December 9, 2024 at 1:30 PM - Regular Board of Directors Meeting

Rationale: 

NOTE: The agenda is on file at the LPNNRD office and may be changed up to 24 hours prior to the meeting as scheduled.

 

Rationale:  Are there any additions or corrections to the agenda?

Rationale:  Kent Zimmerman has informed the District that the following Directors reside in the Elkhorn Basin and are eligible to participate in the Elkhorn Basin caucus: Lon Olson, John Goldsberry, Bill Saeger and Thomas McKnight.  The Lower Platte or Big Blue (Hilger) does not caucus at this time.

Rationale:  Are there any additions or corrections to the Minutes? If not they will be approved on the consent agenda.

Rationale:  A meeting has been set up with Dave Wordekemper who will be representing District 15.  The meeting was held December 4th at 9:00 a.m. at the NRD Office.

Rationale:  The Legislative Conference is scheduled for January 28-29, 2025 at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln. Registration deadline is January 6th, please let Breunig know if you are interested in attending.

Rationale:  UNL Landscape Design students will be presenting their preliminary work for the landscape design planning for the new LPNNRD office.

Rationale:  The monthly construction meeting was held on Monday, November 25th. 

UNL Design students are requesting a few staff and Board Members to attend their 'walkabout final submittal' on December 12th from 9:00-12:00 on East Campus.  If you are interested, please let Chapman know so he can give them a headcount.

Rationale:  There are two outstanding Change Orders for approval on the new office project.
1) Change order #1 is to realize all the pre-approved VE items, bringing the total contracted amount to agreed upon amount of $4,749,957
2) Change order #2 to make the following changes:
- Door/Frame & Hardware modification needed to provide a fire rating in lieu of fire suppression sprinklers
 - Provide remote access to the building as we are currently using.
 - Revised wall ratings to a one-hour rating
- Casework Modifications for laminated tops and solid surfaces
- Exit lighting requirements
- Testing allowance for Thiele Geotech if additional testing is needed
The total change order amount is $19,219 ($8,556. Of this amount is the allowance for Thiele Geotech testing and will only be utilized if needed)
 

Rationale:  Attached find a professional service agreement with Great Plains Appraisal, Inc. to appraise the current NRD office building at a cost of $3,600. 

Rationale:  Attached find a retainer agreement with Bromm, Lindahl, Freemen-Caddy & Lausterer. 

The retainer is $7,200 per year at the rate of $600 per month commencing January 2025. 

Rationale:  The District has received the attached letter from Boone County Treasurer. They are requesting to send notifications electronically when a refund to the property owner is withheld from the tax collections. They are also requesting to waive notification of refunds for less than one thousand dollars. . 

Rationale:  An update on our 428 FEMA funded equipment is attached along with an invoice for the Wanahoo relief well depth and velocity flow meter.
The boom lift arrived on December 5th.  The invoice is attached and included in bills pending.

Rationale:  Due to the weight of equipment our O&M and Rural Water staff are routinely hauling, management will begin requiring our O&M staff and Rural Water staff to obtain and maintain a current CDL license.  With the additional requirement and responsibility, I am recommending affected employees be compensated an additional $2,000 per year.

Rationale:  Grant will be available to give the October Financial Statement Report. 

Rationale:  Our line of credit with Union Bank expires December 1, 2024.  The line of credit is for $400,000 with a new maturity date of December 1, 2027.  

Effective December 1, 2024, change the interest rate to Variable based on the Quarterly Operating Farm Rate of UBT currently 7.25% adjusting on January 1, 2025.

Rationale:  We do not have any unfinished business.

Rationale:  Nothing to report.

Rationale:  The O & M staff hauled broken concrete and rock to access the wetland weir on Wanahoo, removed tree debris off of the breakwater, vehicle maintenance, checking recreation areas.

Rationale:  HDR is finalizing the Preliminary Draft Supplemental Watershed Plan-EA for Cottonwood 21-A. This complete draft will contain the Watershed Agreement, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Fact Sheet, Abstract, Table of Contents and all Chapters and Appendices.
HDR plans to complete the Preliminary Draft just after Thanksgiving to have the NRD review and comment before sending it to the NRCS.
 

Rationale:  Houston Engineering has provided their three-phase proposal and fee spreadsheet and an explanation sheet for each of the five tasks. 
The fee sheet is for Phase 1 and 1b to analyze the need for repairs and mitigation on the Wanahoo Dam Stilling Basin and Breakwater, which includes 5 tasks at $139,734.

