July 28, 2016 at 9:30 AM - Executive Committtee Meeting

Rationale:  Attached find a draft agenda and registration information for the NARD Fall Conference, September 25-27 to be held in Kearney at the Younes Conference Center.  Registration Deadline is August 25th.  Please let Breunig know if you are interested in attending.

Rationale:  None

Rationale: 

A group that opposes the Costco Poultry Plant has asked to give a presentation on their side of the story.  The presentation would be from George Cunningham.  The Executive Committee asked that this presentation be scheduled at 5:30 p.m, just prior to the September 12 Board Meeting.  It was decided to invite Cunningham to speak just prior to our September board meeting.

Attached find a letter to the board concerning the Costco Poultry Plant from Neil Schilke.  Do we wish to respond?  The Executive Committee asked that short reply be sent to Schilke.

Chair John Hannah has also recommended that we invite someone from Upper Big Blue NRD to talk about their Engineering department.  It was decided to have a UBBRND person who was around when the current engineer was hired speak to the board on August 8 at 5:30 p.m.(Rod DeBuhr being the first choice).  

Rationale: 

Director Seier is starting to plan the November 14th Board Meeting.  He is suggesting the following schedule.

3:15 p.m.     Presentation from Shell Creek Group

3:45 p.m      Start Board Meeting 

6:00 p.m.     Eat Dinner and everyone can head home

Rationale: 

Attached find find the Renewal Coverage Proposal for our 2016-17 Pool Year with LARM that begins October 1.  To formalize acceptance of the proposal we need to approve the attached resolution, however two decisions need to be made along with this acceptance. 1.) Do we want to have our notice of termination be 90 or 180 days and 2.) Do we want to commit to LARM for one, two or three years.  There are financial incentives to lengthen both of these, see attached LARM Discount Spreadsheet.

Since last year we have had two claims with LARM and were satisfied with their response.

Last year we chose the 180 day and 2 year commitment option that netted a 4% premium reduction.

Rationale:  We have received our Fiscal Year 2016-2017 memberships dues statement from NARD in the amount of $24,754.64 as attached.

Rationale:  The Executive Committee did not have any Legislative Resolutions to submit to NARD this year.  If any board member has a suggested resolution it will need to be brought up at the August Board Meeting for approval.

Rationale: 

On July 25 we were informed by 3801 Harney's (Mark Masek) bank that their financing for purchase of the property was in order.  The next day the attached note was received that they would not be purchasing the Lickteig property.  

While it has been previously approved it is suggested that a motion be passed to formally acknowledge purchase of the Lickteig property.

Rationale: 

The past year it seems LPNNRD has lost focus on what our vision for the future is.  We have reached out to other boards and found a good fit at JEO.  Steve Wolf has assisted many boards with focusing or refocusing on producing a vision for where their organization wants to be in the future.  Steve has worked with Not for Profits, Startups, Mergers and even NRD Boards.

Steve estimates it will take three months to move through the visioning process.  He conducts a review of the NRD Mission Statement and 12 Responsibilities, then reviews LPNNRD policy and project issues.  Steve then prepares a list of questions and conducts individual interviews with each board member with all discussion being strictly confidential.  A 4 to 5 hour Visioning Meeting is conducted with the board that creates the Vision Statement for the NRD.  Steve completes the process with a list of specific recommendations to keep us moving in the direction the board agrees on.

A copy of JEOs "Agreement" is attached with details for the visioning process and a price.  The cost is a small price for helping us refocus, designate our vision and map out our future.  Steve Wolf is available and would come to board meeting to answer any questions concerning the proposal.

The Executive Committee felt this should occur after the new board is seated with the main meeting occurring in conjunction with the Annual Directors Retreat in February.  They asked that Wolf be invited to the September Board Meeting to discuss the proposal.

Rationale: 

Attached find a proposed agreement from Water Strategies to represent the three NRDs in the Lower Platte.  The price is $5,000 per month that represents a 47% increase over what we were paying Bob Weaver.  We need to have discussion and decide how we wish to move forward.

There will be some discussion with Water Strategies to attempt to narrow the focus that Water Strategies will work on to decrease the monthly fee. 

Rationale:  Chair Hannah asked that this item be put on the agenda for discussion.  The items that were in question are contained in the Terms of Employment in the Personnel Policy Handbook.

Rationale:  Director Hannah asked that this item be discussed.  Meduna asked that a copy of Sturgis Rules of Order be provided to to each director.  There was no recommendation from the Executive Committee but all members are reminded that Breunig has copies of the book available to be loaned out at any time.  If any Board Member would like to have a copy they should let Breunig know and one will be ordered.

Rationale:  Jenny Campbell our Dodge County NRCS/NRD Field office Assistant is resigning effective August 4.  Jenny has been with us for 9 years.

Rationale:  Attached find a copy of the July 22 meeting of the Personnel Sub-Committee.  Each numbered item from the minutes is listed below.

Rationale: 

Accountant Cassi Deerson turned in her letter of resignation on July 11 with her two week notice.  Her last day with the NRD was July 20.  At board meeting it was noted that we would begin advertising for the position with the ads being placed in the Wahoo Newspaper on July 21, 28 and August 4 and one time in the Lincoln Journal Star.  The closing date for resumes is August 8.

