MINUTES OF THE
Embassy Suites
Those
in attendance were:
Jim Van Marter, Chair Ann
Bleed, Acting Director
Garry Anderson, Member Helen White
Beverly Donaldson, Member John Cambridge
Dan Watermeier, Member Bob Broweleit
Joseph Hergott, Member Judy
Ridenour
Richard Jiskra, Member Mike Siedschlag
Arlond Garratt, Member Jack
Brummert
John Burkholder, Member Brian Thompson
Roger Korell, Member Lynn
Webster
Wayne Madsen, Member Lyndon Vogt
Myron Lembke, Member Rex Gittins
Wayne Davis, Member Ann
Diers
Richard Hadenfeldt, Member Tom Pesek
Clint Johannes, Member Gayle Starr
The
meeting was called to order by Commission Chair Jim Van Marter in a conference
room at the Embassy Suites Hotel,
Notice of the meeting was published in the LINCOLN
JOURNAL & STAR on
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.
2.
Status of Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund.
3.
Soil & Water Conservation Fund – Expenditures by
Month 1998-2006.
4.
Natural Resources Water Quality Fund Report.
5.
Water Well Decommissioning Cash Fund Report.
6.
Republican Basin EQIP and Platte-Republican CREP
Report.
7.
DNR Fund Expenditures for November & December,
2005.
8.
9.
NRCS Report to the NRC & NARD.
10.
Resources Development Fund – Mullen Dam and Reservoir
Project Proposal.
MINUTES
Motion
was made by Jiskra and seconded by Watermeier to approve the minutes of the
Aye: Anderson, Burkholder, Hergott, Davis, Jiskra,
Watermeier, Donaldson, Korell, Madsen, Lembke, Rexroth, Johannes, Hadenfeldt, Van
Marter
Nay: None
Abstain: Garratt
Not Present: Kramper
It was noted that the
expenditures for November and December, 2005, were made available to Commission
members.
ADVISOR’S COMMENTS
Steve Chick, NRCS State
Conservationist, updated the Commission on the status of the NRCS budget for FY
2006 noting that over $42 million of financial assistance funds had been made
available for
ACTING DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Ann Bleed commented on the
report that the department had finalized late last calendar year regarding
fully appropriated areas of the state.
She also commented at some length regarding the
LEGISLATIVE & BUDGET COMMITTEE
Ann Diers briefly reviewed
the various legislative bills being considered in this session of the
Legislature that would have some impact on natural resources issues. There was discussion regarding the two
legislative bills that deal with the statutory qualifications for the Director
of the Department of Natural Resources. Motion
was made by Rexroth and seconded by Jiskra that the Commission go on record in support of LB 359, which relates to the
qualifications of the DNR Director.
Motion carried.
Aye: Burkholder,
Hergott, Davis, Jiskra, Watermeier, Donaldson, Korell, Madsen, Lembke, Rexroth,
Garratt, Johannes, Hadenfeldt,
Anderson, Van Marter
Nay: None
Not Present: Kramper
Gayle Starr briefly reviewed
the current DNR budget status and noted that the Governor was recommending including
approximately 3.2 million dollars for the department for FY 2006-2007 for
implementation of LB 962. He noted that
this was slightly less than the Task Force recommendation of 3.5 million
dollars. He added that two million
dollars of the total was intended to be provided to NRDs to match their efforts
on development and implementation of Integrated Water Management plans. He added that of the 1.2 million dollars
intended to go directly to the department, $400,000 is intended for contracting
with the NRDs involved in the Platte River Cooperative Agreement.
Tom Pesek distributed the
Resources Development Fund status report and briefly reviewed that information
for the Commission. Committee Chair,
Clinton Johannes, then called on Helen White, Manager of the Upper Loup NRD
who, along with John Cambridge of HDR and several other local people briefed
the Commission on the Resources Development Fund project proposal for a
recreation dam and reservoir on the
Pesek distributed the Small
Watersheds Flood Control Fund Status Report and briefly reviewed the status of
that fund. Gayle Starr then distributed
status reports from the Soil & Water Conservation Fund, Natural Resources
Water Quality Fund, Water Well Decommission Fund and the EQIP and the CREP
programs and briefly reviewed each of them.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Jim Van Marter noted that the
next agenda item was the election of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Commission
for the coming year. He asked for
nominations for the position of Commission Chair. Roger Korell nominated Garry Anderson. Motion was made by Richard Hadenfeldt and
seconded by Wayne Davis to close nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for
Garry
Aye: Burkholder,
Hergott, Davis, Jiskra, Watermeier, Donaldson, Korell, Madsen, Lembke, Rexroth,
Garratt, Johannes, Hadenfeldt,
Anderson, Van Marter
Nay: None
Not Present: Kramper
Van Marter then asked for
nominations for the position of Commission Vice-Chair. Wayne Davis nominated Wayne Madsen. Motion was made by Myron Lembke and
seconded by
Aye: Davis,
Jiskra, Watermeier, Donaldson, Korell, Madsen, Lembke, Rexroth, Garratt,
Johannes,
Hadenfeldt, Anderson, Burkholder, Hergott, Van Marter
Nay: None
Not Present: Kramper
MEETING SCHEDULE
Commission Chair Van Marter
called the member’s attention to the proposed meeting schedule on the agenda
and asked for comments on the schedule.
Van Marter indicated that since there were no suggestions for changes
the schedule as follows would be adopted:
March 22-23 September
26,
May 24-25 November
15-16
July 12-13, Ogallala
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the
Commission will be March 22 & 23 at the Lower Platte South NRD office in
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at approximately
____________________________________
_____________________________________
Chair Director of Natural Resources