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| Nemaha NRD January
2012 Board Meeting Report Tecumseh – With January comes the time for the Nemaha Natural Resources District Board of Directors to reorganize. However, after the voting was complete on Thursday, January 12, the officer positions remained the same for 2012 as they were in 2011. Lisa Beethe will continue as Chair along with Rob Bohling, Vice-Chair, and Don Siske, Secretary-Treasurer. Orval Gigstad and Don Siske will also serve as the NRD’s representative and alternate, respectively, to the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts. Five applications for irrigation well permits were scrutinized by the board with two located southeast of Steinauer, two northwest of Steinauer, and one east of Elk Creek. The board approved the four wells near Steinauer for Kalin Farms along with the well near Elk Creek for Ervin Gobber. The board was also updated on the notice that was sent to the Department of Natural Resources regarding the late permit for Scott Prange that was approved last month. No action was taken on the ongoing review of the District’s groundwater rules and regulations as they pertain to application, evaluation, and approval of well permits. However, the Programs and Projects Committee will be meeting next month to discuss some proposed changes. When approving a permit to irrigate from an NRD watershed structure, flow meters are required to measure the water used. Many irrigators rent a meter from the NRD, and the rental rate has not changed for several years. Because the cost of new meters has more than doubled since the rate was set, the board voted to increase its rental rate to $125 per year for all meters regardless of size. The NRD was contacted by an agronomy professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln regarding a statewide research project. Since the NRD does not collect crop data as part of its groundwater management program, the UNL Department of Agronomy was requesting NRD cooperation in a survey to be sent to local soybean producers regarding their crop management practices. Board approval was granted to assist the group in contacting producers in the District. No action was taken on an idea to set up a committee to administer the finances of the Steamboat Trace Association. This volunteer group was formed to help promote the 21-mile trail between Nebraska City and Brownville back when it was originally developed. Since the Association has been inactive for the past several years, the idea was to organize a committee to help make decisions on how to use the funds that had been received over the years. Staff was directed to work with potential members of this group to reorganize and then bring more information back to the board. Bids for a 4x4 ½ ton crew cab pickup to replace the District’s Chevy Tracker were reviewed. The board approved a bid of $22,756.00 submitted by Larson Motors of Nebraska City for a 2012 Dodge Ram, which included trade allowance for the Tracker. A total of seven bids were received from three dealers. Board authorization was granted to apply for recycling grants to assist with the purchase of a wood chipper and also for rubber tire mulch for playground areas at NRD parks. Both grants would require a local match but would likely not include any expenditure until the next fiscal year. The Executive Committee examined some areas in the budget where savings were expected as well as cuts that had been made to the budget back in August. As a result the board voted to allow additional expenditures for the following: authorize one staff and one director to attend the NARD Washington, DC, conference in March; reinstate funds for promotional items, groundwater consulting services, and conservation assistance programs. The board was updated on the status of a replacement performance and payment bond for the Buck Creek dam construction. They also briefly reviewed some proposed changes to the salary schedule. No action was taken on either item. The next regular meeting of the Nemaha Natural Resources District board of directors will be Thursday, February 9, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. at the NRD headquarters in Tecumseh. Committees will meet prior to the regular meeting. |