. If this focus area is


District Minutes                                                   Page 2.

District Conservationist (cont.)

 

approved than the people in it would not have to compete on the state level to get into WRP.

         2.  WRP Funding - We have three applications at the state office waiting for funding. The applicants are Marshal Frew, Paul Lawrence and Lavern Swanson. These applications have not been funded as of the April go round. They will be kept in the state office for further consideration.

         3.  CRP 20th Sign up Status - we have 14 application and 12 were accepted for a total of about 280 Acers.

         4.  Enhancements to CRP - for high priority practices. An example of this would be if someone wants to get into CRP for a riparian buffer by a stream bank. The enhancements should make it easier and more advantages to participate in the program.

    ED. District Field Manager - David Wilson

         1.  Envirothon - went well Frewsburg School was the First Place Winner and are on their way to the State Competition. Southwestern was the Second Place Winner and Cassadaga was in Third Place.

         2.  Conservation Field Days - Is scheduled for May 31 and June 2, 2000 at Long Point State Park. We have been working very closely with the new 4H agent to try and bring this Educational Program back. Together we have come up with 28 instructors to participate in the Field Days. This is the most instructors that we have ever had. This will make the groups of students smaller and easier to teach.

         3.  Grass Carp - this year we have sold 323 fish, this is the most we have ever sold. We had over 50 pond owners participate.

         4.  Spring Workload - There is a lot of Spring work out there. Already this spring we have put in 15,000 feet of tile and looked at several ponds.

    F.  District Secretary

         1.  Koi & Bass - Order forms have been mailed out and are coming back. Already we have orders for 28 Koi, 75 bass and 100 minnows.

         2.  Computer Purchase - First I would like to thank the board for the new computer. It is here and I have it up and running.

         3.  Investment - We have received our County Appropriations and our State Reimbursement for 1998 for a total of $78,562.98. I have invested this money in a CD at Fleet Bank. Because of the amount of grant money that we have, the District already has over $100,000.00 in Key Bank. The Federal Insurance only covers up to $100,000, so I put it into a different bank.

 

VI. OLD BUSINESS

    A.  Review Policies - Tabled

    B.  Pay the National Dues - MOTION by Beightol seconded by Croscut to pay the nation dues in the amount of $700.00. Carried!






District Minutes                                                   Page 3.

 

VII.NEW BUSINESS

    A.  Division II Directors Meeting - Allegany County SWCD will be hosting the meeting this year. It will be held on June 7th at the Moonwink Restaurant in Cuba, NY. They are trying to get Kathy Young as the guest speaker. Allegany County SWCD has submitted a resolution for consideration. MOTION by Beightol seconded by Anderson to support the resolution sent in by Allegany County. Carried! MOTION by Croscut seconded by Anderson to allow staff and directors to attend the Division II Meeting in Cuba and to pay for their lunches. Carried!

    B.  Personnel - The board discussed the possibility of filling two positions with in Chautauqua County SWCD. We would like to fill the Conservation Aid position for the summer, because there are two pipelines that will be crossing agricultural land and John Lacey from Ag & Markets would like us to monitor the pipelines. Ag & Markets would reimburse the District for the time on the pipeline jobs. MOTION by Croscut seconded by Beightol to hire a person to fill the Conservation Aid Position for the summer. Carried! The board also discussed hiring a second full time technician, but further consideration was required.

 

VIII. RC&D

    A.  Matlink - Methane Digester Approved: They are in the process of completing a contract for this grant and they are anticipating that construction may start this year.

    B.  Grazing Program - Seneca Trails RC&D will receive their funding for the Grazing Program this year through the Northern RC&D


IX. WATER QUALITY

    A.  MINE-GRANT - The project for our 1999 tier 3 Mine Grant is nearing completion. The WQTF will be paying contractors to do some streambank protection projects.

 

X.  COOPERATORS - none

 

XI. NEXT MEETING - Thursday, June 22, 2000, 11:00 A.M. at the Frank W. Bratt Ag Center.

 

XII.Meeting Adjourned

MOTION by Beightol seconded by Anderson to adjourn at 2:25 P.M. Carried!


Respectfully Submitted,


 

Debra A. Kelley 

Secretary 

David J. Sturges

Chairman