MINUTES OF THE
NEBRASKA NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING
November
21, 2002
Those in attendance were:
Richard Jiskra, Member Beverly
Donaldson, Member
Roger Korell, Member Arlond Garratt, Member
Wayne Madsen, Member Dan
Zulkosky
Jim Van Marter, Member Glenn
Johnson
Don Roberts, Member Marlin
Petermann
Frank Bartak, Member Steve Chick
Robert Hahn, Member Jim Cook, Staff
LeRoy Pieper, Member Dave
Vogler, Staff
Wayne Davis, Member Tom Pesek, Staff
Garry Anderson, Member Gayle
Starr, Staff
Vince Kramper, Member
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to
order in the conference room of the Lower Platte South NRD office in Lincoln,
Nebraska by Commission Chair Joseph Hergott at approximately 9:30 AM.
NOTICE OF THE MEETING
Notice of the meeting was
placed in the LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR on November 13, 2002, notifying the public of
the meeting.
INFORMATIONAL MATERIAL
The following items of
informational material were distributed during the course of the meeting and a
copy of each is attached to the file copy of the minutes.
1.
Nebraska
Resources Development Fund Present Financial Status.
2.
NRDF
Quarterly Report.
3.
Semi-Annual
Review of NRDF Projects.
3. Status
of Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund.
4. Soil
and Water Conservation Fund Report.
5.
Water
Well Decommissioning Fund Allocations.
6.
Natural
Resources Water Quality Fund Receipts.
7.
Soil
and Water Conservation Fund Report – Republican Basin Water Meter Program.
8.
Minutes
of Comprehensive Planning Committee Meeting.
9.
Expenditures
for September and October 2002.
10. Natural Resources Conservation Service
Report.
MINUTES
Motion was made by Kramper
and seconded by Jiskra to approve the minutes of the
September 24, 2002
Commission meeting as distributed.
Motion carried.
Aye: Roberts, Davis, Jiskra, Donaldson, Bartak,
Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Korell, Pieper, Watermeier, Madsen, Van Marter,
Hahn, Hergott
Nay: None
Not Present: Johannes
EXPENDITURES
Gayle
Starr noted that the expenditures involving the Commission funds for September
and October, 2002 had been distributed to Commission members.
ADVISOR’S COMMENTS
Steve Chick, representing the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, distributed a report to the Commission and noted that
NRCS Chief, Bruce Knight, had visited Nebraska on October 22 & 23 and had
visited some RC&D personnel and projects in north-central Nebraska.
Chick briefly outlined the program highlights for
the 2002 EQIP program in Nebraska. He
added that the NRCS had recently released soil survey information in CD format
for Deuel and Sheridan counties. Chick
noted that a Nebraska NRCS all employees meeting is scheduled for December 2
through December 4 in Kearney and NRD secretaries and technicians also had been
invited to that meeting.
Steve Chick also distributed some information
regarding NRCS farm bill implementation, active CRP contracts throughout
Nebraska, continuous CRP contracts throughout Nebraska and the CREP program.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Gayle Starr noted that Roger
Patterson and Ann Bleed were both in Phoenix involved in intensive negotiations
regarding the Republican Basin lawsuit and were unable to attend the
meeting. He added that information that
Roger would provide to the Commission will be handled under several other
agenda items.
ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST
Vince Kramper noted that the Environmental Trust is
making some changes in how they handle multi-year projects. Kramper added that he is currently serving
as Chair of the Environmental Trust Board.
PLATTE RIVER ACTIVITIES
Jim Cook noted that Nebraska
representatives are actively involved in intensive negotiations regarding the
Republican Basin lawsuit and they are hopeful that a settlement can be reached
by the December 15 deadline imposed by the Special Master. With regard to the Platte River Cooperative
Agreement process, he indicated he now expects the process will last until at
least June or December of 2004 because the model being developed by the Cohyst
group is behind schedule and because of the National Academy of Sciences’
review of the science utilized by the Fish & Wildlife Service in
determining required flows for endangered species. He added that the National Academy of Science has a target date
at the end of 2003 for the completion of their review.
