Upper Republican Natural Resources District

Board of Directors Regular Meeting

June 3, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.

135 West 5^th Street, Imperial, NE

Agendas were mailed to all Board Members and all others requesting agendas. Agendas were posted in the NRD Office in Imperial, the NRCS Offices in Grant and Imperial, and the FSA Office in Benkelman. The meeting was announced over KADL-Imperial, KRVN-Lexington and KOGA-Ogallala and published in area newspapers.

Board Members Present: Kerry Bernhardt, Tom Gaschler, Donn Gengenbach, Dean Large, Terry Martin, Mike Mosel, Greg Pelster, Tim Schilke, Mick Strand, Tom Terryberry, and Jeff Wallin.

NRD Staff: Jasper Fanning, Dirk Dinnel and Deb Hayes.

NRD Legal Counsel: Joel Burke.

Others present: Nadine Bishop (NRCS), Traci Witthuhn (RR Basin Coordinator), Stan Loeffler, and Gerald Coates.

Information mailed to Directors:

Transfer request information New pooling information

Report of District Applications & contracts Hazard Mitigation information

Dissolve pool information Funding request

Information distributed at Board meeting:

Agenda Report of District applications & contracts

Minutes of May 6, 2008 Regular Board meeting Republican River Basin Coalition report

Financial reports Funding request

NRCS reports

Chairman Pelster called the meeting to order at 7:37 pm.

Chairman Pelster announced that the Open Meetings Act is posted by the door for review.

Guests, NRCS staff, Board members and NRD staff were introduced.

OPEN FORUMS:

None.

MINUTES:

Ø Martin moved to approve the minutes of the May 6, 208 Regular Board meeting as mailed. Seconded by Gengenbach.

Roll call vote: 9-yes, 2-abstain. Motion carried.

FINANCIAL REPORT:

The Manager presented the Financial Reports to the Board.

Ø Martin moved to approve the Accounts Payable and to accept the Treasurer’s report. Seconded by Mosel.

Roll call vote: 11-yes. Motion carried.

Jasper reviewed the audit bid that was received from McChesney, Martin Sagehorn for the FY audit 07-08.

Ø Gengenbach moved to accept the audit bid from McChesney, Martin, and Sagehorn and not to exceed $4350.00. Seconded by Bernhardt.

Roll call vote: 11-yes. Motion carried.

NRCS REPORT:

Nadine Bishop gave the NRCS report this month. Nadine reviewed the Summary of Major Provisions for the NRCS programs and also reviewed the budget trends from 2005 to 2008comparing initial allocations.

Ø Terryberry moved to approve the NRCS report dated June 2, 2008 and the Conservation Plans as signed for Chase, Dundy and Perkins County. Seconded by Strand.

Roll call vote: 10-yes, 1-abstain. Motion carried.

GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT/RULES AND REGULATIONS:

Duane Dinnel and Tom Luhrs requested to have their transfer request moved to the July Regular Board meeting as they were both unable to attend tonight’s meeting.

Chairman Pelster requested that this item be put on the July agenda for Board action.

The Groundwater Control Committee gave a report on rules considered by the Committee for transfers exceeding 6 miles. The items discussed were should the transfers of acres with low historical use be allowed and if so how should the NRD deal with them? Two options discussed were, transfer acres without carry forward or limit carry forward or transfer the percentage of annual allocation that was historically used on the acres.

VARIANCE COMMITTEE:

None.

REPORT OF DISTRICT APPLICATIONS, CONTRACTS, AGREEMENTS:

The Board reviewed the list of District applications, contracts and agreements.

Ø Large moved to approve the Report of District applications, contracts and agreements. Seconded by Bernhardt.

Roll call vote: 11-yes. Motion carried.

LEGAL COUNSEL REPORT:

None.

REPUBLICAN RIVER BASIN MEETING/COMPACT REPORT:

Jasper discussed the Compact meeting that was held in Lincoln.

