June 1, 2016 at 8:30 AM - Operations & Education Committee Meeting

Rationale:  Nothing to report.

Rationale:  The O & M crew now consist of three college interns, Will Brueggemann, Jake Maslonka, and Chris Smith. In between the rains have completed tree planting, checked a few dams, threw a playground together, installed signs, maintenance on equipment and around the building and property.

Rationale: 

The playground units were installed during the week of May 16 - 20.  The construction process went very well as we had close to 30 volunteers and 3 sponsors provided lunches over three days. Invoices to be paid to Outdoor Recreation Products are; $134,253 for the playground equipment, $27,950 for rubber mulch and fabric, $6,000 for on site supervision and $7,808 for 16 park benches.  Grand total is $176,011.  The rubber mulch will be cost-shared at 50% through DEQ.

Eagle Scout Max Hohn and his crew installed four park benches at Lake Wanahoo. He obtained four sponsors at $300 each.  See attached photo.

Eagle Scout Seth Varner has also succeeded in obtaining three sponsors and will install his benches and trees around the east playground in the near future.

Rationale:  The electrical panel box was repaired by Seco Electric Inc. before the Memorial Day Holiday. It was replace with materials just as it was original at a cost of $8,525.  The transformer was replaced by Butler Public Power  at an estimated cost of $5,000. LARM Insurance has reimbursed the District and will pursue the gentleman that ran it over for the repair cost.

Rationale:  To pay NE Game and Parks $2,113.27 for operating expenses for the 2015 season. See attachment.

Rationale: 

Questions are again arising due to all the rainfall in regard to what level the water should be sustained in Lake Wanahoo. A group of landowners will be in attendance at the June Board meeting with questions and concerns pertaining to the level of the lake.  The meeting has been moved to Union Bank and the concerned landowners will be on the agenda at 8:00 pm. Mike Sotak of Fyra Engineering will be present.

Manager Miyoshi reviewed the rainfall events and gauge levels that has led to these concerns. (See attachment).  Committee discussion took place as to whether the District should do a study by Fyra Engineering on the effects water being release from the dam downstream.  The cost of a study would not exeed $10,000.

Rationale: 

Cottonwood 23-A - Bob Proskovec is requesting that the District help repair the property line fence which crosses the water, this fence is a quarter of a mile west of the dam.  All PL 566 structures (dam & emergency spillway) were originally fenced when built for the establishment of grass.  The property line fence was not part of the fencing around the dam and emergency spillway.

Mr. Proskovec is also asking for a 48" x 20' culvert to be used as a crossing from one field to another which is divided by the drainage to the Cottonwood 23-A dam.  He had NRCS do a watershed drainage analysis to determine the size of pipe needed.

Rationale:  Property owner C.E. Simanek, Inc. is selling the property in which Cottonwood 32-A exist.  The new landowner would like a better defined easement. The old easement is vary wide open and covers more area than necessary. Staff is working with Attorney Loren Lindahl to release the old easement and establish a new easement based on one foot above the flood pool elevation which is 1287.5, which makes the easement area clearer and better defined.

Rationale:  Staff is recommending that the District advertise and accept bids by the ton to hay areas of Homestead and Czechland Lakes and sites at Lake Wanahoo.

Rationale: 

Colonel Henderson of the COE has signed the Schedule and Cost Change Request for the Fremont Study.  The study cost was lowered $50,000 to $550,000.  The study cost for the Non-federal partners is now LPNNRD $137,500, City of Fremont $66,550, Dodge County $59,675 and Inglewood $11,275.

Changes to design could be ongoing with future development around Fremont.

Rationale:  The Operations and Maintenance budget will be reviewed for FY 2017.

Rationale:  There are no payments or request for assistance.

Rationale:  The KTIC Radio ad for May promoted the three recreation areas.  The Wahoo Newspaper eAd focused on promotion of Czechland Lake Recreation Area.  The ads are attached.

Rationale: 

Evaluations were given to students and teachers at Spring Conservation Sensation.  Every activity and session were mentioned at least once with extremely positive reviews as a favorite activity or the most educational session.  Please see the attachment for highlights of some of the comments and direct quotes. 

Nebraska Game & Parks Commission has already agreed to attend next year’s event to present Reptiles of Nebraska again.  The 2017 Spring Conservation Sensation will be on Wednesday, May 3^rd.  

