FCD BOARD

MONTHLY BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES

                                                             October 22, 2007

 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, Frank De Kort, Ronald Buentemeier, Ken Meckel, and James Kehoe.  Also in attendance were Larry Van Rinsum, Patti Mason and Ginger Kauffman, FCD staff; and Angel Rosario, NRCS.

 MINUTES: Frank De Kort made a motion “to approve the minutes of the October 15, 2007, 310-meeting as presented.”  Dan Bangeman seconded.  Motion carried.

 CORRESPONDENCE:  None.

 FINANCIAL:  The following bills were reviewed:  

1.         Centurytel $256.18

2.         MCI $27.18

3.         Susan D. Hulslander, CPA $158.00

4.         VISA $738.80

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

 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: No comments.

 NCOC: Ted Dodge did not attend.

 NATURAL STREAMBED APPLICATIONS AND VIOLATIONS:

FEENEY/FL2007081V/Whitefish River/reported violation (Meckel): Discussion held.  Dan Bangeman made a motion “to send a copy of the October 15, 2007, 310-meeting minutes to John Phelps, Whitefish City attorney.”  Frank De Kort seconded.  Motion carried.

NRCS REPORT: Angel Rosario, NRCS, reported:

EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentive Program)

-  Completed field inventories for most of the 12 applications.

-  Approved one application for Fire Special Initiative for grazing deferral in 2008 on the Chippy Cr. Fire area.

-  Have been certifying completion of practices from previous contracts.

-  Have completed several tree orders for tree planting projects next spring.

 WRP (Wetland Reserve Program) & FRPP (Farm and Ranch Protection Program)

-  Completed field investigation and ranking for three WRP applications (one was submitted for approval).

-   NRCS-Bozeman has approved two FRPP applications from the Flathead.

Other

-   Provided space for a part time RC&D employee (Darby Whitmarsh) at the       Kalispell NRCS office.

-   Soil Conservationist position was advertised for Kalispell; received 10   applications.

-    Attended “Lessons of the Lakes” conference in Polson.

RC REPORT: Larry Van Rinsum reported:

1.         As of January 1, 2008, the Flathead CD will be required to have seats on the planning boards for the cities of Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls; members must live in the area.

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

3.         Any areas annexed into the City of Kalispell, after 1945, were somehow removed from being taxed for the Flathead CD.  The Flathead CD has continued to provide service to those areas through the years.  Discussion held.  Ronald Buentemeier made a motion “to instruct Larry Van Rinsum to go to the County Commissioners and ask that the annexed areas to the City of Kalispell, be designated and so taxed to be part of the district.”  Dan Bangeman seconded.  Motion carried.

4.         Bigfork drainage project: DEQ funded Flathead County with 25k in 319 grant funds to cover the initial PER study.  The county also applied for another 68k through the normal 319-grant cycle.  The county is looking at hiring a watershed coordinator to help guide the project. 

5.         The 310 committee will hold a meeting on November 6th in Missoula.  Topics will include possible changes to the definition of a project, what constitutes a perennial stream and changes to the 310 application.

6.         Due to an unexpected health issue, Marc Spratt was unable to meet the September 28th deadline for the RDRG grant for the CFBTF.  This grant will be open again in 3 months and application will be made.

8.         Frank De Kort, Dan Bangeman and I attended the Great Lakes Conference in

            Polson, which was put on by the FBC.  

9.         I attended the quarterly RC&D meeting in Kalispell.  They have a large amount of funds available for defensible space/fire wise work with private landowners in Flathead County.

10.       The office staff has been exploring options with other financial institutions to

modify or change the 457 retirement plan.  This change will have no bearing on the office as enrollment is voluntary.

11.       Three landowners, on the lower Flathead River, have decided to undergo a stabilization project covering approximately 800-900 feet of vertical bank.  The project will be completely funded with private dollars.

12.       Compiled report & attended the Area V meeting along with Pete Woll, Patti

            Mason, Ginger Kauffman, Shirley Harrison and Ken Meckel.

13.       Bayside meeting is scheduled for November 7, 10:00 AM in the conference room.

 
EDUCATION/WATERSHED REPORT:  Patti Mason reported:

Education & Outreach

1.         Hedges Elementary School.  Dan Bangeman and I had the Rolling Rivers trailer out at Tanya Brist’s on Sept. 14^th with Hedge’s fifth graders (50 kids).  We also walked them down to the riparian zone.  She has invited us to return next year.

2.         CORE (Community of Resource Educators).  CORE held a teacher’s trunk workshop on Oct. 18.  About 14 local educators attended.  The Rolling Rivers trailer was there, as was information about Flood Awareness Day, School Grants and other educational materials.

