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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNHSWCD_10-17-2011_approved minutes New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District Board Meeting held at Wilmington, NC. Meeting Number 5_ Date: _October 17, 2011 Supervisors Present: Others Present: Bill Hart, Vice-Chair Dru Harrison, Director Steve Skavroneck Amy Long, Education Coordinator Donna Moffitt, Secretary/Treasurer Jane Wood, NRCS-NCDENR Nancy Pritchett Dave Thomas, Chair - late Was this meeting held during a meal: No _ Mr. Hart called the meeting to order at 1:12pm. Hearing no further objections, Mr. Hart approved the agenda as amended. MINUTES: September 19, 2011 regular monthly board meeting #4. Ms. Moffitt, Mr. Skavroneck and Mr. Hart submitted corrections ahead of time. Mr. Hart struck several of his edits: additions to the Eagles Island paragraph on page 2 and Eagles Island Coalition additions on page 3. Deletions have been made on the hardcopy. Mr. Hart moved to accept the minutes as amended in circulation and in the meeting. Mr. Skavroneck seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously. FINANCIAL REPORT: MONTHLY RECONCILIATION Ms. Harrison presented the reports. Presenting the old layout plus her. This carry over is not included in the reserve, it is in addition to the reserve. Expenditures line item: This explains the additional taxes that were budgeted for in FY11 but were not paid until FY12. Summary is at bottom of page, revenues against expenditures. NHSWCD is currently using reserve funds to make the bills and payroll while waiting for FY12 payments to be received. - members were pleased with this layout and want to adopt this year-to-date (YTD) budget vs. actuals on a monthly basis. The check register will still be reported in addition to this YTD budget report. ting was for FY10-11. It is a basic summary only. Detailed charts are 9 pages long and are available if anyone wants them. Mr. Skavroneck suggested renaming some of these line- udget. Board agreed that this report should be given once a quarter. Mr. Hart moved to accept the report in all of its parts for the record. Ms. Pritchett seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously. 1 SUPERVISOR REPORT: A. Issues Committee and District Meetings follow-up: Ms. Moffitt reported that she has not spoken with Kristina Fischer about this. She will talk to her tomorrow at the Fall Area Meeting, but felt that this does not need to be addressed in a further Board Meeting. B. Education Update: Ms. Long reported on the new layout of the education report --- it is by fiscal quarter to be aligned with City contract reporting. Of note, contest progress and training courses. NHSWCD will have a booth at the Cape Fear Fair & Expo. Î Stormwater 101 presentation discussion regarding ways to entice realtors to attend. Î CCAP interest from some schools: Ms. Pritchett suggested contacting the Friends School Î and Myrtle Grove Christian. Ms. Harrison reported on the NAAEE conference she attended. It went well and was well attended (Thursday and Friday). Andy Wood was a featured author. PROJECT UPDATES: A. Eagles Island (EI): Ms. Harrison reported. She emailed the draft language for the dedication to everyone. Comments must be sent to Ms. Harrison by 10/24/11. Mr. Hart has no further comments. The Board and staff are the only people commenting on the wording. B. Cost Share Programs: Ms. Harrison reported on Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP). The Airlie Garden cistern will be installed sometime during the first week of November. Ms. Î Harrison is attending cistern installation training prior to that, but will not be at Airlie for their installation. Î is still unclear as to whether CCAP money can be used for the issues at this site. Water is moving across the site over a dirt road that is privately owned. A swale is the needed BMP. Phil Prete(?) (planner with City of Wilmington) and Coastal Federation have both asked if Î NHSWCD has additional funds to install a cistern at a fire station. Ms. Harrison told them that C. Stewardship: Ms. Harrison reported. February 23, 2012 is the luncheon and training event. There will be two training sessions with CEUs offered geared towards two focus groups, realtors and engineers/architects/surveyors. The training sessions will be separated by the awards luncheon. Coastal Federation (Hunter Freeman) will do a low impact development (LID) software workshop for realtors. The other is not yet set. Event will be held at the