CALL TO ORDER & ATTENDANCE: Chairman Pete Woll called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. in the conference room with the following Supervisors, being a quorum of the Board, in attendance: Woll, Dan Bangeman, Ronald Buentemeier, and James Kehoe.  Also in attendance were Larry Van Rinsum, Patti Mason and Ginger Kauffman, FCD staff; and Angel Rosario, NRCS. 

MINUTES: Dan Bangeman made a motion “to approve the minutes of the November 5, 2007, 310-meeting as presented.”  James Kehoe seconded.  Motion carried.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: None.

CORRESPONDENCE: 
1.    Letter from Western States regarding coverage for employees using their own personal autos on CD business.
2.    Information & registration for “Oilseeds for Fuel, Feed and the Future” workshop January 9-10 in Billings.
3.    Voting ballot in regards to changes in the 457 Account.

FINANCIAL: 
- Bills:    The following bills were reviewed:
1.    Centurytel $257.91
2.    MCI $37.00
3.    Pitney Bowes $171.00
4.    RLK Hydro $1987.51
5.    Susan D. Hulslander $121.00
6.    VISA $1375.29
7.    RDG $3588.00

Dan Bangeman made a motion “to approve the bills as presented.”  James Kehoe seconded.  Motion carried.

- Grant Invoices
Haskill Creek M&M Gr #207039 (Invoice):  No new invoice.  Payment approved to RDG under Bills.
Noxious Weed Gr #MDA 2006-054 (Invoice): Discussion held.  Ronald Buentemeier made a motion “to approve the Noxious Weed grant #MDA 2006-054 Invoice for $1287.00 and send to MT Dept. of Ag for payment.”  Dan Bangeman seconded.  Motion carried.
FCD 11/26/2007 Business Meeting minutes
 
- Budget Review (October 2007): Ginger Kauffman presented the Budget summary sheet ending October 31, 2007.


BUSINESS
NRCS REPORT: Angel Rosario, NRCS, reported:
    EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentive Program)
    -    Finalized field inventories for all 12 applications
    -    All applications are ranked.  1st round of funding will end December 31st.
    -    Have been certifying completion of practices from previous contracts.
    OTHER
    -    Gave presentation on EQIP Forestry at Society of American Foresters Chapter meeting,
    -    Soil Conservationist position status.
    -    MACD Convention

RC REPORT: Larry Van Rinsum reported:
1.    District historical records were received from the MT. Historical Society.  He and Peter Steele, Flathead County attorney’s office, will proceed in approaching the county to rectify the tax situation.

2.    The Bigfork drainage project is underway.  DEQ funded the county with 25k of 319-funds to cover the initial PER study.  The county also applied for another 68k through the normal 319-grant cycle.  The county met with the Bigfork Advisory Council to create a formal watershed subcommittee.

3.    Met with the county attorney on the tax situation and various 310-issues.

4.    Attended the 310-committee meeting in Missoula on November 6th.  The meeting was well attended by all the regulatory entities as well as industry.  Some changes were made to the Joint Application.  The next meeting will be held in January.

5.    Attended the MACD convention in Bozeman November 13-16.

6.    Conducted 4 on-sites and landowner visits with supervisors in November.

7.    The FCD conducted a joint meeting with FWP, RDG and Bayside Park & Marine over the engineering report. 

8.    Assisted Patti Mason in development of the E/O 319-grant.  Contacted Mike Volesky to see if the Governors office would want to support the project.  Additionally, the CS&KT have shown interest.

9.    Three landowners on the lower Flathead River have decided to undergo a massive stabilization project.  The project will cover approximately 800-900 feet of vertical bank.  Erosion Control Projects, a company that manufactures erosion control mats, is donating 6-9 rolls of a new product called V-Max for this project to gauge its effectiveness on the Flathead River.

