 |
Wisconsin Association
|
WALCE BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Stevens Point, WI
1. Call to Order by President Dale Hanson, 9:35 a.m.
2. Approval of Minutes from April 13, 2007 Board Meeting. Motion to approve minutes by O’Connell/Leonard. Carried.
3. Treasurer’s Report. Hernandez presented report. He cannot find a firm to do a procedures audit, they all want to offer a complete audit at a cost of $300 to 800. Board felt internal audits were sufficient and external not needed at this time. Suggestion was made to do procedures review at time of some future external audit. County Conservationist meeting is scheduled for October 4 and 5 in Waupaca. September 4 will be the early registration deadline for the hotel and he emphasized that Secretary should send registration information to agencies along with counties. Renewed one of CD’s. New laptop was purchased. Motion by Calkins/O’Connell to accept report. Carried.
4. Approval of expense vouchers. WLWCA professional services bill was received but not reviewed by the Administrative Committee yet. Hernandez submitted voucher for his travel expenses. Motion by Van Berkel/Leonard to approve. Carried.
5. Consider options for disposal or reuse of older WALCE laptop. Sweeney asked to be assigned the computer for use in web site maintenance. Motion by Leonard/Calkins to assign it to Sweeney with the stipulation that we support it for this use if it needs software and that the computer return to the Board if not required in future. Carried.
6. Administrative Committee referrals and updates - Johnson - will meet next week.
A. Update on request for non-point program evaluation. Developed some issues that stalled progress but will return in future.
B. Update on state budget proposal. Two very different proposals came from Senate and Assembly. Will continue to monitor progress.
C. ATCP 50 and NR 151 Adm Code comment procedures. Details will be handled under item 13.
7. Professional Improvement Committee referrals and updates - Pohle - have not met since last Board meeting. Have e-mailed discussion regarding some potential policy changes and will e-mail those to Board if needed after meeting.
8. Technical Committee referrals and updates - Micheel - handled by O’Connell. Met June 6, Kevin Hogan, involved in SNAP and transect development, attended and provided beneficial input.
A. Report on transect survey update. Will be ready for testing soon.
B. Annual Fall Technical Tour Will go to Leopold Legacy Center in Sauk County and then a composting barn in Columbia County.
C. Sent out questionaire on EQIP cost sharing.
D. Met with Realtor’s Association on identifying manure storage facilities on disclosure sheet - not likely to happen - too crowded and too difficult. Will include on a “worksheet”.
9. Annual review of Association By-laws - postponed from April meeting. Board went over By-laws with some problems. The by-laws members printed from the web-site did not appear to be most current despite the same revised date as others old copies. Board reviewed entire document and agreed there were minor changes needed regarding; nominations and voting procedures, management of elections, allowance for e-mail nominations and voting, a need to allow an increase in members of the Professional Improvement Committee and some minor grammar corrections. Van Berkel was directed to work with others and make the changes offered by the Board and bring the revisions to the October Board meeting for formal action and then presentation to the Association for consideration at the annual meeting.
10. Review and approval of committee appointments
A. Professional Improvement Committee - Patrick Goggin
B. Administrative Committee - Greg Cleereman, Steve Bradley
Motion by Leonard/Calkins to approve the nominations. Carried. Hanson brought up Cleereman’s willingness to serve on both the Professional Improvement and Administrative Committees and with the allowance for more members on Professional Improvement the possibility of appointing him to both. Hanson will contact Cleereman regarding this possibility. Pohle questioned how to deal with previous action of the Board appointing three people from the Western Area to the Professional Improvement Committee when the by-laws only provide for two per area. Recommendation was that Pohle abstain from voting until the potential revision to allow more voting representatives is considered by the membership at the annual meeting.
11. Request to use funds made available for National Watershed Conference attendance. Board agreed to reimburse Van Berkel for attendance at this conference as approved at the last meeting. Hanson had a conflict and was not able to attend as previously planned.
12. Request for WALCE appointments to an inter-agency Non-point Information and Education Committee. Fallat outlined the role of this Committee and importance of WALCE representation. Hanson will recruit persons for appointment.
13. DATCP 50 scoping statement and request for WALCE involvement - Jelinski presented background on the opening of the rule, the proposed areas of change and the DATCP Board’s desire to forward a “less” controversial rule. He requested WALCE assist with finding methods to gather input from counties on the need for revisions and the proposed changes. Fallat will act as lead staff on revisions to ATCP50, Castelnuovo will be the cognizant section chief.
14. Agency and Association Reports. WLWCA has asked Hanson to appoint someone to represent WALCE at the Coalition of Conservation Groups meetings in Madison. Calkins agreed to fill the role. Reports were presented by DATCP and DNR. A written report was provided by NRCS.
15. Establish next meeting date and location. Next meeting was set for October 30, 2007,
9:30 a.m., in Stevens Point.
16. Adjourn. Motion by Van Berkel/O’Connell to adjourn. Carried.
