WORTH COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD

MINUTES

FEBRUARY 2010

 

 

 

President Vansteenburg called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM.  Board members also present were Troy Christiansen and Justin Faber.  Dean Mueller was also present.

 

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

 

Christiansen moved to approve the minutes.  Second by Faber.  Motion carried.

 

Director’s report:

  1. Winterfest was an excellent workshop again.  Jim Martin the keynote delivered a very good message about “work magic” and being able to enjoy your job.
  2. There will be an IACCB strategic planning meeting on Feb. 10.
  3. We will be taking our fire line refresher class on Feb. 11.
  4. There is a director’s retreat on Feb. 25 & 26 at Polk CCB.  This is an attempt by the Director’s Assoc. to get more directors involved at the state level and to gather information for strategic planning.
  5. State auditors are here going over the books.
  6. Have not been able to close on the Wallin property.
  7. Attended the NoRisc safety training and was not impressed.
  8. Supervisor did not request that we make changed to the budget that was submitted.  They did discuss trying to start the process a little earlier next year to help us out.
  9. I have 11.5 days of vacation to use in February, with luck I will get’r done.  If I don’t get them used, I will need to carry the hours over as comp time.
  10. Habitat stamp grant review was pulled off.  The new changes may or may not be in effect by the July review.  Dale Garner has been holding the process up, but is now making an effort to get the rule making process moving.  Linn CCB was very upset that it has taken 2+ years to get to this point.

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

 

Naturalist’s report:

4-Jan

CS 7

Hunter Safety (3)

5-Jan

CS 7

Hunter Safety (3)

7-Jan

CS 7

Hunter Safety (3)

11-Jan

cs 3

Soil Conservation (2)

12-Jan

CS 4

Soil Conservation (2)

13-Jan

Project Child Care

Owls

15-Jan

CS 4

Minerals

21-Jan

NK 6

Hormel Nature Center field trip

22-Jan

NK 6

Hormel Nature Center field trip

27-Jan

CS KG

Winter adaptations

28-Jan

CS 2

Soil Conservation

29-Jan

CS KG

Winter adaptations

 

 

 

Jan

Ornithology Class

16 prgrams (daily)

 

 

 

 

 

37 programs

 

 

Started Ornithology class.  Going well.  Have 18 students. 

 

Planned adult trip to Eagle Center, will see if we get any takers…

 

Northwood Hunter safety for 7th grade started. 

 

Christiansen moved to accept the naturalist’s report.  Second by Faber.  Motion carried.

 

The WCDA grant was discussed and the Director was told to submitted it as prepared.

 

There were no mowing bids to open because the adds did not make it into the Anchor and Signal.  Mowing bids will be accepted at the next meeting.

 

There was some discussion on the foundation and the problem that Story CCB is having with the state auditors.  The problem is on funds being donated to the foundation on behalf of the Story CCB and how they are invested.

 

The Director discussed the Experience Works Program and that it would cost very little to use the senior help the program provides.  The Board instructed the Director to check into the program with the intention of hiring someone under the program.

 

Several legislative issues were discussed that were in the newsletter or brought up by Brazelton at the last IACCB board meeting.  At this time there were no issues that needed action on.

 

Cell phone use and the possible need to move into more advanced means of communication were discussed.  Block expressed an interest in getting a Driod which would allow him to use it as a teaching tool because of the MP3 function and the ability to connect to the web.  Mueller had been looking at the possibility of purchasing a blackberry to have e-mail capability away from the office and to have an electronic calendar that is slaved to the office computer.  The Director brought up the idea that other counties give their employees a cell phone stipend, rather than owning the cell phones and the contract.  This eliminates the problems with using a county phone for personnel business.  The issue was tabled until next month.

 

There was a general discussion about the strategic planning effort by IACCB and the potential cost in dues.  The subject of stocking pheasants has started to come up after the hard winter we are having.  The Board expressed that stocking should not be done even on the basis of providing recreation because it will cause people to think the habitat issue is no longer important or correct.

Christiansen moved to pay the following bills:

D & L Equipment

 

 $11,250.00

St Ansgar Plbg & HtgInc

 

 $  1,500.00

Stockton Trout Farm

 

 $     975.00

Alliant Energy

 

 $     680.94

Worth County Engineer

 

 $     345.15

Heartland Power Coop

 

 $     290.41

CNH Capital

 

 $     152.22

ISAC

 

 $     110.00

Prichard's of Northwood

 

 $       95.76

Verizon

 

 $       76.97

Green Canopy

 

 $       75.00

Health Works

 

 $       52.00

City of Northwood

 

 $       34.00

Fallgatters Market

 

 $       30.48

Larry Stone

 

 $       13.00

Northwood Lumber

 

 $       10.00

 

Total

 $  15,690.93

 

Second by Faber.  Motion carried.

 

Vansteenburg adjourned the meeting at 9:30 PM. 

 

 

 

Submitted by:                                                 Approved by:

 

 

_____________________________              ______________________________

Dean Mueller                                                  Jeff Vansteenburg

Director                                                          President