Minutes Of The Franklin Soil And Water Conservation District

Franklin Soil and Water Conservationrgz District

Board Meeting MINUTES Louisburg, NC 27549

Meeting Number: 11 Date: November 19, 2014

Supervisors Present: Tom Gulley, Chairman Ricky May, Vice-Chairman Carvel Cheves, Treasurer Shirley Pendergrass, Member

Staff Present: William Byrum, NRCS District Conservationist Cindy Phelps, District Administrative Specialist Charles Bass, NC Ag Cost Share Specialist Quinton Cooper, Resource Conservationist

Call to Order – Tom Gulley, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. Tom congratulated Carvel and Ricky on being re- elected to the Board.

Minutes and Agenda – . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to approve October 2014 minutes. Ricky May seconded. No discussion. All in favor of approving the October minutes voted ‘yes’. Motion carried. . Action: Ricky May moved to approve November 2014 meeting agenda. Carvel Cheves seconded. No discussion. All in favor of approving the November agenda voted ‘yes’. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report – Cindy Phelps  District checking account balance as of today is $6,688.12. Interest earned last month was $1.60. The following transactions were made since Oct. meeting o #1855 – 10-16-14 - $105.95 – Food Lion – VISA gift card for Louise Hart’s departing gift o #1856 – 10-21-14 - $8.01 – Family Dollar – supplies for educational activity “Who Polluted the Tar River” o #1857 – 10-21-14 - $10.65 – Walmart – supplies for educational activity “Who Polluted the Tar River” o #1858 – 10-29-14 - $40.00 – Fr. Co. Cooperative Extension – registration fee (Bass/Cooper) for pond clinic o #1859 – 10-30-14 - $75.00 – Charlie’s Lock & Key – 3 keys (keyed alike to fit trailer hitch on S&W trailer) o #1860 – 11-13-14 - $19.93 – First Citizens Bank – Oct. board meeting refreshments paid w/ Fr. Co. VISA -Two additional checks were written and will be included in the December report.  County Budget expenditures for period ending Oct. 31, 2014 total $83,436.67 o Unencumbered balance is $168,698.33 o 33.09% of county budget spent for FY14-15 . Action: Shirley Pendergrass moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Ricky May seconded. No discussion. All in favor of approving Treasurer’s Report voted ‘yes’. Motion carried.

NRCS Report – William Byrum  EQIP o Eight new applications received so far for 2015 o There are eighteen active contracts o Payment made ($2300) for Prescribed Grazing contract on 74 acres o Payment made ($8800) for Sod Based Rotation contract on 128 acres  CSP o One payment ($4000) for Wildlife Enhancement contract on 172 acres  WETLAND DETERMINATIONS / HEL COMPLIANCE o Still have 73 Compliance Plans to complete  OUTREACH/OTHER o Attended EQIP roll out training last week o Received information on the new Farm Bill . New farmers have five years to update their plans; existing farmers have two years to update . Risk Management Agency (RMA) will send out letters in December to all who producers that have crop insurance . Board discussed farm plans, how process will work and who will be affected

NC Ag Cost Share Report – Charles Bass  Reviewed status of remaining Ag Cost Share contracts o PY 2013 (contracts have until June 2015 to complete) - one contract still ongoing o PY 2014 (contracts have until June 2016 to complete) - one contract still ongoing

