DRAFT MINUTES

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Frank W. Bratt Ag center, Jamestown, NY 14701

District Board of Directors' Regular Meeting

June 27, 2002

I.  Meeting Called to Order: 1:00 P.M.

    A.  Present:

         David Sturges - Chairman     Debra Kelley - Secretary

         Robert Anderson - Member     David Wilson - Field Manager

         Fred Croscut - Member        Rob Halbohm - NRCS

         Leon Beightol - Treasurer    Shanna Shaw - NRCS

II. Minutes of The Previous Meeting:

MOTION by Anderson seconded by Beightol to approve the minutes for May. Carried.

III.Treasurer's Report:

    MOTION by Croscut 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:

    A.  Letter from Joe Gergela, NYACD President, Thank you for participating in the letter writing regarding the State Reimbursement.

    B.  Mike Latham Appointed new Assistant Director of the Division of Soil & Water and the NYS Soil & Water Conservation Committee.

    C.  Letter From Pat McGee regarding our member item funding in the amount of $30,000 for establishing a Total Station Survey Program.

    D.  A thank you from the Orman Farm and the kindergartners

V.  Reports:

    A.  Other Agencies-none

    B.  Committees

C.State Committee - Fred Croscut

Fred attended the State Committee Meeting in Syracuse on June 25,2002. The NYACD Annual Meeting is set for October 27 - 29, 2002 in Auburn, NY. Districts will get State Reimbursement for 2000 and 2001. The first check for 2000 will arrive in July and the second check in the fall for 2001. Round 9 of the RFP Grant Applications have been approved and will be funded. Chautauqua County ranked number 2 in this round for The Conewango Valley Proposal. The State budget provides $12 Million for Farmland Protection. Steve Machovec talked on the Farm Bill.

    D.  District Conservationist - Rob Halbohm

         1.  Staffing - Rob introduced Shanna Shaw, the new Soil Conservationist for NRCS. Shanna splits her time between Chautauqua County and Cattaraugus County.

District Minutes                                                   Page 2.

District Conservationist (cont.)

2. AMA Program Funding - Chautauqua County submitted 13 applications for funding and 3 were approved for a little over $16,000 for this county. MOTION by Croscut seconded by Anderson to approve the AMA Contracts for Mitchell and Sandra Farnham, in the Town Stockton, Dennis and Denise Gould, In the Town ov Villenova and Douglas Murphy in Sherman. Carried!

3. Farm Bill - Rob handed out and reviewed a booklet with some basic information on the Farm Bill. More specifics and rules to follow maybe in August.

    E   District Field Manager - David Wilson

         1.  Building - We have started the work on the footer for the building. The building is here it is in the parking lot waiting to go up.

         2.  Chautauqua County Fair - We will be at the fair from July 22 - 28, 2002. The District’s Agricultural Awareness Tent will be there again this year. The District and the WQTF will have a display in Floral Hall.

         3.  Summer Work Load - The requests for assistance are coming in. This will be a very busy summer, the late start in the spring due to the rain will add to the work load for the summer.

         4.  Jay back to Work - MOTION by Beightol seconded by Anderson to approve Frank J. Gould III returning to work in July for the summer and fall. Carried!

    F.  District Secretary - Debra Kelley 

         1.  Koi, Bass & Channel Catfish - Koi and Bass are scheduled for delivery in July. We will be starting a Channel Catfish Program this year. Nellies Wholesale Bait Pond will be providing the Catfish for us.

2. Community Bank CD - The CD at Community Bank has matured and I will put the money into a checking account so we can pay for our building. MOTION by Croscut seconded by Beightol to adopt the Certificate of Resolution from Community Bank (See Attached). Carried!

VI. Old Business

    A.  Pay National Dues - MOTION by Anderson seconded by Beightol to pay the National Dues. Carried!

    B.  Dewey Manure Pit - is a go situation, the Nature Conservancy will contribute and additional $15,000 for this project and the Dewey’s will also put in some more money.

    C.  Bryan Mentley - Conservation Planning Training, June 3-7, 2002 in Geneseo. MOTION by Croscut seconded by Anderson to approve Bryan to attend the training and reimburse him for expenses. Carried!

VII.New Business

    A.  Division Directors Meeting - Will be this fall.

District Minutes                                                   Page 2.

New Business (cont.)

    B.  2003 Budget Due - The board reviewed the budget for 2003 for the Chautauqua County SWCD. MOTION by Beightol seconded by Anderson to approve the SWCD budget for 2003.

    C.  NYS Fair Booth Donation - MOTION by Croscut seconded by Anderson to approve the NYS Fair Booth Donation. Carried!

    D.  NACD Northeast Regional Meeting - Will be held August 11, 2002 in Dover, Delaware. Chautauqua County will not be sending any representatives to the Northeast Regional Meeting.

VIII. RC&D

    A.  Matlink Farms Open House - is scheduled for July 26, 2002 for the Methane Digester.

IX. Water Quality

    A.  2003 Level I Mini Grant - The Water Quality Task Force did a presentation to the County Legislators. The presentation was on the WQTF and their accomplishments.

X.  Cooperators - none

XI. Next Meeting - Friday, July 26, 2002, 10:00 A.M. at the SWCD Ag Tent, Chautauqua County Fair, Dunkirk, NY.

XII.Meeting Adjourned

MOTION by Anderson seconded by Beightol to adjourn at 2:50 P.M. Carried!

Debra A. Kelley                        David J. Sturges

Secretary                              Chairman