October 31, 2024 at 8:30 AM - Operations Committee Meeting

Rationale:  We have nothing to consider for unfinished business.

Rationale:  Nothing to report.

Rationale:  O & M staff finished the mowing circuit, assisted the Big Game Conservation group to erect a third deer blind on the Wanahoo property, cleared and made a path to the Wanahoo wetland weir to remove trees and tree debris, finalizing firebreaks on the Wanahoo area, and other dam maintenance such as the need to replace a rubber seal on the drawdown slide gate at Sand/Duck Dam 13.

Rationale:  HDR completed their cultural resource's investigation. They sent their 90% study report to NRCS for review and asked for availability for meeting dates to discuss the 90% report in the next 3 weeks.

Rationale:  Staff and Mike Sotak met with FEMA and NEMA personnel on Tuesday, October 29. Staff and Sotak described in detail the damage sustained from the spring rains. FEMA went over their program and policies in assisting the NRD to repair our damaged property.
The staff is recommending that the District sole source the engineering to Houston because of the past experience in repairing the previous damage to the stilling basin of the Wanahoo Dam. See the attached three-phase proposal by Houston Engineering for the repair and potential mitigation of the Stilling Basin and Breakwater structure.
Sotak will have a fully executable contract for Phase I services at the Board meeting.

Rationale:  During staff's meeting with FEMA we were given approval to proceed with breakwater damage repairs. Due to safety issues and the need to get this portion of the repairs completed as soon as possible, staff is recommending M.E. Collins be contacted to complete only breakwater repairs.  Collins was the firm who repaired the breakwater after the 2019 damage and is very familiar with all components associated with the structure.  Once complete, our plans are to bid out damage repairs to Wanahoo trail system and fishing jetties.
FEMA also reported to us, mitigation improvements will be available to the breakwater as we proceed with potential future plans for the structure.

Rationale:  The staff met with Mr. Sousek, AWS and Tim Gokie of DNR Dam Safety on site at Cottonwood 6-B on Thursday, October 17th. The options for Mr. Sousek's water line was discussed in detail. Because of the cost to bore under a deep creek bed and the slim chance of that cost recurring if the water line fails in that area, it was decided to allow the water line to go over the outlet pipe of the dam (attached location) with engineering specifications (attached) from DNR Dam Safety.
Specifications for the 2–2" water lines and the French Drain (perforated pipe) are that they are encased in 47B sand as a filter and the French Drain daylights downstream. Monument markers will be used as locators of the water line in the area of the dam. These drawings are filed with the easement.
Mr. Sousek is in need of a new water system before winter.

Rationale:  Staff would like to purchase an 84" snow blade from Bobcat for our Bobcat Toolcat for snow removal. The cost of the snow blade is $3,306.94.

Rationale:  As previously mentioned in August, a head cut developed on Bellwood Ditch 4 cutting into Todd Yindricks property. Heimann is obtaining bids from 2–3 contractors in hopes of having them by the Board meeting. Pictures attached.
We are proposing using a 36" CMP to drain the field in a flood event.
We received two bids as listed, F & S Trenching - $15,850 and Krivanek Construction - $14,075. The bids are to use a 50' x 36" CMP w/ a flared end inlet, an estimated 600 yards of earthfill & readjust drain tile in the field.
We would like to accept a bid at the Board meeting.
 

Rationale:  We have not received any applications or requests for payment.

Rationale:   For the month of September, the District received $4,552.50 in annual park permit revenue. The year by year break down is listed below. 
 

Month	Monthly Total	YTD
September 2024	$4,552.50	$73,171.50
September 2023	$2,060.00	$71,240.00
September 2022	$2,602.50	$74,050.00
September 2021	$2,496.85	$82,534.35
September 2020	$2,937.50	$95,560.00
September 2019	$2,014.00	$77,041.50

Rationale:   For the month of September, the District received $12,631.98 in camping revenue. The year by year comparison is below. 
 