 Presented the following for Board approval: NCACS - Application – Waste application system - $33,335 . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to accept application. Ricky May seconded. Discussion: Expressed concern that contract will expend remaining NCACS allocation. Waste application systems can receive up to $35,000, but $33,335 left in allocation. Applicant qualifies and is willing to accept $33,335. Applicant received extra points on ranking sheet due to being in Cypress Creek watershed and extra points as an animal operation. All in favor of approving application voted ‘yes’. Motion carried. - Contract: 35-15-005 – Waste application system - $33,335 . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to approve contract. Shirley Pendergrass seconded. No discussion. All in favor of approving contract voted ‘yes’. Motion carried. IMPAIRED/IMPACTED - Application - 17 month sod based rotation - $1336 . Action: Ricky May moved to accept application. Carvel Cheves seconded. Discussion: Board discussed applicants’ involvement in growing organic tobacco; location is in impaired/impacted watershed area All in favor of approving application voted ‘yes’. Motion carried. - Contract: 35-15-006 – 17 month sod based rotation - $1336 . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to approve contract. Ricky May seconded. No discussion. All in favor of approving contract voted ‘yes’. Motion carried. AGWRAP - Application – sediment removal - $781 . Action: Shirley Pendergrass moved to approve application. Ricky May seconded. Discussion: Foundation already approved contract for $4,219. Normal cap is $5,000 from Foundation, but this is all that’s available. AgWrap funding will supplement Foundation funds already received to bring payment to producer up to $5,000. All in favor of approving application voted ‘yes’. Motion carried. - Contract: 35-05-800 – sediment removal - $781 . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to approve contract. Ricky May seconded. No discussion. All in favor of approving contract voted ‘yes’. Motion carried. - Application – sediment removal - $5000 . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to approve application. Shirley Pendergrass seconded. Discussion: Approximately 2 feet of sediment in pond. 4,372 cubic yds. of sediment to be removed All in favor of approving application voted ‘yes’. Motion carried. - Contract: 35-05-801 – sediment removal - $5000 . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to approve contract. Shirley Pendergrass seconded. No discussion. All in favor of approving contract voted ‘yes’. Motion carried. CCAP . Action: Shirley Pendergrass moved to return $3510 CCAP funds to Division. Ricky May seconded. Discussion: Currently $3510 remaining in CCAP allocation with no projects planned this fiscal year. Division of Soil & Water requesting unused CCAP funds to be returned. Several counties have existing projects which are seeking additional funding. Board talked about future projects for CCAP in upcoming years; Louisburg Elementary; future County park, etc. All in favor of returning 2015 CCAP funds to Division voted ‘yes’. Motion carried.  Remaining allocations: NCACSP - $0; Impaired/Impacted - $9,252; AgWrap - $2,416  Staff met with Pete Tomlinson, Franklin County attorney, on Oct. 20 at Bull Creek (future county park site) to inspect and offer technical advice on an existing pond. Pond in question determined by engineers to have leak. Staff recommended that dam be breached on first pond (approximately ½ acre) and then sow area down in grass.

Resource Conservationist Report – Quinton Cooper  Presented one NCACS Request for Payment for Board approval o 35-2015-003 – 17 month sod based rotation - $25,000 (will cap out cost share assistance for producer) . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to approve payment of contract. Ricky May seconded. No discussion. All in favor of approving payment voted ‘yes’. Motion carried.  Working T-n-T Farms on new land acquired o Updating farm plans and working on waterways and outlets o An engineer will probably come out in the spring  Met with Jon Pearce and reviewed all the new tracts acquired in the Justice area o Approximately 300-400 acres o Producer wants to update farm plans o Staff ran RUSLE and is working with producer to determine workable crop rotation

2 Old Business

Area IV Fall Meeting  Meeting is tomorrow in Warren County o Staff will leave here at 8:30 o Registration fees already paid for Tom, Carvel & Ricky o Cindy collected $25 reimbursement from Ricky May o Board reviewed and discussed two resolutions that will be presented from Area IV

New Business

District Supervisor Disclosure Form  Staff presented Supervisor Disclosure Forms for Board review o Addresses District Supervisors involvement in NC Ag Cost Share contracts o Required by Soil & Water Commission o Must be signed and updated yearly o Board reviewed and signed forms for the year 2015

NC Foundation for Soil & Water Conservation Endowment Campaign  In November 2013, Board approved a three year pledge to Endowment Campaign ($250 each year) o First payment made in 2013 o Second payment of $250 is due . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to make the 2nd year payment of $250 to the Endowment Campaign. Ricky May seconded. No discussion. All in favor of making second installment payment of $250 to the Foundation voted ‘yes’. Motion carried.

2014-2015 District Contests  Contest flyers are ready to print and send to schools o Contest info presented at Franklin Co. Schools principals meeting on Nov. 10 o Staff has contacted each school to get ‘head count’ on students in contest grade levels o Received quote from Quick Print to print flyers needed for school distribution o Preliminary quote is $204 plus tax – final amount not determined until we give them a quantity to print o Discussed putting ad in Franklin Times ($164.07 for a one time run of 1/8 page ad) o Staff will seek assistance from Meg at Cooperative Extension to reach home school students; printed flyers will also be distributed to charter school

Annual Meeting  January 4-6, 2015 in Greensboro o Deadline for registration is December 1

Other New Business  Swearing in ceremony for newly elected supervisors will be December 1 at 10:00 a.m. in the old courthouse  Tom Gulley asked the Board to consider another $100 donation for Cooperative Extension Tree Giveaway . Action: Carvel Cheves moved to donate $100 for Cooperative Extension Tree Giveaway. Shirley Pendergrass seconded. No discussion. All of in favor of approving donation voted ‘yes’. Motion carried.

Being no further business, Carvel Cheves moved to adjourn meeting at 10:45 a.m. Ricky May seconded. Motion carried.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for December 18, 2014 in the District Conference room.

______Carvel Cheves, Secretary/Treasurer