new Wilmington Realtors Association building near May Fair. There are 5 projects being judged; 4 in the City of Wilmington and one in th Brunswick County. Judging is on the 28 of October. Mr. Hart met with Donna Girardot, Executive Officer with Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association. He assured her that the District does not want to shed the relationship and she reaffirmed that they will continue to support the District and CCAP. The issues are with Stewardship and levels of support. Mr. Hart told her that the District would continue to reduce their own contribution. The feeling was that the Stewardship Program should support itself at this point in time. He encouraged the Home Builders Association to not withdrawal on the basis of money. They are currently giving $2000 to the program. She understood that and their board is concerned nings. Mr. Hart was of the impression that Stewardship Chair and suggested that minutes be sent directly to the Home Builders Council and that they contact the Council to find out what training was appropriate and desired by that group. 2 Ms. Moffitt suggested that the District reevaluate the level of involvement with Stewardship. Ms. Harrison reminded the Board that Stewardship is a large part of the City contract, so if the District cuts back, the contract will need to be supplemented with other deliverables if we want to maintain the same level of funding. Ms. Harrison added that a bylaws change will be coming up for vote at Stewardship regarding membership. Pender SWCD and RC&D (Marilyn Meares) will be dropped due to inactivity or non- representation. PARTNER REPORTS: A. Division Report: Ms. Kristina Fischer was not present. Her report was distributed through email and print outs are in the meeting folder. Ms. Harrison reminded everyone of the Fall Meeting, tomorrow October 18 in Burgaw, and the Annual meeting, registration is now open and early st registration ends December 1. The Jim Stevenson application for the Community Conservation Award has been submitted. B. NRCS Report: Ms. Jane Wood arrived at 3:30 and gave this report after New Business discussion. No written report was but distributed, but Ms. Wood updated the Board about 619 Compliance (part of the farm bill). Farm and tract numbers are protected. The District needs to sign this acknowledgement Board would like to review this and present it at another meeting. Ms. Wood also reported that she still has a standing application for WHIP/EQUIP in New Hanover. OLD BUSINESS: A. Strategic Plan. Free facilitator search: Mr. Hart reported that he contacted Mark Imperial about locating a Î facilitator but has heard nothing back. Ms. Pritchett suggested asking Ms. Pat Melvin if she can be found. Mr. Hart said he would try to contact her and will try Imperial within the week. Draft agenda: Mr. Skavroneck reported. He distributed a starter piece via email earlier today to Î get everyone thinking about how to run the Strategic Plan Work Session. He highlighted his 5 long-term issues, recognizing that others may have different ones. He suggested identifying one or two issues to work on at a time and having additional work sessions to get to the rest. 1. How to evaluate whether current activities and policies are having a significant, positive impact. 2. i.e. what are we not currently doing that we could/should be doing? 3. Develop a comprehensive strategy fo protection activities, including policies relating to prioritizing watersheds; land holding, management and stewardship; endowment fees etc. (From previous strategic plan) 4. How can staff and supervisors work together to enhance the effectiveness of District operations? (This issue came to mind after participating in recent staff evaluations.) 5. How to ensure stable, long-term funding for District activities. Mr. Hart thinks item #3 needs to be expanded to look into how to raise money to sustain the District. Mr. Skavroneck comented on #4; expectations of supervisors needs to be addressed. 