WORTH COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD

MINUTES

MAY 7, 2009

 

 

 

President Vansteenburg called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM.  Board members also present were Troy Christiansen, Justin Faber, Randy Sime and Matt Smith.  Others present were Dan Block and Dean Mueller.

 

Sime moved to approve the agenda.  Second by Christiansen.  Motion carried.

 

Faber moved to approve the minutes of the last meeting.  Second by Sime.  Motion carried.

 

The Director’s report:

  1. Parks are open.
  2. Finished the trim on shelter roof at KQ.  Have placed boulders to mark parking at the new shelter.  Contacted Randy Trebil to look at the electrical problem in the new shelter.  Have ordered play equipment from the WCDA grant.
  3. Someone pulled all the copper wire out of the shelter at Ochee Yahola and burned the coating off in the fire pit.  Alliant also cut two trenches in the lawn when they repaired something on the pole.  (They have hired Artisan Landscaping to fix the tracks)  The white grubs are back and destroying the lawn again.
  4. Have not preformed any burns due to rain at time when the burns needed to be done.  We may need to look as some smaller fall burns or burn to maintain the grass and remove the brush with the Diamond mower or by hand.
  5. We have started to update our page on My County Parks.  Jim will take training on building the site on May 19.
  6. We should have the pictometry software and photos by the end of June.
  7. Luanne Butler called after he found a dead eagle, we will be turning to over to the F&WS.
  8. I was called out to a littering situation and found two dead geese in the garbage.  The heads and feet had been cut off so I contacted Washburn.  After the DNR did several interviews and served 3 search warrants several individuals were charged with various wildlife crimes.
  9. The driveway into the Haugo tract has been built.  We need to rock it yet.  The contractor has not started work.
  10. David Applequist would like to remove the scrap iron at Turvolds if they can have it.
  11. Roger Dahlby was in the office to talk about the drainage at Kuennen’s.  Told him we are keeping an eye on the situation with Falkstone.  He also asked that we remove the willows in the waterway south of the driveway.  I told him we could do later this summer.
  12. The Anchor asked if we would like to do a graduation add “because we have extra money in the naturalist notebook account”.

 

Christiansen moved to accept the Director’s report.  Second by Sime.  Motion carried.

 

Naturalist’s report:

April  Naturalist Report

 

2-Apr

NK 4

Oregon Ecology (2)  (NEW)

3-Apr

NC 4

Comet (2)

6-Apr

NC 3

Zoo PPT (2)

8-Apr

ST An 6

Volcanos (2)

10-Apr

NK 4

Maple Syruping (2)

14-Apr

4H

Wildife Jepardy

14-Apr

NC Ecol

Walleye Spawning

15-Apr

NC Ecol

Walleye Spawning

16-Apr

NK 4

Science Museum

17-Apr

NK Ecol

Woods Burn

20-Apr

NC Ecol

Northern Spawning (2)

21-Apr

NC Ecol

Rearing Pond

21-Apr

4H

Wildife Jepardy

22-Apr

NC Ecol

Rearing Pond

22-Apr

Study Club

Conservation talk

23-Apr

NK 5

Hatchet (2)

24-Apr

NK 3

Living History Farms

28-Apr

NC Ecol

Tree Planting

28-Apr

NC 2

Tree Planting

20-Apr

NC 3

Groundwater Model (2)

4/1-4/30

NK Mammology

18 classes

 

 

 

 

 

45 programs

 

Northern fry in both rearing ponds (R.J. volunteered to Stock for us).

 

Helped plant trees at Brunsvold Haugen

 

Able to apply NAI trip information to Volcano program, and new program for NK 4th on the Ecology of the west!

 

Young naturalist program schedule out to students.

 

Sime moved to accept the Naturalist’s report.   Second by Faber.  Motion carried.

 

 

The Hancock CCB asked to barrow the pontoon boat to give rides on Crystal Lake over the 4th of July.  After discussion the Board denied the request.

 

Prairie Winds RC&D asked if the Board could use a $25,000 grant (requiring a $15,000 match) to build a camper cabin in one of the parks.  The Board did not think that we were ready to build a camping cabin at this time.

 

The Director asked the Board to come up with a name for the Haugo property at Silver Lake.  They will think about it for the next meeting.

 

A decision was made to remove the retaining boards and geocell material at the beach at Kuennen’s.  This is an effort to make the beach safer because the retaining board had been heaved up creating a hazard.  When and if the water level issues are settled we may put in sheet piling to create nicer beach area.

 

Mueller was asked to contact Dave Falk by letter and ask him to attend the June or July meeting to discuss the water level issue.  There was some discussion on possible solutions.

 

There were two land acquisition that were presented to the Board.  First was 30+ acres along the Winnebago River for $3,346 per acre and the other was 29 acres (Loern Wallin property) along the Shellrock River adjoining the Swendrud area.  The Board asked to have the Wallin property appraised for possible purchase.

 

Iberdrola asked if the board would be interested in a custom mowing job around the Barton Twp windmills for a bird and bat collision study.  The Board agreed to take on the job.

 

Smith moved to pay the following bills:

Boland Recreation

 

 $ 22,200.00

 

play eq

A&I Auto, Inc

 

 $   1,127.86

 

Tires & brakes

Worth County Engineer

 

 $      848.69

 

Fuel

D&D Sales

 

 $      595.20

 

uniform

Metal Culverts, Inc.

 

 $      531.60

 

culverts

Alliant Energy

 

 $      472.40

 

 

Schumacher's Nursery

 

 $      187.80

 

trees

Northwood Lumber

 

 $      169.11

 

Lumber

Carquest Auto Parts

 

 $      148.23

 

parts

Falkstone LLC

 

 $      139.59

 

rock

Manly Junction Signal

 

 $      100.00

 

printing

Northwood Anchor

 

 $      100.00

 

Newsletter/add

Albert Lea Seed House

 

 $        99.00

 

seed

Pritchards of Northwood, Inc.

 

 $        93.30

 

repair

Mediacom

 

 $        79.95

 

internet service

Alltel

 

 $        74.11

 

phone service

Feder's Prairie Seed Co

 

 $        71.25

 

seed

Heartland Power Coop

 

 $        56.00

 

 

Fallgatters Market

 

 $        38.07

 

supplies

Iowa Prison Industries

 

 $        22.90

 

signs

City of Northwood

 

 $        17.00

 

Water

Hygenic Laboratory -

 

 $        11.00

 

Well test

 

Total

 $   27,183.06

 

 

Second by Christiansen.  Motion carried.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:02 PM.

 

 

 

Submitted by:                                                             Approved by:

 

 

___________________________                              _____________________________

Dean A Mueller                                                          Jeff Vansteenburg

Director                                                                      President