Rationale: 

TePoel and Schomer attended a two-day conference on water topics for education in Nebraska City on May 25^th & 26^th.

Rationale: 

A proposed educational activity for 2017 is well testing nights.  Lower Platte South NRD hosts “Test Your Well Nights” in partnership with local FFA Chapters.  In communication with David City FFA, they have expressed interest in having a day dedicated to water testing during county fairs this summer.  Supplies needed for these include:

Pocket Colorimeter: $473 (3 x $473 + shipping= $515.00)

Ampules: $33 for pack of 25 (12 x $33 = $396)

Midwest Lab Testing (If the test demonstrates over 10 ppm, offer to send the sample to Midwest Labs for further testing.): $5 per test (300 x $5= $1500)

Rationale: 

A proposed educational project for FY2017 is the addition of a disc golf course to Lake Wanahoo State Recreation Area.  The design of the course will have a strong educational component.  Tee signs and scorecards would include environmental education information specific to the area.  There has been consideration of partnering with various other NRD's to connect disc golf courses to create a statewide network.    Kids in Parks is a company that will create the signage, scorecards, site integration, and educational designs.  Other disc golf courses that participate are connected and promoted through this company and visitors can receive prizes for visiting multiple courses.  This is a similar concept to the Great Park Pursuit.  

An example of tee signs and score cards with educational components are attached.  Themes are generic for the region but will be designed to specifically fit Lake Wanahoo State Recreation Area.

Estimated costs through this company are $7,600 for signage, educational artwork and designs, and network integration.  The design and development of the course itself is estimated to cost $5,000.  The total estimated cost for this project is $12,600.  There is a little less than $15,000 remaining in the NRDF grant funds.  The cost share of this project under that grant would potentially cost approximately $5,040.

 

Rationale: 

A proposed educational opportunity for classrooms in the district is to apply for a mini-grant from LPNNRD for pollinator education.  This grant would include a Butterfly Garden with a cup of live caterpillars.  This would allow students to first-hand experience the life cycle of painted lady butterflies.  TePoel purchased one of these butterfly gardens to test the project.  These would be best to take place in early fall or late spring and the estimated time frame is 2-4 weeks for the project.  Part of the grant application would include teachers guaranteeing a pollinator lesson in connection to the butterfly garden project.  Butterfly gardens and live caterpillars cost approximately $33 each.

Rationale: 

Two radio stations have contacted LPNNRD in regards to advertising.  

Walnut Radio includes KHUB, KFMT, River Country, and 97.3.  The station coverage and pricing is attached.  They also offer $500 per month for news at 6 am or $500 per month for weather sponsorship.  There is also AG Closing reports at 5:50 pm for $125 per week.  These would include 30 seconds before and after these shows.   Agreements can be specified for specific months or for a year would be approximately $6,000.

Alpha Media includes KFOR, ESPN, KRFX, the BLAZE, The Eagle, KX 96.9, and KZEN.  The station coverage for KZEN in Columbus is attached.  Their proposal includes 30 second commercials for $950 a month.  They have mentioned they will build specific proposals if given a specific budget.  For a year would be approximately $11,400.

Current ongoing advertising agreements include KTIC radio ($2,300) and Wahoo Newspaper ($1,800).

Rationale: 

We continue to work with USTI moving forward with our new billing software.  

We have met with the Phoenix Group several times this past month and they are moving forward with technology that may allow us to read all our meters remotely AND send a daily report to me via e-mail as needed.  We will hold off purchasing a new handheld reader until the Phoenix Group has finished their work and provided us a cost estimate and hardware requirements for their system.

We will continue to use our old reader and upload reading manually until we make a final decision.  This process adds an additional 10-15 minute step to our current billing but may be worth the effort if we can utilize the Phoenix technology.

 

Rationale: 

All meters have been read, bills sent out and water samples collected for May. 

This past month we have had numerous calls regarding water in basements in Colon.  It appears the water table in the area has risen 5+ feet since April, thus causing numerous homes to have water issues.

I met with Tim Thayers (NHHS) on Tuesday May 31 to conduct our Colon Sanitary Survey.  This State required survey is done every three years and includes an extensive review of our system and records.  Mr. Thayers reported to me there will be no citations and his official report will be sent to us within a month.

Rationale: 

All meters were read, bills sent out and water samples taken and delivered to the State.