Rationale:  Rieschick Well Drilling is currently working on cleaning the last 11 Wanahoo relief wells on their contract.

Rationale:  We had three of four hay contractors finalize their hay harvest from our recreation areas.
Ken Cejka - Wanahoo Area "A" - 81 bales at 50.32 T & paid $4,377.95.
Dan Kadavy - Homestead Lake - 29 bales at 16.67 T & paid $2,126.00.
Dan Kadavy - Wanahoo Area "B" - 240 bales at 138 T & paid $12,006.00.
Matt Sillivan - Czechland Lake - 50 bales at 26.56 T & paid $3,691.84.
Skyler Ratkovec - Wanahoo Area "C" has yet to haul and weigh his bales.

Rationale:  We prepared the 2012 Chevy Crew Cab that is stationed at Lake Wanahoo to be sold. It will be replaced with our 2014 Ford F-150. The F-150 will be replaced by a new Ford F-150 that has been ordered and funded through FEMA. The Kelly Blue Book range for the 2012 Chevy is $8,731 - $12,080.
We would also like to replace the 2014 Ford Fusion and replace it with an SUV. There's a lack of space in the car for hauling materials for meetings and educational events. We have funds budgeted for this replacement.

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

Rationale:  For the month of October, the District received $3,280.50 in annual park permit revenue.

Rationale:  For the month of October, the District received $11,907.68 in camping revenue.

Rationale:  A 2024 Wanahoo Recreation season review and 2025 budget is being prepared and will be presented at the December 9th board meeting.

Rationale:  The Clint Johannes Education Building at Lake Wanahoo was rented 17 times in November. Revenue for the month was $1,675.

Rationale:  Speichinger and Sabatka met with 3 companies to upgrade the flooring at the Education Building and shower house at Lake Wanahoo. After reviewing the products and bids, it is recommended to go with Midwest Concrete to upgrade the flooring with a heavy duty concrete coating. 

Rationale:  The KTIC radio ads and Wahoo newspaper e-ads for November featured the water use reports reminder for producers and will continue through mid-December (December 15 is the deadline). December ads for both will feature tree sales. 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:  November 6th: Owl's of Nebraska Night (6)
November 7th: Coffee Lakeside (11)
November 8th: Wahoo Kindergarten (90*)
November 11th: Columbus Lakeview am (45)
November 12th: Senior Citizen Center Presentation (8)
November 14th: Science and Scenes Night: Freshwater Mussels of Nebraska. (7)
November 15th: St. Wenceslaus Pre-K visit. (27)
November 19th: David City Aquinas Middle school visits. (96)
November 20th: Yutan High School classroom visit (8) and Survival club - Knot Tying (14).

Rationale:  December 12th: Coffee Lakeside.
December 16th: Turtles of Nebraska Night.
December 17th: St. Wenceslaus Pre-K visit.
December 18th: Survival Club everyday carry kits.

Classroom visits TBD

Rationale:  The proposal I submitted was accepted. Will be presenting my, Creating Unexpected Partnerships, presentation. 

Rationale:  The RWD will be working with Wanahoo staff to abandon a service line to a yard hydrant next to the Wanahoo equipment shed that is impacted by new office construction; excavation over service line reduced ground cover over a portion of the service line to 1.5-2' which isn't sufficient for frost protection.
Elliott completed DOT/DMV requirements for Class A CDL.  DOT requires any combination vehicle (ie truck/trailer) with a combined weight in excess of 26,000 pounds to be operated by properly licensed CDL driver.  This scenario impacts the RWD when needing to haul certain equipment (eg excavator) however the NRD is excepted from certain DOT requirements (DOT number, physicals) due to gov't status and intrastate travel.

Rationale:  Carson Stratman representing Yutan 92 LLC, is requesting a well permit for a fire protection well in S35-15N-9W, SE of Yutan.  Attached is information from Yutan Fire Department, NeDNR, NDEE, well permit and maps.   
Carson explained the reasoning for requesting a well permit for a fire protection well in a housing subdivision.  The Committee felt that a water flow meter should be installed per rules along with a PVC tube installed in the annular space of the well casing so LPNNRD staff can install a datalogger.  

