Transcript

Event transcript
OK. 00:00:03
Be in the hour of 830 I called the conservation education. 00:00:05
Meeting to order. 00:00:09
I have taken attendance. John and Lisa are not here, but we have a quorum. 00:00:13
I see no other county board members. 00:00:19
Except Dave. 00:00:22
Our chairman. 00:00:24
I don't see any public comment today. 00:00:25
People here. 00:00:27
OK, what's your pleasure of the minutes for October 20th? 00:00:29
OK, Ken makes a motion to approve the minutes. Do I have a second? 00:00:35
Sort of a bill seconds. 00:00:37
Any discussion on the minutes? 00:00:39
OK, hearing none, those in favor signify by saying aye. 00:00:43
Aye. 00:00:47
OK, those opposed. 00:00:48
OK. 00:00:50
Last month seemed like a long time ago now. 00:00:53
Tim and I went to the to Madison. 00:00:56
To the WCA committee. 00:00:59
For extension. 00:01:02
And we had a meeting with. 00:01:04
The. 00:01:06
Committee which? 00:01:08
Main people on that committee that were that day, that were important were Jeremy our. 00:01:09
Our assistant Dean, the other assistant Dean, Jason. 00:01:14
And and Carl Martin, the Dean of the school. 00:01:17
And we had an opportunity to. 00:01:21
Being a small group with the head folks and we got updated and all the different things we've been telling you. 00:01:25
The different changes. 00:01:31
And you've heard them different ways. 00:01:32
But I thought I should take a minute and tell you a little bit about the changes from the university's point of view. 00:01:35
Extension to remind you. 00:01:42
That extension was taken under the fold of the university. 00:01:44
So the effects of the. 00:01:48
Cuts to extension have. 00:01:51
Been been fortunately. 00:01:54
Helped by the extension being part of the whole university. 00:01:57
The UW had a 5%. 00:02:01
Cut to academics and 7% to administration. 00:02:03
And So what that meant for extension about 1,000,007 decrease? 00:02:08
And, umm. 00:02:13
And a good part of that, of course, was the snaps program, which is all, but I think a few jobs were saved, but 92 were cut, 2 00:02:15
here in Dodge County. 00:02:19
The university made a firm commitment. 00:02:26
To us, to the counties that they have no reduction to their Co funded positions. In other words with our educators, they pay half, 00:02:28
we pay half and they're going to continue to do that. 00:02:33
And that's in our contract today. 00:02:39
The AED's. The AED's like Cindy will be getting one. 00:02:41
And they're in the process of hiring one. We do not have 1 yet. 00:02:46
Today is Cindy's last day. Also John's last day here with us. 00:02:51
But they are. They're on it. They are going to hire somebody. 00:02:55
And it's going to be a little different. They had did 21 in the state, they're going to be 19. But their duties, I've changed a 00:02:58
little bit. 00:03:02
Ours is going to be for Dodge. 00:03:06
Columbia Fond du Lac. 00:03:09
Washington and Azaki is that is that your current? 00:03:10
OK. So we're transferring to. We used to be a little different, but that's our new like group. 00:03:13
That we're in. 00:03:19
The other thing that was very important to me? 00:03:22
And. 00:03:25
And. 00:03:26
When we went. 00:03:29
I know those of you came like Dale, remember we went a couple years ago to that, that farm over in Janesville. 00:03:29
Then we they said you guys want a county farm. 00:03:34
And I guess I'm I'm still learning about how extension works. OK, that was called the Ag Institute. 00:03:37
That's a little different. Like we have the we normally when we think of extension, we think of our educators and. 00:03:42
You know, we think of Cindy and but then another part of extension is the different schools they have. 00:03:48
Also. 00:03:53
That's all connected. And so the Ag Institute, our county, I, I had a one-on-one and Kim was there at a one-on-one conversation. 00:03:55
Put Carl on the spot, the Dean of the school. 00:04:00
And said I wanted assurances. 00:04:05
That the Agriculture Institute. 00:04:08
Would back up our county farm. 00:04:11
That because remember that day? Remember those other guys were all there and they said, yeah, we want 10 farms or whatever. And we 00:04:13
said, Oh yeah, we want it. 00:04:16
And because I was concerned because of the cuts. 00:04:20
Will you support Dodge County? 00:04:23
And he assured. 00:04:25
