February 2, 2023 at 8:30 AM - Operations Committee Meeting

Rationale:  The Committee needs to nominate and elect an Operations Committee Chair and Vice Chair. Mark is not eligible as he is the Board Treasurer.
The chair will run the committee meetings and participate on the Executive Committee. The vice Chair will substitute in the absence of the Chair.

Seier nominated Pollard for Chair and Johnson for Vice-Chair, seconded by Saalfeld. The vote was unanimously in favor. 

Rationale:  Nothing to consider for unfinished business.

Rationale:  Nothing to report.

Rationale:  The O & M crew burned multiple tree piles at Czechland Lake and one at Wanahoo, and also continued cutting trees on recreation areas.

Rationale:  The final three panels were poured on Friday, January 27. The baffle plate may arrive in February for installation and grading and seeding will take place after the thaw. See Eric Suings reports via email for all the construction information.
Attached is the invoice from Houston Engineering and a pay application #2 for M.E. Collins that came in before the last Board meeting and was paid.
Also attached is Change Order 002 dealing with the extra cost of $45,506 for overgrinding of the RCC Apron Floor and $5,048.56 for steel reinforcement along with some deducts totaling $46,448.24. A Technical Memorandum is attached for an explanation.
Also, find pay application #3 for Collins w/out Change Order 002 ($247,298.97) and with CO 002 ($292,798.07) attached.
Change Order No. 001 for the Baffle Plate Replacement was approved for $44,358.91 following the last Board meeting. Baffle plate fabrication may take 4-5 weeks.The substantial completion date was also moved to March 7, 2023. The final completion date is April 28, 2023.
Ethan Miller and Eric Suing were present at the Committee meeting.

Rationale:  NRCS informed staff at the NARD Legislative Conference that funding was approved for the rehab of Cottonwood 21-A but, with the Federal deficit at its ceiling, there may be cuts. We will wait to hear from or meet with NRCS to figure out the next step in the process.

Rationale:  Last summer, the District cleaned 7 of 29 listed relief wells on Wanahoo at a cost of $63,600. This year Olsson's has 10 listed to be cleaned. The cleaning process for the 29 wells is over a 4 year period. (See Attachments)
Do we want to obtain a bid from Rieschick Drilling Co. for 10 or lower the number to be cleaned? The staff would prefer to stay with Rieschick since they have onsite experience. Last year we had four interested well drillers but only received two bids.
The Committee directed staff to negotiate with Rieschick Drilling on a long term (3 year) contract for the remaining 22 wells with the understanding that there would be some inflationary cost increase. If an agreement is arranged, then we would ask for a motion to proceed.

Rationale:  Representatives of the Thomas Lakes Homeowners Association will be present to explain their regulations for unusable lots and to answer questions. A map is attached.
Their listed rules, regulations, and covenants for these lots are to be maintained as to trash debris and overgrowth, Not be used for any overnight camping with a tent, No temporary storage buildings or sheds, No vehicle storage including campers or trailers, No fencing or other restrictive barriers, and No livestock boarding.
After much information and discussion on how the HOA takes care of the four north lots (on high ground) and uses them as public green space, the committee made a motion to have staff re-write an agreement with the HOA to continue this practice and not sell the six lots. Staff would like to reconsider selling the two south lots on the Clear Creek Levee as the District is responsible for O & M on the levee, which should not be used as public green space.

Rationale:  This landlocked item was previously mentioned at our December meetings. Jason Scott (was present), the owner of an 8.5 acre land locked parcel at Sand/Duck Creek Dam 15 (aerial attached) has a solution to cross the creek, rather than attempting to obtain an ingress/egress easement from his neighbors (Ourada's).  Attached is a photo of a UTV bridge made by Geneva Welding. The estimated cost of the bridge is $4,800. Mr. Scott's total estimate for the bridge and installation is $8,000. He is asking the District for cost-share assistance on the project.
Funds can be used from the Bank Stabilization budget.

Rationale:  NRCS sent out a notice to the District last year that we have 20 dams exceeding their planned Service Life of 50 years (attached). Lower Platte North has 43 flood control dams, of which 3 are High Hazard and 7 are Significant Hazard. This is information to keep in mind regarding possible rehab costs in the future.
The Dept. of Natural Resources Dam Safety inspects High Hazard dams once a year, Significant Hazard every 3 years and the rest every 5. The District O & M staff inspects and does maintenance on our dams once a year unless there's a high precipitation event in their respective watershed.

Rationale:  We don't have any applications or pay request at this time.

Rationale:  2023 Planning and Future Additions Update:

Staff has asked JEO to submit a new design and construction estimate for a fish cleaning station to be located on the west side of the park, near the boat ramp.
We will also start plans for a general store to be located near the fish cleaning station. Partnerships, and or management, are still to be determined. 
The City of Wahoo is waiting for the ground to thaw before they bore an electric line to run power for the new light at the education building parking lot. 

Rationale:  For the month of December, the District received $6,185.00 in annual park permit revenue. The year by year break down of annual permit sales is listed below. 

 

Month	Monthly Total	YTD
December 2022	$6,185.00	$6,185.00
December 2021	$5,045.00	$5,045.00
November 2020	$4,725.00	$4,725.00
November 2019	$4,470.00	$4,470.00
November 2018	$4,585.00	$4,585.00

Rationale:  For the month of December, the District received $2,276.95 in camping revenue. The year by year comparison is listed below.
 

Month	Month Total	YTD
December 2022	$2,276.95	$131,245.06
November 2021	$2,438.00	$118,152.11
November 2020	$1,485.97	$134,027.78
October 2019	$1,160.56	$93,334.36

Rationale:  During the month of January, the building was rented 10 times with 1 NRD event. Revenue for the month was $955.00.
 

