WORTH COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD-Dec.6, 2007

WORTH COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD

MINUTES

December 6, 2007

President Vansteenburg called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM. Board members also present were Matt Smith, Justin Faber, Randy Sime and Troy Christiansen. Also present were Dan Block, Dean Mueller and David Beaty.

Sime moved to approve the agenda. Second by Smith. Motion carried.

Christiansen moved to approve the minutes of the November meeting. Second by Smith. Motion carried.

Smith moved to approve the minutes of the budget meeting. Second by Sime. Motion carried.

Director’s report:

All the aerators are working.
I have ordered trout and hope to have delivery in the next two weeks. Not sure what size they will be as I did not ask.
There has been a complaint about feral dogs at Deer Creek that have treed some bow hunters.
Received a complaint about some squirrel hunters at Ochee Yahola.
ISAC was informational as usual. I need to work on a improving safety consciousness in our department. There are some questions concerning the DNR lowering the quality ratings on some streams and rivers in the state.
We need to do a budget amendment and can discuss what needs to be done under the budget item.
Our new truck is not done at Crysteel yet, hopefully, in the next week or two. The value for the ¾ T is $7,325 – NADA and $5,560 – Kelly Blue Book for private sale. I think we should advertise it at $6,500 or $6,000 and sell for any offer over $5,200.
There may not be a program for police bikes at Harley Davidson next year.
As you know we should be closing on the Mehus property on Jan. 2. Should we organize a press day on Saturday, Jan. 5? We would need our board members, as many PF committee members, a representative from NRCS to attend.
We have a peat fire burning on Harrier from the prescribed burn last spring. It is burning the top off of one of the nesting islands at the East end. Since it is not going down into the ground we may just let it burn out.

Faber moved to accept the director’s report. Second by Sime. Motion carried.

Naturalist’s report:

1-Nov	nk ecol	tree seed planting
6-Nov	nk 4	manatees (2)
7-Nov	nk ecol	rearing pond
8-Nov	nk ecol	saw log
8-Nov	nc 4	snake (2)
13-Nov	nc ecol	saw log
14-Nov	nc 4	minerals (2)
14-Nov	nc ecol	saw log
15-Nov	nk kg	turkey (2)
15-Nov	nk k-2	read bear book (6)
15-Nov	nk 5	atlatl
15-Nov	man lions	tree ecology
16-Nov	nk 5	early naturalist explorers
16-Nov	nk 5	atlatl
20-Nov	nc kg	corn grinding (2)
20-Nov	nc 2	turkey (2)
26-Nov	nk 3	windmill and quarry trip
27-Nov	nk 6	australia
27-Nov	nc pre school	teeth and skulls (2)
28-Nov	odd fellows	australia
29-Nov	nc 4	cement plant

		33 programs

Rearing pond finished. Creating Ornithology program has taken lots of time. Presenting some to Manly’s ecology program in December. Started hunter safety at Nora Springs Dec. Traveling to Nora springs each day for hunter safety program and so very efficient use of travel time to stop at manly to do ecology class (schedules just work out OK). Three teachers taking the hunter safety program along with the students. Administration was very happy to have the program.

Smith moved to accept the naturalist’s report. Second by Faber. Motion carried.

Smith moved to appoint Brad Dietrich to replace Richard Davis on the Worth County Conservation Foundation board. Second by Christiansen. Motion carried.

Timber sale bids were opened at this time. There was only one bid for the walnut tops at Silver Lake. Smith moved to accept the bid of $100 from David Beaty. Second by Sime. Motion carried. There were two bids for the white pine at Deer Creek: Egon Overgaard for $912 and David Beaty for $2,500. Christiansen moved to accept the bid from David Beaty of $2,500 for the white pine at Deer Creek. Second by Sime. Motion carried.

The Director discussed the need to amend the budget for the shelter at Kuennen’s, the truck purchase, the Mehus acquisition and extra chemical costs due to the wet blade mower. Smith moved to amend the budget for $175,000 with the funds coming from: wildlife habitat stamp fund, Pheasants Forever, REAP, the reserve fund and the foundation (no property tax dollars used). Second by Sime. Motion carried.

The board started to review the current budget and discussed various projects. The decision was made to hold a special meeting in January to discuss some of the larger projects. The personnel reviews were read and there were no questions, so the employees were asked to leave the room. After discussion, Smith moved to approve the operations budget with a 1.75% increase to be allocated to fuel, rock and equipment purchases. Each employee received a $2,100 raise. Second by Sime. Motion carried.

Sime moved to pay the following bills:

Dale Mehus		$81,000.00
Feder's Prairie Seed Co		$ 4,285.00
Worth County Conservation Foundation		$ 2,230.83
Worth County Engineer		$ 1,014.71
D & L Equipment		$ 868.36
One Stop Forestry		$ 620.00
Alliant		$ 547.28
Carquest Auto Parts		$ 333.49
Riverside Auto Parts		$ 332.00
Hogen Lawn Care		$ 275.00
Albert Lea Seed House		$ 270.50
Visa		$ 265.17
A&I Auto, Inc		$ 219.67
Trading Post		$ 154.03
Nasby's Radiator Service		$ 95.00
BMC Aggregates L.C.		$ 88.96
Northwood Ag Products		$ 86.76
Fallgatters Market		$ 80.37
Mediacom		$ 79.95
Heartland Power Coop		$ 79.50
Dean A Mueller		$ 76.28
D&D Sales, Inc		$ 59.50
Alltel		$ 45.56
City of Northwood		$ 34.00
Diamond Mowers		$ 30.30
Ver Helst Snyder Drug		$ 16.06
Hygenic Laboratory - Accts Receivable		$ 11.00
	Total	$ 93,199.28

Second by Smith. Motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 PM.

Submitted by: Approved by:

______________________________ ____________________________

Dean A Mueller Jeff Vansteenburg

Director President