Me. 00:04:26
And Kim was there also. 00:04:27
That they would support. 00:04:29
The Dodge County Test Farm and I told them that our county board, you know, passed a resolution. We've dedicated these acres. 00:04:31
It was a very important to me. We have will full water of course involved. 00:04:37
We have the person that renting it involved. 00:04:40
But I wanted assurances. 00:04:44
From the school that they would support us and they did. They did do that. 00:04:46
Support financially. 00:04:50
No, I want the scientists. 00:04:51
OK, I want those guys that we met that one day that help to help support Will. 00:04:54
And. 00:04:59
To support the farmer, the guy that's renting the land, I want them to support. 00:05:01
That. 00:05:06
You know, they're experiments. I wanted a top down support. 00:05:07
He assured me they would. 00:05:10
And. 00:05:12
I would like to and I'll I'll work with Patty. I want. 00:05:14
I would like to have those scientists or those egg. I'd like maybe see like in February, have them come on. 00:05:18
And talk to us with Will. 00:05:24
And to tell to talk about. 00:05:25
That what we're doing. I'd like to do that coming up. 00:05:28
They have some other institutes that are that are important. 00:05:32
The Wisconsin Idea is, is bringing Wisconsin assets to our county, The, the, the, the university's assets and you know, they have 00:05:35
a housing. 00:05:39
They have a housing institute that. 00:05:43
Or an effort. 00:05:45
That's very strong that we probably should engage in. 00:05:46
Strategic planning. 00:05:50
And then they have one with AI. 00:05:52
That we'll talk about. I don't know if Patty's going to talk about that or Cindy and her report. Andrew have one question. 00:05:54
Egg Institute is that's is that different their egg research farms or UW extension, it's a whole separate. 00:06:00
And institutes in under UW extension, we have institutes like it's part of extension. 00:06:06
All right, like I told you in the beginning, I'm learning. 00:06:14
They're saying all that all fits together and that's the right question. That's I don't always ask the right questions, but but 00:06:17
yes, we're going to get them to help us. 00:06:21
And it won't cost you. 00:06:25
Extra tax dollars. So that's the good news. 00:06:27
The hiring process, I've got different updates from from Cindy and Jeremy. They're, they're they're planning on and and maybe 00:06:30
Cindy will talk about this early next year. 00:06:35
They're looking. They did ask for input there. They asked me for input. I I will give it. I think at the end I offered that I 00:06:40
would. 00:06:43
Umm Jeremy is appointed Patty Carroll. 00:06:46
As the point of contact for extension, so the next few meetings when we don't have an ad, I'll be working with Patty for the 00:06:50
agenda. 00:06:53
And to make sure we get everything that we need to get right in any activities that come up. 00:06:57
Patty be working with us. 00:07:02
And and that's really at the the MOU contract, there is no changes for 26. The committee made no changes and that's what we'll be 00:07:05
looking at later today. 00:07:08
And then we're looking at, I guess I will say the one AI thing. 00:07:16
We were offered to have a AI expert come here to Dodge County. 00:07:20
For for several counties. 00:07:26
The supervisors of leadership and we we are going to have that here in Dodge County. So that's. 00:07:28
It'll be I don't know if we're gonna call it a summit or what we're gonna call it. 00:07:34
But there will be an AI. 00:07:37
Educator. 00:07:41
High end guy. 00:07:43
That has done this. 00:07:44
And it's going to be really, really neat. So that's up and coming. Then that'll be January 30th. So I don't know if you're going 00:07:46
to talk about a Patty or Cindy. I'm not sure what. 00:07:50
OK. That's all I have there. So that was the meeting in Madison. 00:07:57
And I think we're, I feel very comfortable. 00:08:01
With the transition. 00:08:04
I think Cindy's done an excellent job helping us as Jeff has left. 00:08:05
And is is extension had to figure out. 00:08:10
What they were going to do now, they've made their plans, they've got their budget. 00:08:14
And so I think we're in good shape. And so I thought I should take a minute and explain that to everybody. 00:08:17
And that's my update. If anyone has any questions I'll be happy to answer now or later. 00:08:23