3.         Kalispell Middle School:  Tentative date for Karen Hutchison’s sixth grade field trip to Creston Fish Hatchery is Oct. 31.  Two more field trips are scheduled in the spring (85 kids).

4.         A “Living by Water” follow-up on-site to the Flathead River in Columbia Falls fostered a discussion of river access trails improvements.  25 attended LBW on Sept 8th.

5.         Small Acreage Landowner workshop series is in development.

6.         Riparian Buffer Public Education Campaign:  319 Education & Outreach grant proposal from Missoula, Lewis & Clark, Gallatin, Ravalli, Lake and Flathead consortium to coordinate public service announcements for TV, radio and newspaper. 

7.         Ads & articles have been and will continue to come out in the Daily Interlake.

8.         Made a Rolling Rivers trailer presentation on Oct 18 to the Flathead County

            Planning Board.

Watershed Coordinator

1.         -           Haskill Basin Watershed Council:  Meetings on Sept. 11 and Oct. 2. HBWC voted to pursue funding for a project between Voermans and Monegan

roads that would apply similar restoration work as that used on the Voermans/Klungness restoration site. 

-           RDG submitted the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for approval so the work for 319-grant #207039 can begin.  HBWC has approved the plan.  Construction is scheduled to begin the first week in November.  Discussion held.  Frank De Kort made a motion “to approve QAPP for 319 grant #207039, and send to DEQ.”  Dan Bangeman seconded.  Motion carried.

-           Whitefish Water Quality Advisory Committee will meet next on Oct 24 at 4 pm in the Whitefish Public Library meeting room.

2.         Mill Creek Weed Management Area.  Request for invoices went out so that another request for payment could be made.  The grant received a one-year extension.

 Other

1.         I attended the Big Sky Public Procurement Association (BSPPA) conference; main theme was on project management.

2.         Attended Area V meeting in Helmville on Oct. 3.

 
FLATHEAD COUNTY PLANNING BOARD REPORT: Frank De Kort reported:

1.         Wednesdays are subdivision reviews.

2.         Thursdays are subdivision regulations & re-review of items sent back from the   County Commissioners.

3.         Public hearing (for new subdivisions) setbacks was held.  Discussion on those    setbacks will occur November 1^st and a presentation will be made by Mark

            Deleray & Wade Fredenberg.  Other experts have made presentations at earlier            meetings.

4.         FCD representative for the FCPB:  Dan Bangeman made a motion “that Frank De        Kort be appointed as the Flathead CD 2008 representative to the Flathead County          Planning Board.”  Ken Meckel seconded.  Motion carried.

 BASIN COMMISSION REPORT: Dan Bangeman reported a monitoring committee meeting was held October 23^rd; Dan was unable to attend.  The “Lessons of the Lakes” conference was held last week in cooperation with other agencies. 

FLATHEAD COUNTY WEED DEPT. REPORT: Pete Woll reported that a landowner, below the old red school house in Lakeside, signed a 30-35 year lease allowing the County to have a dock, 3-4 picnic tables & parking for a few cars for day use.  The county still needs 1 million dollars to purchase property from Stillwater Christian School.  The board is negotiating a new lease at Conrad Complex.  Bibler bike path is proposed, this would tie in with the “Rails to Trails” paths.

 HASKILL BASIN WATERSHED: See Education/Watershed report.

 NEW BUSINESS

BUDGET REVIEW: (Sept. 2007) Ginger Kauffman presented the Budget summary sheet ending September 2007.

 2007/2008 FINAL BUDGET: Discussion held.  Ken Meckel made a motion “to approve the final 2007/2008 budget, sign and return to Flathead County.”  Frank De Kort seconded.  Motion carried. 

 NOV & DEC MTG DATES: Discussion held.  Dan Bangeman made a motion “the November 310-meeting will be held November 5.  The December business meeting is cancelled.”  Frank De Kort seconded.  Motion carried.

 WEBSITE: Patti Mason presented a “draft” of the new website to the board.  Corrections will be made and the website will go live soon.

 MACD CONVENTION: Four will be attending the MACD convention in November. 

 The next 310-meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 5, 7:00 P.M. in the conference room of the USDA building at 133 Interstate Lane, Kalispell, MT.

 ADJOURNMENT:  Frank De Kort made a motion “to adjourn.”  Dan Bangeman seconded.  Motion carried.  As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:20 P.M.

 Submitted By:

 Ginger Kauffman, FCD Administrator

 Minutes approved by motion made on ______________  ______________________________________

                                                                                (Date)                            (Signature)

                                                                                                       ______________________________________

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