1996-04-25_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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_ ~ ~ __ . _ _ - - == ,- _ -. . J~-_~__ ....~__ _ ~, _ ... _. r ~ r~ ~ ~ ~ : r : ~ ~ . ,,~ r !:, _. :Y ~ ~ j ~ ~ ; A 4 ~~ ~ ` t , , ~ ~ J r ;; ~ , , ~ ~ l ~ .:' ~3 Y~ .~ ~ ~~' ~ t L e.-. ~ t ~~ Watershed district managers and administrators discuss priorities with legislators over breakfast. ~LG4 WD con't "We need to balance environ- mental, economic and social health to achieve sustainable development," Sopuck said. The meeting also provided an opportunity for the Minnesota Department of Natural Re- sources (DNR) to honor the Pelican River Watershed District, located in west central Minnesota, as its Outstanding Watershed District of the Year. According to Bob Merritt of the DNR, the Pelican River Watershed District has under- gone an amazing transforma- tion over the past few years, taking a much. more active role in overall watershed management. , The 1995 meeting was a bit different from past meetings, with a stron- ger focus on training. Seminar topics included drainage maintenance, repair and improvement; how to avoid problems in the permitting process; watershed management; working with the media; and selecting professional ser- vices and contractors. Watershed district managers also held a regular business meeting, during which they discussed and voted on a number of resolutions and reelected their current offic- ers for a second one-year term. These officers are: Vern Johnson, Clearbrook, as president; Dean Oieson, Hutchinson, as vice-presi- dent; Bob Wright, Felton, as secretary; and Susan Scribner, Minnetonka, as treasurer. ~~ ~` Y~ .~.~ ~R~S A1ltID S~OnSOrS ~e~lS~atlVe breakfast About 60 legislators and watershed district personnel braved the cold on Friday, Feb. 2, to attend the Minne- sota Association of Water- shed District's (MAWD} legislative breakfast at the Kelly Inn in St. Paul. Some of the key issues watershed district managers discussed with legislators included changes in the watershed district act. allowing districts to establish stormwater utility fees to finance water quality and quantity activities; amend- ments to the Wetland Conser- vation Act; and new legislation requiring the Minnesota Department of Transportation to obtain the appropriate watershed district permits. "These types of meetings provide an excellent opportu- nity to let lawmakers know about what watershed districts do and the significant role we play in water management in Minnesota," Vern Johnson, president of MAWD, said. "Watershed district managers and administrators Wend to recognize 'the importance of developing good relation- ships with both our own legislators and those in key natural resource positions." Sen. LeRoy Stumpf (Thief River Falls) talked briefly at the breakfast about potential Breakfast con't on p. 6 ~-