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| Nemaha NRD February
2006 Board Meeting Report Tecumseh – During a closed session lasting nearly 90 minutes, the Nemaha Natural Resources District board received advice from its attorney Thursday, February 9, regarding the NRD’s participation in the Pawnee County Lake Project. However, after returning to regular session, the board made no report regarding this discussion. In the report from the Pawnee County Lake Steering Committee, they indicated a desire to receive public comments on the conceptual master plan that was presented during a special meeting on January 19. Another public meeting has not yet been scheduled, but the board did indicate written public comments would be particularly useful. Water issues were also prevalent on the board’s agenda. A subcommittee of NRD directors was created Thursday night to begin working on revising the District’s Groundwater Management Plan. Changes in state laws, the amount of water data available, and mapping technology will help produce a plan that is more useful and that addresses current and future water issues. An increase in well permits over the past two years and conflicts that are not specifically addressed also prompted the look at the plan. The new subcommittee was also charged with reviewing the information required on District well permit applications. Any changes would require a public hearing and approval from the Department of Natural Resources prior to enactment. Bids for a pickup to replace the Ford Ranger used by the water department staff were reviewed by the board’s executive committee. Six bids were received with the low bid from Hullman’s Ford, Falls City, selected for approval. The net bid of $12,250 for a 2006 Ford F-150 4x4 included trade-in of the Ranger pickup. Board approval was also granted on two agenda items concerning employee benefits offered through the NRD’s State Association. One dealt with a bylaws change that combines the Association’s retirement and insurance committees into one benefit committee. The other action was to approve a resolution allowing a merger of the Nemaha NRD’s current 457 retirement plan into a statewide plan available to all the NRDs. Gerald Royal, NRD board member from Palmyra, was selected to serve as the alternate representative to the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts. Orval Gigstad, Syracuse, was named as the Nemaha NRD’s representative last month. Five preliminary applications for urban special project funding were reviewed by the board’s Operations & Education Committee. Of those submitted, one did not meet minimum guidelines for the program. The other four applicants will now be required to complete a more detailed application to be considered in May for final approval and funding. A lease with the Bunge Corporation was up for annual consideration by the board. The lease allows Bunge to gain access to their elevator at Brownville by crossing the Steamboat Trace trail. In accordance with the terms of the lease, the board voted to increase the payment three percent from the current annual rate of $550 to a new rate of $566.50. With no other action by the board, the meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m. The next meeting of the Nemaha Natural Resources District board of directors will be Thursday, March 9, 2006, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the NRD headquarters in Tecumseh. Agenda item requests must be submitted at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. |