And OK, so the next thing, Cindy, you're up. 00:08:28
Or. 00:08:32
This is the updated. 00:08:40
OK, so you. 00:08:42
OK, you've got the contract by you and now you're going to get the MOU companion document. 00:08:44
So these are. 00:08:54
We have a contract contract with. 00:08:56
Extension for one year, it's for the positions. Ours of course, is a lot smaller this year because we have a lot less educators. 00:09:00
In in the meat of the contract is on page 2. It's the same as you received an e-mail. There's a couple small changes. What were 00:09:07
the changes from the e-mail edition? Could you or Kim? 00:09:12
Sir Kim. 00:09:17
So every year, Dodge County customizes. 00:09:22
136 contract. 00:09:25
Used to be. 00:09:29
And the changes really relate to on page 2. 00:09:33
The extension responsibility about hiring. 00:09:37
What we have in our our contract for Dodge County is really just near the MU. And what that says is that. 00:09:41
Essentially. 00:09:49
The county is involved when there is a vacancy for one of the educators. The county needs to be involved in the hiring process. Of 00:09:50
course, Extension has a final say. 00:09:55
On who is hired? 00:10:01
But we. 00:10:02
As a county want to have. 00:10:04
A good interaction and. 00:10:06
Participation in that process for educators. 00:10:09
In addition to that change or so I added that to. 00:10:12
Page 2. 00:10:15
And then there's a section here and it is on Page 3. 00:10:17
At the top about. 00:10:22
The support staff that the county provides. 00:10:23
To assist the educators in the office. 00:10:26
And uh. 00:10:29
Language was included to. 00:10:31
Be clear that. 00:10:33
The support staff. 00:10:35
Is our county employees and it's up to the county administrator in terms of. 00:10:36
Number of positions. 00:10:42
And who does support staff report to and on a day-to-day basis? Certainly they assist with educators. 00:10:44
In the office, but ultimately. 00:10:50
The county administrator is oversight. 00:10:52
Those positions. 00:10:55
And also oversight in terms of? 00:10:57
Budget. So for instance, if. 00:11:00
If there's a proposal to, I don't know. 00:11:03
Expand the office. 00:11:05
15 support staff. I mean, ultimately that's up to the county administrator. 00:11:07
So it really recognizes the authority of the administrator. 00:11:10
And then the final change. 00:11:14
Is on the left. 00:11:17
The signature we reference the Mou. 00:11:20
Because the contract. 00:11:24
So we reference that and I see that I have a title there because they have. 00:11:31
Letter G twice. 00:11:34
So. 00:11:38
That's really kind of a summary of the changes. 00:11:38
I did print off a clean. 00:11:41
We should be signing last, reviewing it every year. 00:11:46
And then we signed it in 2025 and. 00:11:48
It really is. Nothing has changed. 00:11:51
But. 00:11:54
In front of the committee. 00:11:56
Every year. 00:12:00
If you have changes or thoughts about things that. 00:12:02
Need to be addressed in the MO U. 00:12:06
You can think about that as the year goes on and then bring those to the table. 00:12:07
When we redo the MOU if. 00:12:12
If anything needs to be. 00:12:15
Be included in the MO U. 00:12:16
At a later date, that's fine. 00:12:17
But right now it is the same as the 2025. 00:12:19
I think it's a good idea to sign both the contract and the MOU at the same time. 00:12:23
In the MOU is the one to make it clear, that's the one that the committee. 00:12:29
The committee works on. 00:12:32
Throughout and they did a lot work last year and this year we decided not to make any changes in the, the MO U is the. 00:12:33
Is the. 00:12:39
Is the. 00:12:41
Is the. 00:12:42
Way we operate, is that the best? It's like operations, like the operations and we as the counties association, we we thought it 00:12:43
was very important we tied these together. 00:12:47
And in really a lot of the MO U will be dependent on our day-to-day work will be dependent on the new AED and. 00:12:52
What we're going to do, for example, I had told you Cindy, we're not going to do a needs assessment this year. What would be 00:12:59
updating them and doing some other things. But when we, when the new AED comes on board, we'll, we'll do what works for us and 00:13:05
even years to come, we probably won't have one every even every year. I told you I'd probably rotate the different groups. 00:13:10
