October 30, 2025 at 8:30 AM - Operations Committee Meeting
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1. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Rationale:
There is nothing to consider for unfinished business. |
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2. WILD NE AND OTHER PROGRAMS
Rationale:
Nothing to report.
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3. OPERATION & MAINTENANCE & OTHER ITEMS
Rationale:
The O & M crew assisted with State land judging preparation and the event. We are dealing with beaver issues on 2–3 of the Cottonwood dams. Continued spraying trees when the weather was warmer and sprayed some Phragmites. Assisted in drone spraying Canada Thistle on two Sand/Duck Creek dams. |
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3.A. Rehabilitation of Cottonwood 21-A, NRCS & HDR
Rationale:
We are waiting for the Federal Government to open to gain their opinion on HDR's preliminary scope and fee estimate for various tasks needed to complete the design services for Cottonwood 21-A.
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3.B. Wanahoo Basin Damage & Repair, FEMA, & Houston Engineering
Rationale:
Last month, the scope of services and fees were approved for the Wanahoo dam spillway joint repairs and stilling basin mitigation through Phase II and Phase III — bidding & construction. An executable agreement for the Wanahoo Phase II/III services was signed and Houston is proceeding.
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3.C. Wanahoo Recreation Area Repairs, FEMA
Rationale:
An RFP is out for the repairs to the trail and jetties. The bids are due Friday, November 7th and will be reviewed at the Board Meeting for a possible decision.
Attached sheet summarizes bids for the Lake Wanahoo Jetty and Trail Repair. We received 7 bids ranging from $89,569 and $167,570. A motion will be needed at the Board meeting to accept the low bid from Jansa Earthworks in the amount of $89,569.40
Attachments:
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3.D. Conservation Tree Pricing
Rationale:
Find Bessey Nursery's price list attached. The price of bareroot seedlings has risen ten cents to $1.05 for 2-year-old seedlings and $1.00 for 1-year-olds. There are 5 species not offered through their selection due to staffing shortages. For those trees not offered, we must order out of state. Out-of-state prices range from $1.10 to $1.50.
We currently sell our handplants at $1.25 and machine plantings at $2.50. With some discussion, a motion was made.
Recommended Motion(s):
To approve a price increase to $1.35/tree for handplants and to $2.65/tree for machine plantings in our conservation tree program Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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3.E. New Tree Cooler & Refrigeration
Rationale:
The District will need a tree cooler for our tree program. Staff is planning on a 16' x 18' x 8' cooler to be built in the vehicle shed. Attached are quotes: two are wood construction with a concrete floor but doesn't include a refrigeration unit and electrical. The other quote is a pre-fab cooler with cooling unit but doesn't include the concrete floor, electrical or refrigeration installation.
Wood construction quotes are Buckmaster Const. $19,551 and Hancock Const. $11,800. C-Plus Refrigeration Equip. $27,084. Staff is recommending a wooden structure. We did receive one quote for just the concrete floor from R & B Construction at $3,870. We received 4 quotes (attached) from refrigeration companies; Tech Masters - $14,503.80, Marking Refrigeration - $14,550.00 and $15,300.00 w/ heater, and Kaar Sheet Metal - $16,761.87. Electrical would be separate. John Goldsberry will contact a source for a possible used pre-fab unit before the Board meeting, then a decision and possible motion can be made.
Attachments:
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3.F. Hay Harvest on recreation areas
Rationale:
Chuck Andel hayed Homestead Rec. Area and took 84 bales at 66.3 tons and paid the district $4,442.10.
Dan Kadavy hayed Czechland Rec. Area and took 125 bales at 75 tons and paid the district $3,375.00. |
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4. ROCK AND JETTY
Rationale:
We have not received any applications or requests for payment.
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5. LAKE WANAHOO
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5.A. Lake Wanahoo Permit Sales
Rationale:
For the month of September, the District received $2,987.00 in annual park permit revenue. |
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5.B. Lake Wanahoo Camping Revenue
Rationale:
For the month of September, the District received $16,009.52 in camping revenue.
Sets Your Sites has offered to set up power monitoring devices (at no initial charge to the District) inside the electrical camper pedestals at Czechland's camping area. The goal is to help us know when someone shows up to camp during the hours we are not around. |
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5.C. Clint Johannes Education Building
Rationale:
The Clint Johannes Education Building at Lake Wanahoo was rented 13 times in October, with 1 NRD event. Revenue for the month was $1,225.