REPUBLICAN RIVER BASIN COALITION REPORT:

Jasper reported on the Republican River Basin Coalition meeting that was held May 31^st in Holdrege and on a meeting with the Governor. During the Coalition meeting the Coalition approved the acceptance of the augmentation grant contingent on each Boards approval. The local match is $147933.34 per NRD. The Lower Republican NRD stated did not anticipate that the match on the grant would be so high. They felt that it would be fair for their NRD to only pay 26% of all Coalition expenses. This would be using the same percentages from the 1998-2002 NRD depletions for each NRD. It was noted however, that current depletion percentages have changed considerably from the 98-02 averages.

Traci Witthuhn handed out the Coalition report and reviewed it with the Board. Traci gave a brief summary on each item that was in her written report. Traci reported on the bond payment to BairdHolm. The NARD has paid this bond and now the Coalition needs to reimburse them for this bond. Traci handed out the fact sheet that she and Dirk have been working on.

Ø Terryberry moved to accept the augmentation study grant from IWMPPF as presented. Seconded by Mosel.

Discussion.

Roll call vote: 11-yes. Motion carried.

Ø Terryberry moved that the Upper Republican NRD through the Republican River Coalition pay their share of the BairdHolm bond payment of $7259.02 to NARD. Seconded by Martin.

Roll call vote: 11-yes. Motion carried.

BUILDING PROJECT:

Jasper reviewed with the Board the application and certificate of payment from Dowhower construction. CG Architects recommended, before making payment, to ask for a certificate of insurance for materials that are stored off site.

Ø Martin moved to pay the payment to Dowhower Construction with the stipulation that the contractors provide insurance for items stored off site. Seconded by Gengenbach.

Roll call vote: 11-yes. Motion carried.

ASSISTANT MANAGER’S REPORT:

Dirk reported on the Perkins County Hazard Mitigation meeting he attended. JEO has asked each entity to fill out the Hazard identification form, hazard occurrence record and if there are any potential projects the Board may want done. Chairman Pelster asked that the Information and Education committee assist Dirk with this project.

INFORMATION AND EDUCATION:

Strand gave the Information and Education committee report. The Wauneta/Palisade schools won the State Envirothon contest this year. They are asking for assistance with funding for the Canon Envirothon contest that will be held in Flagstaff Arizona.

Ø Strand moved to donate $500 to Wauneta/Palisade schools for expenses to the National Canon Envirothon Contest. Seconded by Bernhardt.

Discussion.

Ø Wallin moved to amend the main motion to strike donate $500 and to insert donate $600. Seconded by Large.

Roll call vote: 11-yes. Amendment carried.

The main motion now reads: to donate $600 to Wauneta/Palisade schools for expenses to the National Canon Envirothon contest.

Roll call vote: 11-yes. Amended motion carried.

The Information and Education committee will be reviewing the award program. This year the NRD will be nominating an individual or family for the tree planters’ award.

The NRD newsletter was sent out and Heather will start working on the Long Term Implementation Plan. The Information and Education Committee will need to review this when it is ready.

LEGISLATION:

The Board discussed the Interim study hearing for qualification of the Director of DNR. This hearing will be held June 24^th in North Platte.

Ø Terryberry moved to support NARD position that the Director of DNR not have an engineer’s license. Seconded by Mosel.

Roll call vote: 10-yes, 1-no. Motion carried.

Voting yes: Bernhardt, Gaschler, Gengenbach, Large, Mosel, Pelster, Schilke, Strand, Terryberry and Wallin. Voting no: Martin.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Discussion was held for a Board retreat during the summer and also possible having monthly committee meetings to keep everyone up to date.

Chairman Pelster adjourned the meeting at 9:41 pm. The next Regular Board meeting will be Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at the NRD Office in Imperial starting at 7:30 pm.

Respectfully submitted

Tom Terryberry

Secretary/Treasurer