So, you know, this is very personal to Dodge County and then when the new ad will let them get started and then we'll kind of. 00:13:16
Make a plan with them as to what we're going to do for this year. 00:13:23
Does that sound sound good? 00:13:27
Do you OK? 00:13:28
So we have a. 00:13:30
Legally we are we are good to go here. And So what I will be doing looking for a motion, entertain a motion. 00:13:31
That we would approve. 00:13:37
And have authorization to sign. 00:13:40
The. 00:13:43
Contract for the extension Contract for 26. 00:13:45
And related. 00:13:51
For MO U. 00:13:53
So that's the motion I need. 00:13:54
I'll make that motion. OK. Bill makes the motion. 00:13:58
I need a second. 00:14:00
I'll second, OK. Second, Dale. OK. Is there any further discussion on the MO U in the contract? 00:14:02
We have both the folks here if you have any questions. 00:14:07
They've gone through it and I think we're good to go. 00:14:10
OK, hearing no discussion. Those in favor signify by saying aye. 00:14:14
Aye, those opposed. 00:14:19
OK, NASA, Cindy, other thing and I'm going to sign this. I'll pass it around to you guys. You have to sign each of them. 00:14:21
The Backpage. 00:14:26
I think the MO U doesn't have a lot of signature lines. 00:14:28
So they do good. 00:14:33
We're special. 00:14:38
That's good. Tim probably updated it because I know on mine it doesn't have that many. 00:14:39
All right, go ahead if you want to. 00:14:45
Talk and give us your final goodbyes. Yeah, my final goodbye sounds so now, yeah. 00:14:47
Dire. Well, appreciate the time that I've been here. It's been a great experience. I really enjoyed it. 00:14:54
I know we worked out some bugs and I think we're Dodge County is a shining star now leading the example of these MLU's in the 00:15:01
Community needs forums. 00:15:06
They are going to post that position. It should be this week and hopefully that will happen. Patty up it's point person. Just work 00:15:12
with her like you work with the AED and she'll work with Jeremy. 00:15:18
Other than that. 00:15:25
I appreciate your time and thanks for getting those signed. I'll get those over. That was the last MO you that and contract that I 00:15:26
needed to get in. So thank you. 00:15:30
OK. Oh, and Penny will talk about the AI. 00:15:35
We got bill omission that will be coming, but petty since I'm not gonna be there any longer. She's gonna run with this and. 00:15:39
That'll be a great. 00:15:47
Great educational. 00:15:48
Peace. 00:15:50
Good morning. 00:16:00
So I'm up. 00:16:02
I'm gonna just remind you because. 00:16:03
You know, some faces are new. I'm Patty Carroll. 00:16:05
I'm the human development and relationships educator. 00:16:08
And I'm up for the report this month. 00:16:11
And one thing that Cindy did do for us is the. 00:16:14
She shepherded the listening session. And then how we report out and what we have come up with as a staff is to report out 00:16:19
quarterly. 00:16:24
With very specific updates as to what we learned from our listening sessions and then how the educators are responding. 00:16:29
And so I wrote a report and I'm just going to go over a few of the highlights from the listening session and some of the things I 00:16:37
had been working on. 00:16:41
Between the listening session and now. 00:16:45
So progress towards some of the identified priorities from the listening session. One thing that was made clear during the 00:16:49
listening session for human development and relationships was building trust and connection within family, families and 00:16:56
communities. And one of the efforts that I established after that was creating a monthly drop in parenting support called Let's 00:17:03
Talk Parenting, and I'm doing that in partnership with Beaver Dam Schools. 00:17:11
As a pilot, but I will do it with other schools. My program manager is completely on board. 00:17:18
Being prepared to talk about parenting issues for parents, but having specific ideas in mind, so we've been doing those. 00:17:24
Um, another priority area that came to the surface during the listening session was just the basic support. 00:17:32
Reporting of parent parenting skills. 00:17:40
And early childcare education, and you all know that early child care. 00:17:43