3 Ms. Pritchett and Moffitt asked about item #1; Physically we can measure tons of soil saved and nutrients kept out of waterways, but how do you measure policies and education? Mr. th November 17 meeting. B. Secondary employment of district employees (form): Ms. Harrison and Moffitt reported. Ms. Moffitt had previously asked Ms. Harrison to bring find existing policies from the City and County to the next board meeting and forms from other agencies, she has City and County forms they are included in the folders. Ms. Moffitt commented that she likes the form that Ms. Harrison developed; it is a reasonable amount of information. The Chair will review the form, he/she makes the decision, and then reports back to the Board if it was accepted or denied. This form should be submitted only upon a change in employment. Ms. Moffitt moved that the Secondary Employment of District Employees form created by Ms. Harrison be adopted by the Board with the change that on; motion passed unanimously. The expectation implication is that staff will submit completed forms about their current secondary employment the form to Mr. Thomas for his review and approval prior to the November board meeting. ï% C. Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control ActLGBFCA) compliance (daily deposit waiver, check signature requirement): Ms. Harrison reported. Dual check signature requirement: BB&T Bank explained to Ms. Harrison that the reason the Î audits never caught this compliance issue is b and hence the dual signatory requirement for every check. Ms. Harrison contacted Kara (?) in the School of Government to get more information, but has not heard back from her. A compliance audit would cost double what the District currently pays and budgets for. The County only requires a cash audit. ï Daily Deposit Waiver: Ms. Harrison read the verbiage for the daily deposit waiver authorized Î The Board of Supervisors gives NHSWCD staff a waiver authorized by the LGBFCA of the daily deposit requirements, such that deposits under $250 can be made within the month they are received. Deposits over $250 must Ms. Moffitt moved that the proposed statement granting the daily deposit waiver to staff be authorized by the LGBFCA motion; motion passed unanimously. Direct Deposit: Setting up direct deposit would eliminate the double check signature Î compliance issue, but there is a fee for the District to use direct deposit ($1.50 per check) through QuickBooks. The Board can change the pay period and the way staff is paid (combining all reimbursement and benefit checks into one with the regular wage check) if so desired to save money on direct deposit fees. Ms. Harrison will talk to the bank and Kara about waivers for any of these fees. ** Mr. Thomas and Ms. Jane Wood both arrived at the end of the LGBFCA discussion.** NEW BUSINESS: A. Travel forms: Ms. Long explained that the Department of Agriculture requires direct deposit for Supervisor reimbursements. No exceptions. Ms. Moffitt and Mr. Skavroneck returned the completed applications. Mr. Thomas elected not to file for reimbursements. 4 B. Coastal Envirothon donation/dues: Ms. Harrison will pay this $100 donation in January when cash flow is steadier. Please talk to Farm Bureau friends and Industry people to sponsor this event. UPCOMING EVENTS: October 18 - Fall Area VI meeting, Historic Train Depot (Burgaw) 9:30 registration, 10am call to order October 24, 25, 27 - Trask field days at Greenfield Lake, 9:15 to 1:00pm October 27 through November 6 Cape Fear Fair & Expo October 29 Operation Medicine Drop, 9am 1pm Medical Mall October 31 CFRC&D, Government Building, HR Dept., training rooms A&B, 11:00 to 1:30pm (rsvp by 10/24) November 10 Rain Barrel Sale November 11 November 16 KAB meeting, 11am Airlie cottage th November 17 1pm to 4pm in room 500. Annual meeting January 8-10, Greensboro, Koury Convention Center. Online registration now open! Due 12/1/11 th, : November 171pm Set next meeting date. Strategy Plan first followed by regular meeting. th December 124pm regular meeting at , followed by holiday dinner. Ms. Moffitt shared an article about a watershed project in Hyde County that started in the 1 keep water out of farmland. They attribute their luck in surviving Hurricane Irene flooding directly to this project. SWCD saved the county! Hearing no further business, Ms. Moffitt moved to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Skavroneck seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 3:06pm. Recorded By: Amy Long Approved By: Dave Thomas, Chair, 12/12/2011 TISK LIST: Work on changing the labels in the Profit and Loss Statement to be consistent with our other reports. Dru for next meeting Make contact with Friends School for possible delivery of our education programs. Amy Review and comment on property dedication language. (Dru will resend) Supervisors by 11/24 Review ideas for long-term planning and provide comment to Steve. Supervisors and staff Revisit appropriate pay period for staff. Supervisors and staff Review NRCS Section 1619 Compliance document. Supervisors 5