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5.D. Wanahoo Troll Project
Rationale:
E.J. Hancock will be here to describe and answer questions regarding his proposed art/conservation project for our Wanahoo Recreation Area. |
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6. INFORMATION AND EDUCATION
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6.A. Information
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6.A.1. Radio & eAds
Rationale:
KTIC radio ads schedule:
October: no-till drills November: water use reports due December 15 These ads are attached. Digital display ad schedule: September 8 - December 31, 2025: Environmental Education September 8 - October 31, 2025: Outdoor recreation October 22 - February 28, 2025: Tree orders Attached is the campaign report for September 1 - October 28. Campaign Overview Total Impressions: 77,773 Total Clicks: 113 Click-Through Rate (CTR): 0.15% Site Visits: 113 Top Locations: Fremont and Wahoo led in impressions and engagement. Wahoo had the highest CTR at 0.25%. Device Breakdown: Mobile accounted for over 72% of impressions, reinforcing the importance of mobile-optimized creatives.
Attachments:
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6.A.2. Analytics
Rationale:
Top Posts for Facebook and X during October included: On the LPNNRD website, we received traffic from NARD (31), Facebook (24), Nebraska tourism (5). The full reports are attached.
Attachments:
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6.B. Education
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6.B.1. Past events
Rationale:
Attachments:
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6.B.2. Upcoming events
Rationale:
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6.B.3. NRD Natural Resources Grant
Rationale:
Currently working on setting up dates to view the 3 projects and the presentations that will be given to either the committee or the board.
Do we want to release the next round of grant money with a due date in December? Or do we want to stick with the late spring due date? |
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6.B.3.a. ACE Camp
Rationale:
Adventure Camp About the Environment (ACE Camp) is a 4-day, 3-night summer camp that emphasizes plant-soil-animal relationships, range management, wildlife, aquatics, forestry, and water quality. The camp features field and classroom activities designed to provide a varied, fun, and educational summer camp experience. Recreational activities at ACE Camp include fishing, collecting macroinvertebrates, close encounters with educational animals, campfires, swimming, and the famous Water Rockets activity. Students will complete camp with a better awareness of natural resources careers by learning from professionals who work in those fields every day. ACE Camp takes place in June. After many years at the Nebraska State 4-H Camp near Halsey, ACE Camp is now held near Burwell at Kamp Kaleo. Students going into 7th and 8th grade from across Nebraska take part in ACE Camp. Fees and registration are $235 per camper. The Lower Platte North NRD would like to sponsor up to 10 students with a full camp fee reimbursement in FY 2026 ($2,350).
Recommended Motion(s):
To budget up to $2,350 for ACE camp tuition reimbursement with staff developing an application, approval, and reimbursement process. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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7. RURAL WATER SYSTEMS
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7.A. Colon System
Rationale:
Routine monthly sampling, meters read, bills to be mailed 10/31
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7.B. Bruno System
Rationale:
Representatives from the Village of Abie and JEO were present to discuss moving forward with incorporating Abie into the Bruno RWD. Attached is JEO's scope of services proposal to update the study to submit for funding approval. Also attached is a draft interlocal agreement between Abie and the NRD for moving forward with study and a potential rural water district.
Recommended Motion(s):
I move that the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District retain JEO Consulting Group, Inc. to provide engineering and related professional services for the Village of Abie Rural Water District project through a sole source selection, based on the firm's prior work on the project, their technical expertise, and the confirmation from the State that the proposed pricing is fair and reasonable. Further, the General Manager is authorized to negotiate and execute the necessary agreement with JEO Consulting Group, Inc. for said services. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Recommended Motion(s) #2:
I move that the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District approve and authorize the Board Chair to sign the Interlocal Agreement with the Village of Abie for the Village of Abie Rural Water District project as presented, reflecting a 50/50 funding split between the District and the Village, with the Village's share to be billed by the NRD in two equal installments due July 1, 2026 and July 1, 2027. Further, the General Manager is authorized to carry out all necessary actions to implement the terms of the agreement. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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7.C. Other
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