Education has been a priority for the county as well and I wanted to bring to your attention, and I think you've received a copy 00:17:48
of it. 00:17:52
But in. 00:17:56
Partnership with Nate from Upstairs Community Development. 00:17:57
The. 00:18:03
Dodd County Human Resources Tanya Mindemann. 00:18:05
We have been, they, we've done a needs assessment of Dutch county employees and we're looking at viability. I've I've come here 00:18:10
and reported out on early childcare issues. 00:18:16
But with all of the data, I created an issue brief and Morgan helped put it together in this final form. But we made an issue 00:18:23
brief for child care for Dodd County employees. 00:18:29
And I did a little bit of the review of the literature and put together this issue brief that we will be using with other 00:18:36
stakeholders as we try to progress this further. 00:18:41
We're doing other things under the surface. For example, Tanya is in touch with other human resources directors. 00:18:46
Throughout the state of Wisconsin to find out. 00:18:54
How they're handling early childcare needs and issues for their. 00:18:57
For for their employees and we're going to be compiling that data as well. So just stay tuned. It feels like it's a slow grind and 00:19:02
it is because these are major, major. 00:19:07
Issues that require a lot of strategic thinking and action on multiple fronts. 00:19:12
So we've been working on that. 00:19:19
And then one of the big things that came out in the need in the listening session. 00:19:21
Not just for human development, but also for youth development, for community development, and for our egg educators was something 00:19:25
that we're looking at in terms of addressing social isolation and community connection. And you might be aware of other entities 00:19:33
within Dodge County and the state of Wisconsin and nationally. 00:19:40
Looking at mental health and Wellness, social isolation and connectedness. As or the lack of connectedness. 00:19:47
As real public health issues. 00:19:56
Our young people are suffering, our older adults are suffering just from ISIL, local social isolation. And so one of the things 00:19:59
that we put our heads together, and I'm teaming up with Dodge County Human Resources on this as well. 00:20:08
Is we put together a series of lunch and learns called Thrive at Work. 00:20:17
And these lunch and learns were we got together with human resources and myself and we pulled out some topics to start out with. 00:20:23
But in December we will be conducting. 00:20:29
A survey with Dodge County employees to find out what topics are of interest to them. And then in 2026, we will be doing these 00:20:35
lunch and learns as an effort to create that social connection, that educational peace. 00:20:42
For Dodge County employees, because if we don't walk the walk, then how are we going to talk the talk out in the community? So 00:20:50
we're starting with our Dodge County employees and maybe it'll be something that can be replicated with other. 00:20:56
Businesses and Dodge County Human Development offering lunch and learns for let's just say a John Deere. 00:21:02
Or another major employee where they're concerned about their employee well-being and what are the things in educational pieces 00:21:09
that we can provide for them? 00:21:14
So that was one thing and I thought that was fantastic. And then you guys, this is fantastic. 00:21:20
I teamed up with, I contacted Becky Bell over in Human Resources or Human Services. Excuse me. 00:21:26
And she put me in touch with Alyssa Schultz, who works with mental health practitioners and different people. She's the supervisor 00:21:34
over there. 00:21:39
And they were able to put me in touch with someone from the Sheriff's Office, Amy. 00:21:43
Blinsky, I think her name was right. Marie and Marie and I are working on this together for. 00:21:48
For youth development and human development. 00:21:54
And we have a contact person at the Sheriff's Office and we've all been trained in mental health first aid. We were trained in the 00:21:57
summer. And remember this, these are results of the listening session. 00:22:02
So we were trained this summer and now we're bringing in an evidence based. 00:22:07
Program called. 00:22:13
Comet COMET changing our mental. 00:22:15
An emotional trajectory and it is a workshop that we're going to be bringing in 2026. We are scheduled to get trained Marie, Amy 00:22:20
