August 3, 2023 at 8:30 AM - Operations Committee Meeting

Rationale:  We have no unfinished business to consider.

Rationale:  We received survey information from Ducks Unlimited on the Wanahoo Wetland area to be renovated (attached). They are asking for comments from the NRD and G & P. 
The O & M staff have cut many trees in this section of property. 

Rationale:  The O & M staff continue to inspect watershed dams, cut and spray trees on our recreational properties. We hired a drone to spray areas along the Clear Creek Levee such as Phragmites, Purple Loosestrife, and trees. Shred the roadsides around Wanahoo.
Some time in August, we will start our mowing circuit on dams, recreation area roadsides, levees and ditches.

Rationale:  The final contract and scope has been signed between the NRD and HDR. Before the signatures, the contract was reviewed by NRD staff and legal counsel. The Scope was reviewed by the NRCS.
A kick-off meeting is scheduled for August 17th at the NRD office..

Rationale:  G & R Electric installed 50 amp service to four RV campsites for $1150. Now eight of the 11 RV pads have the option of 30 or 50 amp service.

Czechland has three free non-electrical RV pads. If we were to power these pads and/or build additional pads, we would need more service from Butler Public Power. Here are two options from BPPD: Option 1 - Upgrade existing service to 600/800 amps to feed more camper sites.
Butler PPD would set a bigger transformer at no charge to feed the larger load.  All additional equipment would be purchased and installed by your electrician.  With this option, you may run into voltage drop issues on the secondary side depending on how far away the new sites are.

Option 2- Add additional service to feed new camping sites.
Butler PPD would install underground primary wire @ $8.38/ft from the existing transformer to the desired location.  A 200 amp meter/breaker combo socket would be provided at no additional charge.  If a 320 amp service is required, it can be purchased through BPPD for $818.01.  The new service would require a 7 year contract and there is a monthly $27.50 facility charge (same as the current service).
 

Rationale:  Grass drill revenues for the first half of 2023.
Rosendahl Farms Seed & Feed (Platte Co.) paid the district $1,542.21, 18 cooperators used the drill.
Rezac Seed (Saunders) paid the District $1,193.20, 15 cooperators used the drill.

Rationale:  Heimann and Schomer met with Henry and Marty Waverka on July 20. We met to go over Henry's Eagle Scout plans to build a 40 yard archery range just northwest of the boat ramp. Henry has secured the Big Game Conservation Association as a sponsor who will provide funding for the materials to build the range and a commitment to maintain the target structures in the future. Heimann has developed an interlocal agreement between the District and BGCA (attached). NRD legal counsel has reviewed the agreement and it will go before the BGCA board on August 8th. Henry plans to build the project on September 23rd and prep/layout work the week before. The NRD will assist by digging holes and providing limestone.

Rationale:  As reported at the previous Borad meeting, on July 9th, two divers and an assistant from the Great Omaha Scuba Club hooked the new buoy cable system to the anchor points on the lake floor and the collar point buoy. The divers did a great job and enjoyed the experience, it took approximately 3 hours.
The committee discussed a donation to the club for their service. 

Rationale:  We have not received any applications or requests for payments for bank stabilization projects. We did receive a call from a landowner stating the difficulty they are having with the Corps of Engineers in obtaining a 404 permit.

Rationale:  For the month of June, the District received $10,390.00 in annual park permit revenue. The year by year break down of annual permit sales is listed below. 
 

Month	Monthly Total	YTD
June 2023	$10390.00	$61635.00
June2022	$10462.50	$62572.50
June 2021	$10567.50	$73162.50
June 2020	$13030.00	$80140.00
June 2019	$12290.00	$67385.00

Rationale:  During the month of July, the building was rented 21 times with 5 NRD events. Revenue for the month was $1,325. There are only 3 weekend dates available for the rest of the year.
 

Rationale:  Several years ago we made the decision to name segments of our Wanahoo trail system after the names of the landowners who previously owned the property the trails are located.  We have had a request to name the approx. 176 acres of the LPNNRD owned wetland property located in the NW most portion of our Wanahoo land after the Noonan and Snitily families who owned that land dating back to the mid 60's.

