CALL TO ORDER & ATTENDANCE:
Chairman Dan Bangeman 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: Bangeman, Frank De Kort, Ronald Buentemeier, Ken Meckel, James Kehoe and Pete Woll.  Also in attendance were Larry Van Rinsum, Patti Mason and Ginger Kauffman, FCD staff; Mark Deleray, MDFW&P; Angel Rosario and Matt Whithed, NRCS; Todd Johnson, Kate Hunt, Pete Rice, Jason Eliason, Eugene Lee, Delores Lee, Peggy A. Hinkle, John Hinkle Jr., Jack Hinkle, Harry Woll, Tia Robbin, Jeanne Carlson, Bob Fink and Donna Fink.  

MINUTES:
Discussion held.  The following amendments were made to the 2/11/08 minutes under RICE/FL2008005 - Pete Woll abstained.  No action could be taken as there was not a quorum for this project.  Dan Bangeman made a motion “to approve the February 11, 2008, 310-meeting minutes as amended.”  Ken Meckel seconded.  Motion carried.

CORRESPONDENCE: None:

FINANCIAL:
The following bills were reviewed:
1.    Centurytel $255.97
2.    MCI $31.02
3.    Susan D. Hulslander, CPA $251.00
4.    Pitney Bowes $171.00
5.    VISA $1973.68

Frank De Kort made a motion “to approve the bills as presented.”  Pete Woll seconded.  Motion carried.

PUBLIC COMMENT: No comments.

(310) - Applications, Permits, Complaints, Violations, other:
RICE, FL2008005, Flathead River, docks, ramps, rip rap:  Discussion held.  
Dan Bangeman made a motion “that the FCD hold a public information meeting at a future date.”  Frank De Kort seconded.  Motion carried.  Discussion held.  Dan Bangeman made a motion “to have Larry Van Rinsum put a public notice in the Interlake, and ask the Interlake to put in a write up about the meeting.”  Ronald Buentemeier seconded.  Motion carried.  Discussion held.  Dan Bangeman made a motion “that this project be classified as a marina.”  Frank De Kort seconded.  Discussion held.  Dan Bangeman rescinded the motion.  Ronald Buentemeier made a motion “to have copies of the 310 law & adopted rules as handouts at the informational meeting.”  Ken Meckel seconded.  Motion carried.  Discussion held regarding agenda items.  
Pete Woll abstained from voting.

BUSINESS:
NRCS REPORT:

Angel Rosario, NRCS, introduced Matt Whithed, as the new Soil Conservationist in the NRCS office.  Angel reported on the following items:
EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentive Program)
-    Approved all 12 applications for 2008 funding.  ($101,023 total): 8 forestry contracts and
    4 cropland contracts.
-    Have continued to certify completion of practices from previous contracts including
    Technical Service Provider (TSP) payments.
-    Have been working on completion of paper work on new contracts.
OTHER
-    Completed goals and business plans.
-    Farm Bill status
-    Snow Report
-    Conservation: Our Purpose, our Passion campaign

RC REPORT:

Larry Van Rinsum reported:
1.    Worked with the community of Bigfork and Flathead County to setup and formalize the newly appointed watershed group.  Assisted the county in writing their latest 319-grant and defended it in Helena.  The county was awarded 60k in 319 funding out of 68k requested.  I also worked with Patti Mason and defended the riparian education grant in front of the WAWAG group.  Riparian grant was funded 120k out of 139k requested.
2.    I attended the second 310-committee meeting in Helena.  The third drafts of the joint application revisions were discussed.  The first draft for comment should come out of DNRC this week.  The topic of changing the definition of a stream was also discussed; no changes will be made until the Mitchell Slough Supreme Court decision is decided.  We also met with DNRC regarding watershed assistance through DNRC to the field.
3.    I met with Peter Steele, Flathead County Attorneys office, on numerous 310 issues and tax issues.
4.    I met with the county commissioners, again, about the tax issue and they asked the FCD board to reconsider asking Kalispell if they want to join the district.  Met with the county GIS administrator regarding identifying the annexed areas of Kalispell.  The work could be completed using existing GIS layers and software.
5.    I conducted 8 on-sites and landowner visits with supervisors in January and February.
6.    I set up a multi-agency meeting with all the regulators for the dry dock marina project.  The meeting was conducted January 31st at 4PM at the FCD office.  I also researched other regulatory options while in Helena that related to this proposal.
7.    I assisted Patti Mason at the last small acreage landowner seminars and presented at the January 30th event.
8.    The CS&KT Water Compact Negotiations held a meeting Feb. 8 in Pablo.  The tribes unveiled their proposal for unitary administration of water rights to the state.  Copies are available in the FCD office.  Next meeting is February 27.
9.    I have been working with Flathead and Lake Counties along with the CS&KT to try to get a LIDAR project off the ground.
10.    The arbitration meeting for FL2007047 was held on February 19 at the FCD office.  
11.    Met with RLK Hydro to develop a proposal for a CFBTF grant opportunity.

