Scott County Soil & Water Conservation District

 Board Meeting Minutes

June 7, 2007

 

Present:  John Hardin Chairperson; Joe Robbins Vice-Chairperson; Bill Comer Supervisor

Absent:  Jeff Coomes, Matt Oberlies

 

CALL MEETING TO ORDER:  Meeting delayed due to arrival of Bill Comer to make quorum.  Chairperson John Hardin called the meeting to order at 7:45 p.m. 

 

MINUTES:  The minutes from the April 19, 2007 meeting were reviewed.  Joe Robbins made a motion to accept the minutes as written with a second by Bill Comer.  All members voted on and motion carried with board members present signing April 19, 2007 minutes.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

CWI Grant #06-CWI-406:  Final grant report and voucher for $317 turned in to CWI.  The $317 will be a direct deposit to Scott County State Bank.

 

Rule 5:  Bill Comer advised he met with Jamie Knowles, Executive Director for the Area Plan Commission.  Jamie told Bill that SWCD should begin charging the Project Site Owner a $250 fee and have them make the check to SWCD.  SWCD in turn will pay the party they are contracting Rule 5 with.  Discussion among supervisors if we should have APC put this in their minutes – Judy will contact Jamie for documentation.

 

Outstanding Expenses from Board Supervisors for Jan2007 IASWCD Conference:  All expenses have been paid.  Spreadsheet with documentation itemizing $750 Incentive Grant sent to Indiana Department of Agriculture for payment.  Voucher received and processed for direct deposit payment to Scott County State Bank.

 

Soil & Stewardship Week:  A follow-up item “53 Ways to Conserve Energy” from the www.reupower.com/energysvc/53ways.html website was distributed as a flyer in the June issue of the Greater Scott County Chamber of Commerce newsletter. 

 

SWCD Business Plan: 

Host A Drainage Workshop:  On hold, will discuss when more supervisors present. 

Wildlife – Purchase of Plotmaster Food Plot Machine:  Bill Comer discussed this at meeting with APC Executive Director Jamie Knowles.  Jamie would like to help with the purchase of this machine but county has no available dollars.  Bill discussed with Quail Unlimited and they do not have dollars for this either.  Refer to SCCF grant application on this.

Wildlife Food Plot Seed:  Three shipments were received by Quail Unlimited.  Each individual bag covered ¼ acre.  310 bags were distributed at no cost to individuals which would cover 77.5 acres of land.  A news article was placed in The Scott County Journal thanking Ray Meahl of Quail Unlimited for being the contact person and planning the shipments, to Ed Roll of ISDA for driving to Salem to pick up the seed, and to Jerry Roach of NRCS for assisting Ed with the unloading of the seed.  Individuals signed distribution receipt forms acknowledging that the seed is intended for wildlife plantings and is to be used for conservation purposes only and not to be sold or used for commercial harvest.  All seed has been distributed.

 

Forestry Field Day:   September 15, 2007:  Discussion held with supervisors directing Judy White to contact Baxter Lumber, Burton Lumber, Bixler Logging, Spencer Logging, and the company across from Scottsburg Fairgrounds to see if they would be sponsors of this event.  Judy is also to contact the Ladies Farm Bureau group and the Purdue Extension Homemakers to see if they will do part of the food.  Ladies Farm Bureau has done the dessert in the past.  Next committee meeting scheduled June 19th.

 

SWCD Website:  SWCD supervisors had approved expenditure for software to revamp website.  Since then, Judy contact IASWCD to see if their not-for-profit status allowed them to purchase software at a lesser cost.  IASWCD can purchase Suite 8 for $100.  Next time they are allowed to purchase will be after July 1st.  Judy will notify them end of June to purchase.  Big savings compared to original cost of $400-$700.

 

5th Annual Pasture Walk:  Terry Goodin & Jeff Lapp do not have bale pads installed on their farms.  Will be late in the year.  Motion made by Joe Robbins with a second by Bill Comer not to have a Pasture Walk this year.  Attendance is usually low in the county with about 10-15 attending.  All members voted on and motion carried.

 

Friendly Farmer Award Application:  Contacts made with Jack Roll and Randy Mace.  Jack expresses thanks to the board for the consideration but declines.  Randy Mace application completed with the assistance of Ed Roll of ISDA.  Application signed by Chairperson John Hardin and mailed. 

 

Hardy Lake Sweep:  JW has obtained enough sponsors received to cover the costs associated with this event.  Deputy Shirts and Stuff will do the t-shirts.  In 2006, 102 shirts were leftover – cannot be reused due to 2006 sponsor names listed on backside of shirt.  Committee decided not to list sponsors on this year’s shirt to allow t-shirt inventory to be used year to year.  T-shirts will be a blue colored shirt this year with the Hardy Lake Sweep logo outlined in black.  This avoids the 3-color cost and changes it to the 1-color rate.  Costs will be $5.25 each with additional $1 charge for XXL sizes.  For any groups signing up after the June 1st deadline, last year’s t-shirts will be given to those volunteers.  Sponsors will receive a certificate and will be acknowledged in news articles. Bill Comer made a motion to approve cost of t-shirts with a second by Joe Robbins.  Discussion followed and motion carried.

