2010-07-22_Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Member VonDeLinde moved, Member Manzara seconded a motion for payment of the invoice for 6,500.00 as annual payment to Ramsey Conservation District for administrative and technical assistance running the Best Management Practice (BMP) cost -share program of the GLWMO. The invoice of $6,500 represents the total annual amount approved by the Board for providing direct technical assistance to GLWMO citizens. Discussion included the history of the 2010 annual budgeted item for technical services by RCD staff member Ryan Johnson, and the past practice of invoicing mid -year; copies of statistics provided by Mr. Johnson to Chair Ferrington and Member Eckman, documenting 62.5 hours through the end of June 2010, including assistance on ten (10) project sites; a summary of those projects not seeking cost sharing assistance, and information about three (3) projects to -date seeking cost sharing assistance; anticipated requests for services for the entire year, with Mr. Johnson instructed to alert Mr. Petersen in advance when the total 110 hours allotted for assistance in 2010 was near, so the GLWMO could determine whether additional funds for program administration, if needed, would be available; the importance of word -of -mouth referrals as the program continues; and the potential for increased service requests from citizens in the watershed district for technical services. Mr. Petersen offered to provide updated statistics at the September 2010 GLWMO meeting. Chair Ferrington requested that the statistics and detail provided in Mr. Johnson's report be distributed to all GLWMO Board members for their review of accomplishments to -date and for future decision making on whether or not to consider increasing the funds allotted for program administration and technical assistance. Further discussion included the importance of this service and potential use of outreach funds to facilitate this as public service; similar funding challenges within other water management organizations experiencing additional public interest; and the importance and implications of the disclaimer included in the brochure when developed in 2007/08 that cost -share monies for the program may be discontinued in a given budget year when annual allotted funds were spent. Chair Ferrington noted that it was not anticipated that all funds would be used up for administrative costs of the program, and suggested further discussion of developing a policy related to administrative cost over -runs during a September workshop meeting. Mr. Petersen suggested that the GLWMO may want to categorize the funding as Stewardship and Outreach Education rather than administration. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Abstentions: 1 (Eckman) Motion carried. Mr. Schwartz announced that he needed to leave the meeting at this point 9