September 2024	$12,631.98	$103,903.55
September 2023	$13,989.38	$111,866.44
September 2022	$19,008.27	$113,053.01
September 2021	$16,007.74	$109,926.11
September 2020	$15,057.66	$120,901.01
September 2019	$11,151.60	$86,577.24

Rationale:  The Clint Johannes Education Building at Lake Wanahoo was rented 15 times in October. Revenue for the month was $1,150.

Rationale:  As discussed at prior Operations Committee meetings, Lonny Hansen is interested in building a public amphitheater on our Wanahoo property.  The location is in our long-range plan and the structure would be built and maintained by a trust fund set up by Mr. Hansen.  At this point in the process Mr. Hansen's attorney is requesting some form of official recognition from the LPNNRD board stating the NRD's willingness to work with him to come to an agreement on site location and land lease.  If granted, Mr. Hansen will continue to develop design concepts for the amphitheater and bring plans back to the board.  DIscussion and possible recommendation is requested.

Rationale:  The owners of Set Your Sites (Stacy and Dustin Dam) approached LPNNRD to assist financially in the production of a storytelling video featuring Lake Wanahoo and Czechland Lake Recreation Areas to help in promoting the lakes and their business through social media. The video will feature the use of Set Your Sites at both locations. They have contracted Loudr to create the video. The total cost is $2,000 for the video with LPNNRD providing $1,000.

Rationale:  The KTIC radio ads for October featured the water reports reminder for producers (not too early for the December deadline!) and will continue through November. The Wahoo newspaper e-ads for October featured the availability of grass drill rentals. November’s Wahoo newspaper e-ads will feature the water use report deadline. The ads are attached. 

Rationale: 

The LPNNRD Facebook and X pages, along with the website are some of the fastest ways to get information out to the public. Facebook and X posts range from 12 -18 posts per month. If you are on Facebook or X, 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.

Rationale:  Last year, we worked with Nebraska Public Media and shared the I&E video for 12 weeks on Wednesdays during the kids’ educational programming. This was a great new addition to the marketing of LPNNRD. We would like to do something similar again with the Operations and Maintenance video that discusses projects and structures. Attached is the proposal Nebraska Public Media has provided. This would be for 11 weeks during December 15, 2024 - March 2, 2025.

Rationale: 

• October 4th: Ag literacy festival at the fairgrounds (Daryl), Ashland-Greenwood middle school pm. Close to 40 students learned about the Owls of Nebraska. 
• October 9th: Survival Club initial meeting; close to 30 students attended.
• October 10th: Coffee Lakeside: Bird Eggs. 13 people attended. 
• October 14th: Wahoo 3rd grade field trip AM. Over 80 students came out for a morning at Lake Wanahoo playing disc golf, going on a nature hike, reading the story walk, and playing on the play ground. 
• October 16th: Students from Yutan High school came out to play disc golf and go on a nature walk.
• October 17th: St. Wenceslaus Pre-K visit 27 students learned about spiders.

Rationale:  November 6th: Owl's of Nebraska Night - flyer attached. 
November 7th: Coffee Lakeside - flyer attached.
November 8th: Wahoo Kindergarten am.
November 12th: Senior Citizen Center Presentation.
November 14th: Science and Scenes Night - flyer attached.
November 15th: St. Wenceslaus Pre-K visit.
November 18th: Yutan High School visit.
November 19th: David City Aquinas Middle school visits.
November 20th: Survival club - Knot Tying.
 

Rationale:  The snake was put into brumation, so he offered me some baby snapping turtles. Pip and Squeak are about a month old; check them out in my cubicle. They will be used in classrooms for education and outreach. 

Rationale:  The lead service line inventories (LSLI) for both RWDs were submitted to NDEE on 10/11.  These inventories are a will be updated on a regular basis as required by EPA guidelines.
We have been working with Julian Delley, formerly of PWG, in assisting with data transfer from our old WaterWorks software to our new Neptune system.
A new residential customer within the Bruno RWD was tapped the week of 10/14.

Rationale:  Routine monthly sampling completed, meters read, and bills to be mailed 11/1.

Rationale:  Routine monthly sampling completed, meters read, and bills to be mailed 11/1.

Rationale:  The District would like to purchase three memorial park benches for Lake Wanahoo to keep on hand for future memorial requests.