September 4, 2015 at 9:00 AM - Executive Committtee Meeting

Rationale: 

The UNL Rural Futures Conference is October 21-23 at Innovation Campus in Lincoln.  The purpose of the conference is to boost the quality of life in rural Nebraska. If you have never been exposed to UNL's Rural Futures Institute you are in for an eye opening and thought provoking experience.  Unfortunately this conference overlaps the Groundwater Foundation Conference.

Registration for the conference is $200.  Please let Jill know if you would like attend.

Rationale:  Attached find a draft agenda for the NARD Fall Conference - September 27-29, Kearney. Please let Breunig know if you are interested in attending.   

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  Weavers monthly conference call was held on Tuesday, September 8th at 1:00 p.m. His monthly report is attached for your review.

Rationale:  George Hunt will give a program on WOTUS (Waters of the United States).

Rationale: 

Attached  is our 2015-16 LARM Insurance renewal invoice based on the resolution that was approved last month.

Rationale:  Attached find a partial bill from HBE in the amount of $15,585 ($12,705 NRD and $2,880 Rural Water District) for work completed on our FY 15 Annual Audit.  Total cost of our Annual Audit is $20,780.  HBE plans on attending the October 2nd Committee Meeting to present the Annual Audit to the Executive Committee and Audit Sub-Committee.

Rationale: 

Chair Hannah  has asked for discussion on changing the day of the week and start time for the Executive Committee monthly meeting.  He would prefer moving Executive Committee to Thursday beginning after the Projects Committee meeting.

Consensus from the Executive Committee is to begin Projects Committee Meetings at 8:00 am on Thursdays followed by Executive Committee Meeting beginning at 9:30 am.

Rationale: 

Chair Hannah has asked for discussion on changing the day of the week we have board meeting.  His thoughts are the interruptions created by holidays and to accommodate those who want to plan a three day weekend.

After discussion the committee asked for input from other board members with the preferred date of the second Tuesday or second Thursday for each for our monthly board meetings of a date change is desired.  This item will be on our Director Retreat Agenda in February.

Rationale:  Wahoo has asked if we would allow them to place a "Wahoo" sign on the corner of our property near the new Expressway and County Road 17.  The sign is the old Wahoo Arrow that hung near the stoplight for decades.  Is there any reason we would not want to cooperate with the city on this?

Rationale: 

Last month we discussed the request from Yutan Fire and Rescue for assistance with a water rescue boat.  No action was taken, but in general the discussion questioned if we should be participating in this request.  Ed Hobza has visited with Tom and will be at our meeting to discuss this item.

John Winkler from Papio said his district has assisted in two separate requests for rescue boats and would consider assisting Yutan if LPNNRD did offer some funding.  Yutan has assisted with search and recoveries in the Elkhorn and Platte Rivers within Papio's boundaries.

Rationale: 

Dave Lickteig attended the Executive Committee meeting to discuss his property.  Lausterer was  also in attendance.

To go into Executive Session to discuss the Lickteig matter was moved by Pollard and seconded by Ruzicka with Lausterer, Miyoshi and Mountford included with those present.  All present voting aye.

To go out of Executive Session was moved by Ruzicka and seconded by Birkel.  All present voting aye.

This dam was originally designed to begin operation at this minus three foot elevation and as silting occured the water level would be raised in one foot increments to maximize the wetland values.  After construction of the first three dams the Corps announced that LPNNRD could operate all of the Upstream Dams at full conservation pool immediately if we so desired.  

Staff was directed to lower the water elevation in the Lickteig dam to three feet below full conservation pool, take pictures and report back at board meeting on where the water level is compared to the property line.

Rationale:  We have traditionally held the November Board Meeting in Newman Grove and had a presentation from the Newman Grove students on the Health of Shell Creek.  Do we wish to continue this tradition?

Rationale:  New DNR Director Jeff Fassett will be visiting our NRD on October 15 at 1:00 pm.  Any director who would like to meet Jeff is encouraged to attend.

Rationale: 

We are near completion with the installation of our two new board room projectors.  The new projectors replace the 50 inch TVs.  Our plan is to move one of the TVs to the conference room leaving the second TV as surplus.  The disposal plan is to take sealed bids on the 50" Panasonic TV.  

For information, plasma TV production ended in 2014.  Plasma gives superior color and clarity but is sensitive to external light and not meant for sunny or brightly lit rooms.

Rationale: 

Attached find a letter of resignation from Troy Thompson.  Troy's last day of work is September 4, he will begin his new job with Nebraska Educational Television on September 8.

Troy leaves a void for us in the Information and Education area but the real area of concern is his information Technology duties.  Troy kept our network and computer systems working and up to date.  He also was the one who made our change to paperless work.

We will need to fill his Information and Education position and will try to get a person who is IT literate, but it is very doubtful we will find such a person.

Rationale: 

Attached find a contract for Troy Thompson to provide information technology assistance to LPNNRD.  The contract outlines the work Thompson will do for LPNNRD.  

The first portion of the contract is to have Thompson preform the weekly and biweekly network upgrades, check that all virus and malware software is working correctly, check that all servers are preforming correctly, run cleanup wizards on the servers and recommend to management any suggestions to keep the network safe, reliable and current.  The cost for these services is $375 per month.

The second portion of the contract is to contract with Thompson for additional IT work as approved by management.  This work would be preformed at an hourly rate of $75 per hour and includes all travel and other expenses.

The contract may be modified, extended or terminated at any time by mutual written consent of both parties or may be terminated by either party by giving ten days written notice to the other party.

Rationale:  When an employee terminates service with the district there is a payout on leave balances. The total of 281 hours includes 6.25 hours of annual leave and 274.75 hours (634.75 - 360 = 274.75) of sick leave. 

Rationale:  Mike Almond informed Management that he has accepted a new job and his last day with the NRD will be September 18th. 

Rationale:  The hearing to set the Property Tax Rate for FY16 will be held at 5:00 pm just prior to the September 14 Board Meeting.

Rationale: 

In August we set the expense portion of our budget.  Certified valuations have been received from our seven counties.  The new valuations are slightly higher and will have us setting the property tax rate for FY16 at .044601 (4.4601 cents per $100 of valuation).  This is a 3% reduction in the tax rate from last year.

If there is no new information provided at the Property Tax Rate Hearing on September 14, then we should move forward setting the new rate as recommended.

A motion will be needed at board meeting to set the LPNNRD Property Tax Rate for FY16 at .044601.