and myself. So three of us in Dodge County will be trained in this evidence based curriculum and we are going to be launching 00:22:27
trainings across. 00:22:33
The county so if you know of any entity, any school, your church, wherever that could use. 00:22:39
A2 hour training on how to deal with people's mental Wellness and mental health and some of the strategies they can use. 00:22:46
Marie, Amy and I are going to be ready to roll with that and they and your folks can be invited to these trainings at first hand. 00:22:54
We're going to be offering them quarterly, but. 00:22:59
That. 00:23:05
I I think to me that that really illustrates. 00:23:06
How the listening session changed Marie and my work plan because that wasn't necessarily something that. 00:23:10
Was high on the radar. We, Marie and I, had been working in our areas and then when we found that out during the listening session 00:23:19
and we knew we needed to respond, she and I both got ourselves trained. We've got the undergirding of this. 00:23:26
This curriculum that we'll be bringing to Dodge County and and this COMET training comes out of the University of Colorado 00:23:34
Extension. So we're using their research and bringing it here to Dodge County. So that's fantastic. 00:23:41
That is my update on the listening session. So I'll I'll take questions on that and then I will give you an update on the AI 00:23:48
thing. 00:23:52
Yeah, there's a school have to reach out to you. 00:23:55
Or do you reach out to the schools? 00:23:58
If they want this training, yes. 00:24:00
So what? 00:24:02
So what we're going to do is after the training, we're going to plan workshops. 00:24:04
And we will invite them. So if you know of a school, they, they can contact me or if you give me their contact number, I can give 00:24:10
them the dates and all schools could use it, you know. So I would think if you contact administrators and, and then they could. 00:24:17
Yeah, that it's available. 00:24:26
Yeah, so in this, this particular comment is for adults, but they Colorado is now. 00:24:28
Piloting it with young adults, so like a high school age. 00:24:35
And thus Maria's is, is is coming in on that. So yeah, I agree with you. 00:24:39
Any other questions for Penny? 00:24:49
Are you working with the junior College in Beaver Dam, Moraine? 00:24:51
Yeah. 00:24:54
Moraine Park is going to be hosting. 00:24:59
An early childcare seminar workshop that we have coming up in March. 00:25:01
And I partnered nut March. Is it May, March or May? 00:25:07
And that's coming out of a Baldwin grant that was part of my work plan. 00:25:11
Originally, so I didn't report on it, but it is a really major effort that we're doing these seven different workshops around the 00:25:15
state and in Dodge County. We're lucky enough to get one of them and Moraine Park is going to be hosting it for us. 00:25:22
And I sit on their Advisory Board for early child care educators. 00:25:30
Yeah, and Marie also works with MPTC. 00:25:35
Before you go, I thought I did get a formal limitation from the state care over in Mayville. Thank you. Those of you remember that 00:25:40
was the large daycare was built in Mayville. I think it went from what 30 to 121 kids? 00:25:46
Huge. And they're working with the factories over there. They did tell me that county officials are welcome to come to their 00:25:53
dedication. 00:25:56
It's multi $1,000,000 facility. 00:26:00
And it was I believe the church took a loan on it to make it go but an amazing. 00:26:03
And Cameron and Dave, you all are so invited. 00:26:09
Also, I've got a flyer for you. 00:26:11
Patty and I went to the ground breaking or whatever It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be and patties involved are you when 00:26:14
the education of of. 00:26:19
Adding they're going to grow slowly because they're going from. 00:26:24
30 to 100 kids and they're not doing it. 00:26:26
Overnight. And so Patty is going to be involved. 00:26:29
In training their workers from mixation. 00:26:32
And it in also early childcare have a. 00:26:36
Requirement by the state. 00:26:40
To have so much family engagement activity, they're mandated for that family engagement. And that's also an area in which I can 00:26:43
support early childcare by coming and doing a parenting night or doing some parenting education for the early childcare while they 00:26:49
