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| Nemaha NRD June
2007 Board Meeting Report Tecumseh – Engineering and design work is set to begin on two small, cost-share dams now that the Nemaha Natural Resources District approved the hiring of JEO Consulting Group to provide these services during their June 14 regular meeting. The two flood control projects will be constructed on the Arlen Grotrian property in Nemaha County and Klaus Hartmann property in Johnson County. JEO’s estimate for completing the work was $29,805. The Nemaha NRD will provide 75% with the landowners providing 25% of the cost of the structures, which includes the engineering costs. Similarly the NRD board reviewed proposals from three engineering firms for the first of a two-phase project to evaluate the feasibility and construction of a sediment control basin above Iron Horse Trail Lake near DuBois. This is part of the ongoing watershed management project in the watershed. Instead of negotiating a fee with one of the firms, the board voted to obtain estimates from each of the three firms for review at the next meeting. Regarding emergency spillway alterations at Upper Little Nemaha dam site 31-West located northeast of Bennet, the board reinforced its stance on this issue. The developer at the site had proposed language that would allow property owners to install retaining walls within the NRD’s easement area. However, the board voted to allow no alterations to the spillway including altering the slope or vegetative cover of the spillway without prior consent of the NRD. This would ultimately result in the board considering any requests on a case-by-case basis. Another emergency spillway issue was also on the agenda for action. Recreational vehicles had been parked within the spillway of Wilson Creek dam site 12-3 north of Otoe, and now permanent utility hookups have been installed. Therefore, the board directed that the improvements and campers must be removed from the area and instructed staff to notify the landowner and the Otoe Rod & Gun Club, which leases the area. The board reviewed a request from Kendall & Craig Binder for funding assistance to tile a wet spot in their field. The field is located downstream from a cost-share dam built in the Turkey Creek Watershed on property south of Pawnee City owned by Craig Hemje. Binders claimed that seepage from the dam caused the water problem on their property. However, a motion to approve payment of the costs for the tile failed on a 15-3 vote. A request for a variance to allow the issuance of permits to drill two irrigation wells three miles east of Brock was denied by the board. Because the aquifer in this area is thin, the impact was considered to be detrimental to the aquifer. The board did, however, approve a permit to replace an expired permit for a well northwest of Adams. Submitted by the Village of Adams, the original permit had expired before the Village could complete details involved in having the well drilled. A couple of issues that appeared on last month’s agenda appeared again regarding the opening of a money market account and entering into an agreement regarding the medical and dental insurance program. In order to open the money market account, the board had to adopt a resolution that detailed who would be authorized to make deposits and withdrawals. In addition, some language was updated on the agreement to join the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts Risk Management Pool for managing the medical insurance program. Both documents received board approval. In addition, Orval Gigstad, Syracuse, and Lisa Beethe, Elk Creek, were appointed the District’s delegate and alternate to the Risk Management Pool board. With the beginning of a new fiscal year looming on July 1, the board reviewed annual salary adjustments for FY2008. At the recommendation of the board’s Executive Committee, the salary schedule proposed was approved, which results in about a 3.8 percent overall increase in the salaries budget. The next regular meeting of the Nemaha Natural Resources District board of directors will be on Thursday, July 12, 2007, beginning at 8:00 p.m. at the NRD headquarters, 62161 Highway 136, Tecumseh. |