 

FY2006 Outstanding Checks:  Judy decided to do one more thorough research on the two outstanding checks to Dennis Wilson and Joe Robbins.  Judy found Joe Robbins check #3957 was voided and reissued.  Could not find where Dennis’s check #3964 dated 9/28/06 was voided.  Reissued Dennis’s check under #4063.  Completed form for Dennis and board members to attest to wherein if Dennis should find check #3964, he will return it to SWCD and that board members acknowledge that a stop payment will NOT be done at Scott County State Bank. 

 

 

 

 

Sales Tax Update:  Indiana Department of Revenue contacted to see if we have filed any returns since JW could not find any hard copies in file cabinets.  SWCD completes annual sales tax returns with zero sales and zero tax due.  This eliminates the $25 application fee discussed in previous meetings.  One will be sent to SWCD for year 2007 – we will enter sales and pay sales tax accordingly.  Flags and cookbooks will be taxed.  JW advised board that previous Office Manager did not list 2006 sales on sales tax returns.

 

Tree Sales:  See New Business section.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

Board Approval Credit Card Resolution:  Bill Comer moved to approve the Resolution for the Use of SWCD Company credit card.  Joe Robbins seconded.  Discussion followed and the motion carried.  Board members signed Company Credit Card Resolution.  SWCD will follow this resolution when utilizing the card.  Second June meeting will address who will be allowed to use the card.  After this is done, JW will take credit card application and copies of minutes to Scott County State Bank for them to issue the card.

 

Fair Week July 15 through July 21:   Supervisor completed sign up sheet.  Matt will have Monday, John Tuesday, Bill Wednesday, Joe Thursday, and Jeff Friday.  Board will not do booth Sunday or Saturday.  Judy will get SWCD fabric bulletin board ready highlighting 2006 and to-date 2007 events for display at fair.  SWCD will have brochures and newsletters available to the public.  SWCD will do duck pond again this year utilizing existing inventory giveaways purchased previous year from Oriental Trading.  They do not want JW to order anything this year.  When inventory exhausts, they will shut down duck pond.    

 

SCCF 2007 Grant Cycle Proposal:  JW will attend SCCF’s Unrestricted Grant Application Workshop being held Thursday, June 21, at 11 a.m. at the LifeLong Learning Center in Scottsburg.  Joe Robbins moved that SWCD apply for dollars to purchase a Plotmaster (food plot machine) and a laser color printer.  Bill Comer seconded.  Discussion followed and the motion carried. 

 

Board Approval Tree Sales:  JW shared a sale pamphlet that she designed for the fall tree sale.  Completion of tree sale pamphlet pending receipt of catalog from Forrest Keeling Nursery.  Will have completed and submit to board for approval at second June meeting or July meeting.

JW passed around the tree sale brochure for board members to review.  Each 3 gallon tree will sell for $20 plus sales tax.  Bill Comer made a motion for approval of tree sale brochure and sale price of trees.  Joe Robbins seconded.  JW will bring final copy of SWCD sale pamphlet to board at second June meeting.  Discussion followed and the motion carried.

 

Board Approval Ordering Flags:  SWCD flags exhausted.  Joe Robbins moved to allow JW to purchase additional flags.  Bill Comer seconded.  Discussion followed and the motion carried.

 

Cookbooks:  JW asked permission from the board to do a 2 for 1 sale of cookbooks. They were published in 2003 and a large number is still on hand.  Board said JW could reduce the price of the cookbook if she wants to.  Joe Robbins moved to approve the request and Bill Comer seconded.  Discussion followed and the motion carried. 

 

Reports:

 

Pat Larr and Laura Fribley absent.  Pat Larr’s report is on the agenda.

Judy White Summary of Activities from April 20 to June 7 distributed.  JW advised date incorrect on 1st page showing to May 7 – should be June 7.  Will correct and reprint for board manual.

 

Financial District Reports:  Bill Comer made a motion to approve financials as presented with the approval of Checks 4054 through 4063 totaling $1,178.55.  Joe Robbins seconded.  Discussion followed and the motion carried.

 

Announcements:

 

Board Chairperson John Hardin felt we should have our regularly scheduled June 21st meeting.  John reminded board members that the July meeting would be held at the SWCD fair booth.  JW will contact board members and notify public.  Bill Comer made a motion to accept John’s recommendation and Joe Robbins seconded.  Discussion followed and the motion carried.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Judy White, SWCD Office Manager