Rationale:  A hearing was conducted on proposing moving a portion of the Richland-Schuyler Phase 3 Management Area to a Phase 4 Management Area.  The attachment "Phase 4 Hearing Documents" shows the area being proposed along with the rules to be implemented.  A draft copy of the transcript from the hearing is attached.  Below shows all the exhibits that were presented at the hearing with copies available at the NRD office.  
Exhibit 1 - Affidavit of publication of the public notice from the Schuyler Sun
Exhibit 2 - The public notice with legals (read aloud)
Exhibit 3 - A copy of the LPN Groundwater Management Rules and Regulations amended on June 15, 2018.
Exhibit 4 - A copy of the Rule and regulation that will be implemented for Phase 4 in this water quality management area.
Exhibit 5 - A map of the area being proposed for higher level management with 3 years of sampling results shown that included nitrates and uranium. A chart on the map shows the contamination levels and percentages.   
Exhibit 6 - A letter from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy. (Read aloud)
Exhibit 7 - A letter from the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. (Read aloud)
Exhibit 8 - Sampling results collected by LPNNRD staff for 2020, 2023 and 2024
Exhibit 9 -Sampling results shown spatially and collected by producers for 2022, 2023 and 2024
Exhibit 10 - A copy of the Vadose Zone and Groundwater Nitrate Study conducted by Daniel Snow and Jessica Garcia Nascimento showing the nitrates are a combination of sources. 

The Committee reviewed the exhibits and testimony from the hearing.  Questions arose from the hearing about how the samples were collected and not sampling the same well every year.  It was pointed out that, yes, the same well was not utilized, but it does show that a nitrate and uranium issue does exist.  It was suggested to work into the new regulations gradually and explain to producers that the NRD wants to work on a solution that might not solve the problem immediately but begin working toward a long-term solution.  
 

Rationale:  An invoice is attached for $3,830.75 for updating the Groundwater Management Plan (GWMP).  A second draft will be presented to staff on December 20th with Jon Mohr attending the Water Committee Meeting on January 8.  There will be a Groundwater Retreat on Friday, February 7, 2025, from 10 to 3 in Wahoo for all Board members.  Dave Hume from LRE will be at this meeting explaining all the updates done on the GWMP, groundwater levels and triggers with suggested changes.  Other items that can be discussed are groundwater quality, permits, flow meters and variances.   
Stakeholder and public meetings. 
Thursday, January 9 from 5:30 to 8 pm at the Educational Building in Wahoo.
Thursday, January 16 from 5:30 to 8 pm at the Community Building in Platte Center.  

Rationale:  Attached is an invoice for $3,909.50 for nitrate assessment of the Shell Creek Area.  This project will be discussed in detail at the GW retreat on February 7th. 

Rationale:  In the crop year 2024, the NRD voted to increase the allocation to 30 from 27 inches for the Colfax-Platte Water Quantity Management Area (SQS #2). This was discussed at last month's Water Committee Meeting to allow one more year with the 30-inch allocation but would like the rules updated by the end of 2025.  The Groundwater Management Plan should be completed by late winter 2025, with recommendations to include updating the Rules and Regulations.   

Rationale:  Attached is groundwater energy level fall update.  It was suggested to staff to utilize a minimum of 25 years of data for analysis.   

Rationale:  Attachment of water samples results.  

Rationale: 

One new well has been reviewed and approved for decommissioning since the last Committee meeting.

 

Rationale: 

No wells have been plugged, reviewed, and ready for cost share payment approval this month.

Well Owner

Type of Well

Cost Share Estimate

County

 

Rationale:  After ther hearing on November 14th, there has been increased interest in cost share items.  Questions about whether producers that are not in FSA program eligible for a flow meter cost share. 
Staff will be available to assist with online reporting at the Schuyler Library on the following dates:

• Thursday, December 5 from 1 to 3 pm
• Wednesday, December 11 from 1 to 3 pm
• Thursday, December 12 from 5 to 7 pm