Rationale:  January's KTIC Radio spot is attached - featuring the upcoming Nitrogen Certification classes for producers. February’s spot is also attached - featuring the 2023 Wanahoo permits.

January's Wahoo Newspaper E-ad is attached - featuring the 2023 Wanahoo permits. This will continue through February.

Rationale:  The LPNNRD Facebook/Twitter pages, and the website are the fastest and low-cost ways to get information out to the public. Tracking analytics are a way to see if people are seeing the information and what ways seem to be most effective. If you are on Facebook or Twitter, please like, follow, share, or retweet the Lower Platte North NRD posts!

Total reach/impressions show how many people saw the post/tweet. Engagements include likes, comments, shares/retweets and link clicks.

FACEBOOK	Total Reach	Engagements	Followers
January 2023	3,663	100	1,427
December	5,758	163	1,421
November	10,355	198	1,413

 

TWITTER	Total impressions	Engagements	Followers
January 2023	1,954	95	391
December	2,570	102	388
November	2,862	126	383

Top Posts on Facebook and Twitter:
• Reverse Osmosis grant through NDEE
• Upcoming Nitrogen Certification Classes
• Promoting Tree Sales
• LPNNRD "Why does and 85-Year-Old plant a tree?" video
• January’s Coffee Lakeside flyer
 

WEBSITE	Users	Traffic Channel	Top Pages	Devices
January 2023	1,614	Organic 67.9% Direct 20.8% Referral 8.3% Social 3%	Lake Wanahoo Home Forestry Czechland Lake Nitrogen Certification	Mobile 50.87% Desktop 47.15% Tablet 1.98%
December	1,156	Organic 62.7% Direct 22.9% Referral 8.7% Social 5.7%	Home Lake Wanahoo Forestry Downloads Contact	Mobile 49.39% Desktop 48.62% Tablet 1.99%
November	988	Organic 62.3% Direct 27.6% Referral 6.9% Social 3.2%	Home Lake Wanahoo Czechland Lake Staff Downloads	Mobile 50.40% Desktop 47.27% Tablet 2.33%

Traffic channels: organic traffic means they use a search engine then choose an option that includes lpnnrd.org, direct traffic means they type in lpnnrd.org directly (or have it bookmarked), and referral traffic is any other traffic not from a search engine or social (such as a link from another site).

Social clicks: from 46 Facebook, from 4 Twitter.
Referral clicks: 48 from NARD,  12 from Visit Nebraska, 11 from NGPC, 1 from the ad on Wahoo Newspaper’s site.

 

Rationale:  The Winter issue of the LPNNRD's Viaduct is en route to local newspapers and will be distributed by mid-February. The newsletter is inserted in the following newspapers:
Wahoo/Ashland/Waverly Market Weekly
Fremont Tribune
North Bend Eagle
David City Banner-Press
Schulyer Sun
Columbus Area Choice (3 rural routes)
Humphrey Democrat
Albion News

Total of 22,095 delivered copies, and 365 online subscribers.

Rationale:  The I&E video was featured on News Channel Nebraska during January. The cost was $475. Attached are the times the video and our logo aired. The total amount of the video and logo aired was 200 times.

Rationale:  Attached is a list of items the Shell Creek Watershed testing group would like to have purchased for the 2023 testing season. The amount totals $1,609.75.

Rationale: 

• January 12th: Coffee Lakeside -11 adults and 1 child attended. We talked about animals that hoard.
• January 20th: St. Wenc Pre-K Classroom visit. 24 students learned about wild vs domestic animals. 
• January 23rd: I&E Meeting and Project Learning Tree Training at Morrill Hall

Slow month with Christmas Break and students in and out of school. Survival club was supposed to be on the 19th; due to a snow day, it was pushed to Friday, February 3rd. 

Rationale: 

• February 3rd: Survival club with Wahoo M.S. - Intro to Hiking and how to read maps.
• February 7th: 1st, 2nd, and 5th grade Classes at Lindsay Holy Family Elementary. Animal adaptations, seed dispersal, and food chains/ecosystems.
• February 8th-9th: Nebraska Environmental Education Conference at Mahoney State Park.
• February 11th-15th: Ntional Association of Conservation Districts in New Orleans. 
• February 16th: Coffee Lakeside: The power of nature-based play: Why people of all ages need to spend time outdoors.
• February 21st:  All 4 fifth grade classes at wahoo: Biodiversity: Let's talk prairies. 
• February 23rd: David City Aquinas 6th graders: Importance of Pollinators.

Reschedule a survival club and book a St. Wenc Pre-k visit. 

Rationale:  The current projector at the Clint Johannes Education Building projects presentations at a low quality. Diode Technologies has given us a proposal for a BenQ 1080p 5,000 Lumen Projector to replace it. The new projector will cost $3,059.00. Below is the breakdown of costs:

• Misc Parts: $134.95
• Project management: $25.20
• Shipping & Tariff: $80.97
• Sales Tax: $0.00

Total cost: $3,300.12 Installation is included.

Rationale:  Elliott has been working on the annual NDEE update/reporting for Emergency Contact Plans, Sample Site Plans, for both RWDs.  

We have also started the RWDs vulnerability assessments and are working with the Nebraska Rural Water Association (NeRWA) through the process.

The new Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) guidance has been received and the RWD has begun the initial steps.  All public water systems (PWS) are now required to complete the LSLI for their respective systems and are to be filed with EPA by the end of 2024.  Information for inventories can be difficult as there is minimal data about old,  residential service lines.  

Rationale:  Routine monthly sampling completed, meters read and bills mailed 1/31.

Rationale:  Routine monthly sampling completed, meters read and bills mailed 1/31.