HBE started a new company HBE 360 that provides off site accounting.  The new company started, to service small not for profits groups that could not afford a full time accountant.  The client list has grown and now includes larger companies and groups that previously had full time accountants or accounting departments with multiple staff.  Cindy Love from HBE attended the July 28 Executive Committee meeting to explain the process.  Cindy asked that we put together a list of costs to support our accounting that is attached.

Meduna asked that other accounting firms be contacted to see if they offer a similar service.

We will need to make a decision with approval at board meeting which direction we will go; 1.) To fill our vacant accounting position or 2.) To contract with HBE 360 to fill our accounting needs.

Generally the Executive Committee is interested in the HBE 360 accounting opportunity.  Love was invited back to the August 8 Board Meeting and will have a cost for the service.

A motion will likely come forward during the board meeting to fill our accounting needs.

 

Rationale: 

Last month we passed a motion to pursue hiring a staff engineer and have them in place within six months.

We have reached out to UBBNRD for information about their engineering staff.  They provided a wealth of information that is attached.  Their engineering department has three professional and one clerical (60%) staff members (currently in process of filling tech position).

            1.  Projects Department Manager (Licensed P.E., Civil)

            2.  Lead Engineering Technician

            3.  Engineering Technician

            4.  Clerical position 60%

 

Costs to support the engineering department are listed in the UBB memo.  On an annual basis the budget is $295,246 with upfront cost at $86,000-120,000.

 

The UBBNRD Engineering Department handles everything our current projects committee does plus all of the O&M on district projects.  This includes:

            Manage Projects Committee

            Design small dams (currently preformed by NRCS in our district)

            Design trail systems for communities

            Design recreation additions for UBB and communities

            Preform construction services on above projects

            Preform drainage surveys for communities in district

            Preform inspections and O & M on district owned dams (6)

            Preform inspections on small privately owned dams designed by the district

            Review large engineering contracts let by district to engineering firms

            Preform construction inspection on projects let by district

            Provide certification of no rise for community and county projects

            Preform survey work for all district designed projects

 

Lower Loup NRD has had an engineer on staff for over 20 years.  When Robert Moller retired over two years ago the decision was made to not replace him.  Butch Koehlmoos relayed that they just did not have enough engineering work to keep him busy and he spent much of his time preforming tasks that their technicians do today.  They have a relationship with JEO to be on call for minor engineering duties similar to what we have with FYRA.

 

Other NRDs with engineers on staff include:

            Central Platte NRD – Duane Woodward, Engineering Hydrologist

            Lower Platte South NRD – Glenn Johnson, General Manager

            Papio-Missouri River NRD – Marlin Peterman, Assistant Manager

                                                            Two flood plain engineers

            Twin Platte NRD – Kent Miller, General Manager

 

None of these engineers preform civil engineering design work.

 

Much discussion followed with concerns about duties we would have to keep an engineer busy and the need for support staff to provide survey and other technical duties to support the engineer.  Some of the item discussed were:

            Wahoo Creek – Lead planning effort

            Skull Creek – Lead Planning effort

            Fremont GI – Work with Corps to complete study

            Design work such as the Lake Wanahoo Dump Station

Rationale: 

At the last board meeting an amendment came forward to eliminate the Large Projects Coordinator Position.  Action to eliminate a position and terminate an employee should go through the Personnel Sub-Committee, the executive committee and to the full board.  Eliminating any of these steps could expose the district to liability.  Lausterer attended the committee meeting and participated in discussion on what is proper and how to achieve the outcomes the board wishes to pursue.

It is the intent of the Personnel Sub-Committee that if an Engineer is hired the duties of the Large Project Coordinator will be merged into the engineer’s duties.

A motion came froward from the Personnel Sub-Committee: To table discussion on the Large Projects Coordinator position until a decision is made on hiring an Engineer 

Rationale: 

For the past 12 plus years the board has preformed a manager evaluation.  In the past the chairman with the most tenure has led the effort by compiling evaluations filled out by each individual board member.  Dave Saalfeld led the effort last year.  After evaluations are compiled the entire Personnel Sub-Committee meets to review the individual evaluations and the compilation and agree upon the evaluation for the manager.  Saalfeld then reviewed the Personnel Sub-Committee evaluation with the manager.  

 

Saalfeld agreed to lead the manager evaluation process again this year.  The Sub-Committee asked that a copy of the Managers evaluation be emailed to all board members.  Breunig will place a second copy of the evaluation with an envelope addressed to Saalfeld in each board members box prior to the next board meeting.  Chair Hannah will remind board members to turn in either there previously filled in evaluation or fill in the one in your mailbox and return one copy to Saalfeld in the provided envelope prior to leaving the meeting.   

Rationale:  The June financial report will not be prepared until after the annual audit field work is completed.

Rationale:  The budget hearing will be at 5:00 p.m on August 8, 2016 just prior to the Board Meeting.

Rationale: 

The Directors Budget Workshop will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday August 3 at the NRD office.

A motion will be needed at the August Board Meeting to approve the expenditure portion of the budget.