Applications received:
Lanny Schmid - Cover Crops
N SE 30-17-3 - 40 acres at $5 additional over EQIP - $200
E SE & SE NE 35-18-2 - 120 acres at $5 additional over EQIP - $600
SW SW 29-17-3 & S SE 30-17-3 - 100 acres at $5 additional over EQIP - $500
Midland Land LLC
Soil Moisture Sensors - SE SE 14-17-3 - $750
Three Water Flow Meters - SE SE 14-17-3, SW SW 13-17-3, SE SW 14-17-3 - $1000 per meter - $3,000
Farmland Reserve
Variable Rate Nitrogen - NE SW 23-17-3 - 244 acres at $10 additional over EQIP - $2,440
Variable Rate Nitrogen - NW SE 24-17-3 - 168 acres at $10 additional over EQIP - $1,680.
Trish Vojtech 
Grid Soil Sampling - N NW 2-17-2 - 80 acres at $5 additional over EQIP - $400
One Water Flow Meter - N NW 2-17-2 - $1,000
Variable Rate Nitrogen - N NW 2-17-2 - 80 acres at $10 additional over EQIP - $800
Soil Moisture Sensors - N NW 2-17-2 - $750
Skytown Properties
One Water Flow Meter - SE SE 16-17-3 - $1,000
Cover Crop - SE SE 16-17-3 = 35 acres at $5additional over EQIP -  $175
Soil Moisture Sensors - SE SE 16-17-3 - $750
 

Rationale:  Attached is the version of the Water Treatment Cost-share that was updated from June 2024 Water Committee Meeting.  

Rationale:  Attached is information on the Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference. 

Rationale: 

24-P-1

JAMES WEMHOFF

$                          975.00

Windbreak renovation/establishment

Rationale:  Bill submitted an application for a septic system upgrade for August Runge III at 60% cost-share, estimated at $6,000.
SCWIG had a meeting on November 14th that included updates on mailings and cost-share projects (attached).  The next SCWIG meeting is scheduled for January 21st at the Columbus NRCS office.  A big thank you to Karen, Lacey, and Sean for mailing 2,250 fliers to all Shell Creek Watershed homeowners and landowners/producers in priority areas.
.

Rationale:  A regular monthly construction update meeting will be held the last Tuesday of every month at 9:00 starting 11/26 and continuing until the contract is complete.
Thompson Construction received the Notice To Proceed on 11/15.  Shanahan Construction (dirtwork subcontractor) will plan to start developing access to sites 27 and 26B then proceed with tree clearing and grubbing ASAP.
Elliott, Kelly Thompson and Richard Shanahan (sub) met with Mark Kaspar on 11/15 to discuss the plan for access on site 26B.  All sides are in agreement as to how best to proceed.
Attached is proposed construction timeline from Thompson Construction

Rationale:  Olsson design team has been working on finalizing items for easement acquisitions (borrow locations, access, boundaries, etc) for sites 55, 84, 85.  
Olsson is prepping for next 404 permit application and expects that to be submitted early 2025.
 

Rationale:  Danielle Allen will be present (Zoom) to update the committee on the status of the next phase of easement acquisitions.  Invoices is attached.

Rationale:  A final reimbursement for NRCS WFPO design funds and continuing JEDI funds was recently submitted.  The NRCS request included $15,000 of grand administration funds - reimbursement for Elliott & Chapman salary.

Rationale:  Our Hazard Mitigation Plan update is on schedule and roughly 60% completed while the Drought Plan is 10% completed.  An invoice and progress report is attached.

Rationale:  From Deb Ward - Papio NRD / Nabraska Loess Hills RC&D: the 2024 Household Hazardous Waste collections were very successful, and the North Bend collection went smoothly. The total volume of materials collected during the events was greater than expected.  I have attached the invoice from Retrofit Companies, the contractor servicing the collection.  As you may recall, their estimate was $55,200, but the actual invoice based on the volume collected is $68,165.93.

The Lower Platte North NRD agreed to fund up to $5,000 for the collection.  We had several sponsors for these collections so the amount needed from Lower Platte North NRD is slightly less—we are hoping the NRD will be able to provide funds in the amount of$4,290.47. If this is possible, the payment in the amount of $4,290.47 should be made out to Retrofit Companies.

At our August 12th meeting, the Board approved up to $5,000 for this collection effort.  The invoice is attached and included in bills pending.

Rationale:  NeDNR offered $30,000 of ARPA funding to the district to enhance our real-time water level monitoring network.  We plan to utilize these funds to assist roughly 10 community public water systems to monitor their supply wells.  This funding and timing fits well with our Drought Plan and newly hired Source Water Protection position.  We expect a draft agreement next week that Eric will sign as it needs to be fully executed by December 31, 2024.

Rationale: 

NOTE: The agenda is on file at the LPNNRD office and may be changed up to 24 hours prior to the meeting as scheduled.