EDUCATION/WATERSHED REPORT: Patti Mason reported:
Education
1.    Flood Awareness Day: Mailed education materials & flyers out to sixth grade
    teachers.  The event will take place May 1, 2008.
2.    Kalispell Middle School: Spent January 31 with 80 sixth graders on water use,
    availability and rights.  Two field days are in development for April 24 and May
    22.
3.    Flathead Forestry Expo:  FFE will be held May 5-9 this year.  Please help if you can.  The station was highly rated last year.
4.    CORE (Community of Resource Educators):  The FCD will be having an information
booth at Depot Park for Earth Day on April 26th.  More booths are planned for this
year.
Outreach
1.    Small Acreage Landowners Workshop Series:  We had a full house. This was a 6 week series, held Jan. 9 – Feb. 13 on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30.  Wesley Gwaltney, Extension office, and I were on KOFI radio on December 3rd to advertise.  Feedback was very positive.  The workshop will be held again next fall or winter.
2.    Realtors Materials:  I am working with Constanza Von der Pahlen from Flathead Lakers, and Nancy Zapotocki from Audubon, to review, survey and develop educational materials for realtors and prospective landowners about healthy riparian areas.
3.    Riparian Media Campaign 319 grant:  The grant was funded for $120,000.  The PIP
(project implementation plan) has been submitted and is undergoing legal review     at
DEQ.
4.    Kalispell Stormwater:  At the request of a consultant for the City of Kalispell, Larry & I expressed what our concerns are about stormwater issues and how & where they affect water quality in the District. 
Watershed Coordination
1.    Swift Creek Coalition:  TMDL studies just about complete, DEQ is identifying
    any data gaps.  They have 319-funding remaining to use for implementation.  The
    Flathead Basin Phase II TMDL model is in development and work is progressing
    on how to divide up the DEQ work; probably assigned teams with one person on
    nutrients, another on sediments, etc.
2.    Haskill Basin:  Work on the Maintenance & Monitoring 319 grant #207039 is
    almost complete.  Fieldwork is done and final data analysis in progress.  The annual
    report has been submitted,  and in-kind match is already met.  Bill Voermans resigned
    from the HBW Council.
3.     Flathead Basin Commission:  FBC met December 20th and will meet again February
    27th.
4.    Mill Creek Weed Management Area (MDA 2006-054): Invoices were paid out.  
    We will submit one final invoice in spring and then close out.

FLATHEAD COUNTY PLANNING BOARD REPORT:  Frank De Kort reported a meeting is scheduled for set backs on March 5th.  The North Shore development on Flathead Lake will come before the FCPB next month.  

WHITEFISH CITY-COUNTY PLANNING:
Ken Meckel reported subdivisions and zoning were discussed.  A cooperative work session is set for next month on the draft Transportation Plan for the City of Whitefish.  Discussion held.

FLATHEAD COUNTY WEED DEPT. REPORT:

FCWD signed a buy-sell on the Christian School.  Conrad Complex lease was discussed.  FCWD is working on forming committees for local areas that would report back to the main board.  A park that was donated to the county last spring, was given back to the original landowner.  A proposal was made to FCWD for approximately 1000 feet of lakefront for park area.

BASIN COMMISSION REPORT: Dan Bangeman reported a meeting was held December 20th.  A streamside setback panel made a presentation February 7th.  A coal bed methane meeting was held February 21st.  British Petroleum is dropping its plans for coal-bed methane exploration in the headwaters of the North Fork of the Flathead River in British Columbia.  The next BC meeting is February 27th, 10-4, in the Flathead National Forest conference room.

HASKILL BASIN WATERSHED:Ronald Buentemeier noted a HB Council meeting should be held in the spring to decide what the council wants to do as Bill Voermans has resigned.


NEW BUSINESS
BUDGET SUMMARY: Ginger Kauffman presented the Budget summary sheet ending January 2008.

SIGNATORY AUTHORIZATIONS: Discussion held.  Frank De Kort made a motion “to amend the 2/11/2008 motion, and retain the past-Chairman as an additional authorized signatory on accounts.”  Ken Meckel seconded.  Motion carried.  

COST SHARE APPLICATIONS: Two applications were submitted and ranked.  Discussion held.  Ronald Buentemeier made a motion “not to approve either of the applications.”  Frank De Kort seconded.  Motion carried.

ADOPTED RULES UPDATES: Larry Van Rinsum reported that FCD office staff is still working on the “draft” updates to the AR’s.  Further research will be done regarding quorum.

TAX ANNEXATIONS: Discussion held.  Ronald Buentemeier made a motion “to send a letter to the City of Kalispell pointing out that there has been an error for a number of years in the areas that are being taxed for the CD, explain the original boundary and annexations, and ask the city what their recommendation would be.”  Frank De Kort seconded.  Motion carried.

LETTER OF SUPPORT TO FLATHEAD COUNTY: Discussion held.  Pete Woll made a motion “to send a letter of support to Flathead County on the Bigfork Stormwater project.”  Frank De Kort seconded.  Motion carried.

LIDAR: Larry Van Rinsum made a presentation to the board for LIDAR.  Light Detection and Ranging is a remote sensing system used to collect detailed topographic mapping data up to 1 foot accuracy.  Agencies involved are looking for grant sponsors; the grant application is due the end of March.  A presentation will be made at the Basin Commission meeting on Wednesday, February 27th.  Discussion held.  

BUSINESS MEETING: Discussion held regarding moving FCD business meetings to day time.  Meeting times will not be changed.

MACD: Pete Woll reported that a work plan was found and will be updated.  MACD officers will be contacting CD’s.  In regards to funding, grants will be applied for, and associate memberships will be sought.

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

ADJOURNMENT: Ken Meckel made a motion “to adjourn.”  James Kehoe seconded.  Motion carried.  As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:12 P.M.

Submitted By:





Ginger Kauffman
Administrator

Minutes approved by motion made on _3/10/2008_____  ___Daniel C. Bangeman___________________
                    (Date)               (Signature)

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