LeRoy Pieper and Jim Cook
reported on the Water Policy Task Force meetings held in Kearney on Monday and
Tuesday of this week. They noted that
the Task Force is now getting into discussions of significant issues and that
Task Force members are voicing their views regarding various issues. Cook noted
that the next meeting of the full Task Force is scheduled for March with the
Executive Committee meeting several times between now and March.
Gayle Starr explained that
Commission member selection caucuses would be held in January for seven
positions on the Commission in six separate basins. He explained that in accordance with the law, the caucuses would
need to be held between January 9 and January 17 and that he would be working
with NRD managers to establish a schedule of meeting times and places for those
caucuses. He added that any Commission
members involved in those basins could visit with either the NRD managers or himself
regarding their wishes on when and where those caucuses ought to be held.
Beverly Donaldson noted that
all Commission members present except for Richard Jiskra had been present at
the Program Committee meeting on Wednesday afternoon and asked if there were
any questions concerning any of the Resources Development Fund status
reports. Donaldson then called on Dan
Zulkosky, the City Manager for Wakefield.
Zulkosky thanked the Commission for the financial support provided for
their levee project. He noted that the
levee was now completed and that the City Council and citizens of Wakefield
were pleased with the completed project.
He added that they are working with the Department of Roads to construct
a trail on the levee. He added that the
project had gone well and particularly cited the JEO Engineering firm for their
assistance, Porter Construction of Norfolk, for their good work on building the
levee and
Don Meisner of SIMPCO for
providing administrative support in developing and completing the project. He added that the assistance of the
Commission and DNR staff was very helpful in getting the project completed.
Donaldson explained that the first committee
recommendation for action was an increase in the allocation on the Powder Creek
Project which was explained by Tom Moser at the committee meeting on
Wednesday. Donaldson submitted the
committee motion that the Natural Resources Commission approve the
Lewis & Clark NRD’s request for an increased allocation of
$12,894.00 for Component #3 – Land Rights Acquisition (Relocation) of the
Powder Creek Project, increasing the total project allocation to
$466,565.40. Motion carried.
Nay: None
Not
Present: Johannes
Donaldson
explained that the second committee action was to obligate funds for three
separate projects. Donaldson submitted
the committee recommendation that the Natural Resources Commission obligate
funds, effective immediately, as follows:
(1)
Powder
Creek Project
Component #3 – Land Rights
Acquisition (Relocation) $12,894.00
(2)
Antelope
Creek Project
Component #4 – R-O-W
Acquisition and Relocations $139,000.00
(3)
Western
Sarpy/Clear Creek Project
Component #3 – Right-Of-Way
(Partial) $139,000.00
Aye: Jiskra, Donaldson, Bartak, Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Korell,
Pieper, Watermeier, Madsen, Van Marter, Hahn, Roberts, Davis, Hergott
Nay: None
Donaldson added that Commission members had been provided status reports on the Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund, Soil & Water Conservation Fund, Natural Resources Water Quality Fund, and Water Well Decommissioning Fund.
LEGISLATIVE AND BUDGET COMMITTEE
Arlond Garratt explained that all Commission members
had been present for the committee meeting earlier Thursday and that unless
there were particular questions about either the legislative items or budget
items discussed, he would not review the items discussed at the committee meeting.
Frank
Bartak and Richard Jiskra both indicated that they would not be candidates for
reelection to the Commission and therefore this was their last meeting. Commission members expressed appreciation
for their service. A motion was made
by Van Marter and seconded by Kramper to recognize the 20 years of service on
the Commission of Frank Bartak and the eight years of service of Richard
Jiskra. Motion carried.
Aye: Donaldson, Bartak, Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Korell, Pieper,
Watermeier, Madsen,
Van Marter, Hahn, Roberts, Davis, Jiskra, Hergott
Nay: None
Not
Present: Johannes
Wayne Madsen explained that minutes of the Comprehensive Planning Committee meeting held on Wednesday afternoon had been distributed to Commission members and the committee was not recommending any Commission action on any item.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the
Commission will be January 29, 2003, immediately after the NARD legislative
conferences being held at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln and arrangements will
be made to have the Commission meeting the afternoon of the 29th
also at the Embassy Suites.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:35 a.m.
_____________________________________ ______________________________________
Chair Director
of Natural Resources