The Tama County Conservation Board met in regular session on Wednesday, April 1, 2009, in the library, Tama County Nature Center, Otter Creek Park.

Chairman Wrage called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.. Members present were: Adolphs, Anderson, Benda, Keenan and Wrage. Also present: Etzel and Wise.

Minutes from the regular session of March 11, 2009, were read. Moved by Adolphs, seconded Benda to approve the minutes as read, carried. (All voting aye)

The following bills were presented:

TO BE PAID FROM GEN'L FUND
		Amount of Bill	Category Total
0001-22-6100-000-40000 Publications & Notices
Tama/Grundy Publishing	Legal notices- crop leases 19 & 26Mar09	54.32	54.32
0001-22-6100-000-41200 Postage
Etzel, Robert	as per three (3) receipts	16.72	16.72
0001-22-6100-000-41400 Telephone
Iowa Telecom	17Mar09, 484-2231 (office), 484-4157 (payphone)	122.10
	17Mar09, 484-5314 (shop)	54.56
Verizon	16Mar09, 484-2231 (office)	9.87
	19Mar09, 484-4157 (payphone)	23.06
	16Mar09, 484-5314 (shop)	10.82
		220.41	220.41
0001-22-6100-000-42200 School of Instruction
Etzel, Robert	Registration- Etzel, Wise- CCPOA Training- Linn Co. 17Mar09	20.00
	Registration- MyCountyParks.com training- Etzel, Wise	10.00
		30.00	30.00
0001-6110-101-22-223
Wise, Craig	6-Mar-09	1,481.60
	20-Mar-09	1,481.60
		2,963.20	2,963.20
0001-6110-101-22-226 Salary
Dolash, Ron	6-Mar-09	1,368.00
	20-Mar-09	1,368.00
		2,736.00	2,736.00
0001-22-6110-000-29050 Min Equip- hand tools
Menard's	#78146 volt tester kit	17.99	17.99
0001-22-6110-000-25450 Mt Veh- Minor Repair
J&V Auto Parts	#393419 grease cap; #393612 sparks plugs	34.00	34.00
0001-22-6110-000-29252 Main & Supplies
Blink's Electric Motors, Inc.	#39882 repair blower motor- heat pump- NC basement	201.00
Menard's	#77966 1/3 hp sump pump (showerhouse);#78146 misc bolts, paint	181.00
		382.00	382.00
0001-22-6110-000-43100 Electricity
Grundy Co REC	OCP thru 3Mar09, 4,760 kwh- meter #1, 5,260 kwh- NC	771.14	771.14
Total Bills Submitted, Gen'l Budget			7,171.46
FROM NATURE CENTER TRUST
0031-22-6120-000-29272 Main & Supplies
My Mother's Place	Fun Nite (4Apr09), adults catered meals @ $8.75/meal
WorkPlacePro.com	#917412 20 Earth day shirts for Fun Nite	148.00
		148.00	148.00
0031-22-6120-000-29672 Art Supplies
Wild Wings	#136975 Items for Fun Nite	339.45
Zach Wildlife Art	Bluebird & Purple Coneflower, November Frost (open)	289.00
		628.45	628.45
Total Bills Submitted, Nature Center Trust			$ 776.45
Total All Bills Submitted			$ 7,947.91

Moved by Anderson, seconded Adolphs to approve bills, carried. (All voting aye).

Reports and Correspondence. Staff /Work. Wise reported on work projects during March which included repair of a fan motor on one of the heat pumps at the Nature Center, pulling road stone back onto park roadway from winter, new parking posts and cable for roadside park, removal of snow fence../Training Etzel & Wise attended law enforcement training on March 17 and MyCountyParks.com training on March 18 both in Linn County,./Fun Nite for the Nature Center Work is proceeding on the April 4^th event, Terry Brown will be in attendance and will be bringing the model of the diorama/County wages Etzel reported that the Supervisors are still discussing wages for FY ’10 but he had not heard if a decision was made. The board discussed their role in salaries as an autonomous board and how well the idea of benchmarked wages for the conservation staff has been working.

Discussion centered on hiring an engineer for the Wolf Creek Nature Trail repair. A quote submitted by Clapsaddle-Garber Associates (CGA) was reviewed. The work proposed by CGA and associated fees were as follows:

Design Phase and Hydrology	Review damage, gather field data, prepare set of plan bidding documents and specs., review mitigation work on east end of trail and determine hydrology associated with the concept	$16,100
Bidding Phase Coordination	Prepare final bidding documents and specs., conduct public hearing for project, notify potential contractors of project, provide a pre-bid walk through for interested contractors, coordinate bidding process, tabulate bids and recommend award of contract, generate contract documents.	$5,600
Construction Phase Mgmt & Documentation	Conduct weekly on-site meetings with contractor & owner, identify project control limits in the field, provide on-site construction observer, perform final inspection, produce an Engineers Statement of Completion and recommend project acceptance	$20,200
		Total Quote $41,900

Etzel reported that he had received the documents on April 1. He had a call in to FEMA to discuss the quote. Etzel was having difficulty determining how much of the total project cost was earmarked for engineering services under the overall FEMA agreement. A Project Manager for FEMA is to return Etzel’s call to answer questions regarding the engineering portion of the project.