Rationale:  July’s KTIC radio ad featured the three recreation areas. August’s ad will feature the upcoming variance deadlines.

July’s Wahoo Newspaper e-ad featured an ad for Pork Chop Island. August’s ad will also feature the upcoming variance deadlines. Those are attached.

 

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
July 2023	9260	428	1,481
June 2023	7,626	1,252	1,474
May 2023	4,103	184	1,465
April 2023	6,135	399	1,458

 

TWITTER	Total impressions	Engagements	Followers
July 2023	2,072	99	404
June 2023	1,111	56	400
May 2023	638	10	400
April 2023	1,140	56	400

Top Posts on Facebook and Twitter:
• Starry night at Lake Wanahoo flyer
• Wildflowers and Wine flyer
• Butler County Fair/giveaway promotion
• Buoy system dive team pictures
• 4R’s event at ENREC/Nitrogen Certification

 

WEBSITE	Users	Traffic Channel	Top Pages	Devices
July 2023	2,409	Organic 71.8% Direct 21.7% Referral 5.2% Social 1.3%	Lake Wanahoo Home Czechland Lake Downloads Outdoor Recreation	Mobile 62.2% Desktop 36.2% Tablet 1.5%
June 2023	2,523	Organic 72.7% Direct 20.8% Referral 5.4% Social 1%	Lake Wanahoo Home Czechland Lake Outdoor Recreation Downloads	Mobile 65.2% Desktop 33.1% Tablet 1.7%
May 2023	2,755	Organic 75.1% Direct 17.4% Referral 6.6% Social 1%	Lake Wanahoo Home Czechland Lake Outdoor Recreation Downloads	Mobile 65.42% Desktop 32.8% Tablet 1.78%
April 2023	1,517	Organic 68.8% Direct 18.4% Referral 10.9% Social 1.9%	Lake Wanahoo Home Czechland Lake Downloads Outdoor Recreation	Mobile 58.40% Desktop 40.34% Tablet 1.25%

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).
 

Rationale:   July 7th: Coffee Lakeside had two attendees. It rained, so I ended up doing the presentation indoors.
July 11th-12th: I&E meeting in Ord. 
July 17th: Starry Night at the Lake event. We had close to 35 people attend this event. 
July 19th: Wildflowers and Wine Night drew in 15 people. Attendance was a lot lower than the past two years. 
July 21st: Mothing Bioblitz event. UNL brought 6 summer scholar students who are in the entomology field. No members of the public attended, but the students, myself, and professor Golick had a great time. I'm hoping to do another bioblitz soon. 
July 27th: Mead Public Library, story time hour. Cancelled. 

Rationale: 

• August 17th: Coffee Lakeside: Screentime. 
• August 23rd: Science and Scenes with Alissa Hansen.
• August 29th: State Fair education day

During August, I am preparing for the new school year (flyer attached). We are also getting ready to host our next CEO student, Cort, who will be with us all of the fall semester. 

Rationale:  The Colon RWD has been carrying an outstanding balance of $344.20 for the Ralph Palmer account.  Of that amount, $230.20 is for water services, the remaining is sewer service due to the Village of Colon.  Efforts to contact/reach Mr. Palmer by both NRD and Colon haven't succeed; word is he moved out of state.  The RWD will need to write off the water expense.
Colon RWD completed the tri-annual lead and copper testing the past month.  Once results are received from the lab results will be sent to participating homeowners; five sample sites are utilized, all samples must be taken from faucets that are regularly used for drinking, i.e. kitchen, bath.
The RWD conducted 6 locate requests the past month.  Routine monthly sampling completed, bills mailed 7/31.

Rationale:  The Bruno water tower radio system needs to be upgraded; the signal from the tower to the meter pit to open the valve is not working so to fill water tower requires manually operating the valve.  The Bruno RWD is not liable for the radio system outside of the meter pit, therefore,repair/replacement costs fall to the Village of Bruno.
The RWD conducted 2 locate requests, completed routine sampling and bills mailed 7/31.