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| Nemaha NRD January
2008 Board Meeting Report Tecumseh – With the beginning of a new year, the Nemaha Natural Resources District Board of Directors set to the task of organizing for the 2008 calendar year. All previous officers had agreed to nomination for their respective offices and were reelected without competition. Officers for 2008 are Chair Ted Godemann, Falls City; Vice-Chair Scott Kudrna, Auburn; and Secretary/Treasurer Duane Sugden, Sterling. Orval Gigstad, Syracuse, and Lisa Beethe, Elk Creek, will again represent the Nemaha NRD on the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts board as the delegate and alternate, respectively. Orval Gigstad approached the board regarding a request to contribute to a fund drive to raise money for needed repairs of the National Association of Conservation Districts office building in Washington, DC. Each District was asked to contribute $200 to honor the past presidents of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts. The board voted to provide the $200 donation along with an additional $100 in memory of Olin Sims, the National Association’s president who recently died in a farm accident. The Programs and Projects Committee brought a motion to the board for a 10-year irrigation agreement with Syracuse Town & Country Pharmacy, Inc., to allow irrigation from Spring Creek 9-3 located about 3.5 miles east of Tecumseh. The landowner has indicated, however, that he would like to conduct a pump test to determine if the lake has a suitable amount of water for irrigation. Board approval was granted for the agreement. One variance request to allow for the drilling of an irrigation well east of Talmage was considered. However, because this has been an area of concern, NRD Water Department staff requested Olsson Associates, who has been working with the District on its Groundwater Management Plan update, to determine impacts to nearby wells and to the aquifer. Results of these tests indicated an adverse impact to nearby wells. Therefore, the board denied the request from Doug Teten for the variance. The Operations and Education Committee met with two individuals who had requested the board reconsider allowing motorized vehicles (i.e., motorcycles) on the ice at District-owned recreation areas. However, citing continuing concerns from both the District’s insurance agent and attorney, the board declined to reverse its decision made a year ago which disallowed these activities. The next meeting of the Nemaha Natural Resources District board of directors will be on Thursday, February 14, 2008, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the NRD headquarters, 62161 Highway 136, Tecumseh. |