Wrage asked if FEMA requires multiple bids from engineering firms for the work. Etzel believed that they did not but would clarify that with the project manager for FEMA. After considerable discussion it was moved by Anderson, seconded Keenan to accept the proposal to provide engineering services for the Wolf Creek Nature Trail as submitted by Clapsaddle-Garber and Associates contingent on approval from the FEMA project manager, carried. (All voting aye)

The Board opened sealed bids received for three year crop leases for the Reinig Wildlife Refuge and Nature Study Area (18.5 acres) and for Parcel B- Hansen Addition to Otter Creek Park (14.0 acres). The following bids were received:

Bidder	Crop Location	Amount Bid	Average per acre
Gerald & Robert Husak	Parcel B- Hansen Addition	$6,623.20	$157.69
Kam Koster & Clint Wobeter	Parcel B- Hansen Addition	$8,400.00	$200.00
Gerald & Robert Husak	Reinig Wildlife Refuge	$8,927.26	$160.85
Kam Koster & Clint Wobeter	Reinig Wildlife Refuge	$8,880.00	$160.00

The Board discussed the long term goals for these properties and when they should come out of production. The revenues generated by the Hansen Addition properties are being used to help fund the completion of the acquisition and to re-establish native vegetation and enhanced water resources on the tracts. The long term goal of the Hansen Addition project is to protect Otter Creek Lake from soil erosion while providing wildlife habitat and accommodate park expansion.

It was moved by Keenan, seconded Benda that the three year crop lease for the Reinig Wildlife Refuge and Nature Study Area (18.5 acres) be awarded to Gerald & Robert Husak, carried. (All voting aye)

It was moved by Keenan, seconded Adolphs that the three year crop lease for the Parcel B- Hansen Addition to Otter Creek Park (14.0 acres) be awarded to Kam Koster and Clint Wobeter, carried. (All voting aye)

Etzel reported that payment for crop lease rent on Parcel A- Hansen Addition had been received for the 2009 crop season. After discussion it was moved by Adolphs, seconded Wrage to request the Supervisors place the $2,209.64 crop rental payment for Parcel A- Hansen Addition (2009) into the Land Acquisition and Development Account (LAD), carried. (All voting aye)

Rev. Tony Hemenway of the Dysart Assembly God Church Outreach Ministries has filed a request to allow Sunday church services to be held in the big shelter at Otter Creek Lake and Park throughout the summer. Services would be held at 7:00 a.m. each Sunday. After discussion it was moved by Benda, seconded Keenan to allow the services to be held on a trial basis for the 2009 camping season, carried. (All voting aye) [Note: The services are being allowed with the understanding that Hemenway will be responsible to clean up the area following each service leaving the site as it was upon arrival.]

Etzel asked the Board to consider hiring a landscape architect to draft drawings to supplement grant applications for the remaining parcels of the Hansen Addition to Otter Creek Park. After discussion it was moved by Wrage, seconded Adolphs that a landscape architectural firm be obtained to produce site drawings for Parcel D. Cost of which is not to exceed $2,000, carried. (All voting aye)

A Tama County Tourism brochure being produced by the Tama County Tourism Committee was discussed. The publication is seeking advertisers for the glossy publication. The brochures will be distributed to the twenty-four welcome centers across Iowa. The board discussed the importance of marketing our county community and the many positive facilities and amenities scattered across our landscape. After discussion it was moved by Benda, seconded Keenan that the County Conservation Board participate in the publication by seeking the best presence possible for $55, carried. (All voting aye)

Brad Benda is currently farming Parcel C of the Hansen Addition project. Parcel C is not slated to be acquired until 2010 at the earliest. This parcel adjoins the recently acquired Parcel B. Benda’s 2008 crop field enters a small portion of Parcel B in the Northwest and Northeast corners of the tract. The field lies north of the waterway that lies near the northern boundary of Parcel B and is only accessible from Parcel C. Benda is interested in cropping the small area to keep his field symmetrical and is willing to pay the Conservation Board at his current crop rent for Parcel C. The exact acreage is yet to be determined but is estimated to be two acres or less and is relatively flat. After discussion it was moved by Keenan, seconded Benda to allow Benda to crop the small portion of Parcel B for the 2009 crop season based on his current per acre rate for Parcel C, carried. (All voting aye) [Note: Etzel will figure the acres off the County Assessor’s plats.]

The Board discussed issues relative to the acquisition of Parcel B- Hansen Addition in December. Kenny Hansen had contacted Etzel regarding getting some of the items off Parcel B. Etzel reminded the Board they had given Hansen some time to remove items off Parcel A after closing on the property in 2007. A report of items that are located north of the centerline of the abandoned county road dividing Parcel A & B was given. This includes seven mobile homes, camper, auger, Chevy pickup, plow, and miscellaneous metal. After discussion it was moved by Wrage, seconded Adolphs that Kenny Hansen has until June 1, 2009, to remove items located north of the centerline of abandoned 270^th St, west of N Ave with the understanding none of the items shall be stored in view of someone standing on any of the parcels of the Hansen Addition to Otter Creek Park, carried. (All voting aye)

After discussion of assorted conservation topics it was moved by Adolphs, seconded Keenan to adjourn, carried, Adjourned 8:50 p.m..

______________________ ______________________

CHAIR VICE-CHAIR