10.    Met with Wesley Gwaltney, MSU Extension, and Patti Mason to finalize Small Acreage Workshop agenda. Discussion held.  Dan Bangeman made a motion “to approve applying for a DNRC $500 education mini-grant to help cover the cost of the small acreage workshop.”  James Kehoe seconded.  Motion carried.

EDUCATION/WATERSHED REPORT:  Patti Mason reported:
Education (K-12 outreach)
1.    Kalispell Middle School field day at Creston Fish Hatchery:  85 sixth graders learned about the hatchery, macro invertebrates, riparian vegetation and the Hatchery’s new water quality treatment plant.

2.    Community of Resource Educators:  Recent trunk workshop was very well received, so will repeat again next August.  CORE plans to help with the following upcoming events: Winter Trails Day (part of a national event to promote outdoor winter recreation), Winter Ecology workshop (tracks, winter animal behavior, etc.), Earth Day at Kalispell’s Depot Park (1st meeting next week). 

3.    A grant proposal was submitted to purchase a display to use at events like teacher’s conferences and Earth Day.

4.    CORE is looking for funding for the website. 
    Discussion held.  Ronald Buentemeier made a motion “to pay $150.00 toward the CORE website.”  Dan Bangeman seconded.  Motion carried.

Outreach (other)  Patti Mason reported: 

1.    The agenda for the Small Acreage Landowner Workshop series is finalized.  The series will begin January 9th and will run for 6 Wednesdays.  This will be held in cooperation with MSU extension.  DNRC education mini grant would help pay for expenses.

2.    Riparian Outreach Campaign 319-grant proposal:  Grant is a partnership with Gallatin, Lewis & Clark, Missoula, Ravalli and Lake Counties to use TV, radio and newspaper to educate about riparian function.  FCD has been asked to administer this grant, as we are the only partner with experience administering 319-grants. 
    Discussion held.  Changes will be made to the application, copies will be sent to supervisors and a phone poll will be made before Friday.

Watershed Coordination
1.    Attended the October 30th Flathead Basin Commission meeting in Pablo.

 
2.    Mill Creek Weed Management Area:  Noxious weed trust fund grant MDA 2006-054 invoice ready to be submitted to MT Dept Ag.

3.    Haskill Basin Watershed Group:  On November 1-2, Whitefish High School FREEFLOW students cut willows for the restoration project.  Restoration work along Haskill Creek on Voerman’s took place in the last 2 weeks.

4.    Whitefish Water Quality Advisory Committee meeting was October 24.  No quorum.  Those attending discussed a potential project on Cow Creek.
Other

1.    Attended MACD Convention November 13-16.

BASIN COMMISSION REPORT: Dan Bangeman reported the last meeting was October 30th at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo. Steve Running put on a presentation on climate change.  There was discussion on oil & gas leases in the Flathead.  A meeting is planned in January with Baucus, Tester and the British Columbia government regarding the mining in the North Fork.  An MOU with Montana/Alberta re: Crown of the Continent has been developed & signed.  The next meeting is scheduled for December 20th.  FBC will be in temporary office space in the Devonshire building, and then move to the new FS/DNRC building when it is completed.

FLATHEAD COUNTY WEED DEPT. REPORT:  No Report.

HASKILL BASIN WATERSHED: Ronald Buentemeier reported that he had gone to the restoration site to view work.  Patti Mason reported that the Whitefish High School students did their water quality testing on Haskill Creek.


NEW BUSINESS:
CD SUPERVISORS ON PLANNING BOARDS: Discussion held.

The next 310-meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 10, 2007, 7:00 P.M. in the conference room of the USDA building at 133 Interstate Lane, Kalispell, MT.

ADJOURNMENT:  Dan Bangeman made a motion “to adjourn.”  James Kehoe seconded.  Motion carried.  As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 P.M.

Submitted By:




Ginger Kauffman
Administrator


Minutes approved by motion made on __12/10/2007____  _____Pete C. Woll______________________
                    (Date)               (Signature)

                               _______Chairman________________________
                                     (Title – Chairman, Vice-Chairman, etc.)