offer childcare. And then I do parenting education at the daycare because we know that when families are involved, schools, 00:26:56
families and communities. 00:27:02
Make for better outcomes for children. 00:27:09
I believe there's also some good news date, right? We got the money. 00:27:11
To for the other one, some other big news. Dave, you want to tell us what? 00:27:14
Well, Senator Baldwin included it. 00:27:18
In the earmarks. 00:27:22
Anyway. 00:27:26
We are getting the grant. 00:27:27
For the refill childcare in with the houses. 00:27:28
Oh, that was approved in. 00:27:32
In the budget bill that just passed it. 00:27:36
So huge, huge, both these things, huge effort towards. 00:27:41
Meeting the counties strategic goal of trying to improve childcare availability. So very big news. 00:27:46
Quite some time, but. 00:28:00
It works to talk to your. 00:28:03
Representative SO. 00:28:05
Yeah, the Gears of government sometimes just hug. 00:28:06
But that is great. 00:28:10
The ground breaking that Andrew was talking about was so cool because they had all the two by fours. It was just the shell of the 00:28:12
building. They were just starting and families could go in their kids, families that were sending their kids there and they could 00:28:18
write messages to the children that are going to be encapsulated in the walls of this of this childcare. And I just thought that 00:28:24
was really cool. Just a a message to the kids. 00:28:30
And for the building and blessing the building, I will say. 00:28:36
Any other questions about the? 00:28:40
Listening session and my updates on that. 00:28:42
OK. OK. I want a quick just invite you, invitations will be coming out. 00:28:48
After Thanksgiving, but. 00:28:54
Andrew and Cindy talked about bringing in the AI expert for Dodge County. We have a date of January 30th. It's a Friday and Bill 00:28:57
will be coming in. Our doctor, I should call him Doctor Olmeshine. I believe his name. And I just want to quickly tell you he's 00:29:04
very familiar. I'm going to read a little bit of his bio. 00:29:11
This gentleman is very familiar with Wisconsin local government since he has served as a county supervisor, has served as the town 00:29:18
and village officer, and now he's sitting on the New Glarus School board as the president with school board. But this is a fellow 00:29:26
who's been working in artificial intelligence AI for 20 years, for two decades. And I'm only, I'm only smiling because for me. 00:29:34
I feel like I've just learned about AI a couple years ago, but this is somebody who's been using AI to advance their career and 00:29:44
their work for over 20 years, and he really specializes in risk and AI risk. 00:29:51
And so why it's significant is he's really going to help Dodge County and. 00:29:58
Andrew would like to invite other counties to really take a look at AI and how it's utilized by employees and do we need policies 00:30:03
and what are the policies and all sorts of different things. So he's going to be leading 2 workshops, 1 for government officials 00:30:09
and then one one for staff. 00:30:15
Later in the day. So it's going to be a 2 pronged approach and we would love it if our county officials could show up for this 00:30:22
training. It's professional development for you all, but it also will help you kind of think because this AI is is moving at 00:30:28
lightning speed and it's important it's very. 00:30:34
For thinking for Andrew and whoever else was thinking about bringing Bill in for this. 00:30:41
It's none too soon, so. 00:30:48
Yeah. What the where this came up is in our meeting in Madison, Bill is. 00:30:49
I don't there's an authority, but he is, he is one of the top edge guys at extension that is AI and. 00:30:55
It is really into it and he's a lawyer also, I believe. He's a really, really smart guy and he had already started doing some 00:31:02
talks and some of the people there had listened to him already and talked about this. 00:31:07
Than they wanted to have him come to different parts of the state and I suggested along with Kim that we thought it'd be good that 00:31:13
we hold a summit, AI summit in this part of the state, so it's bigger than Dodge County. 00:31:19
But we would like to have it here and we'd like to certainly be associated with. 00:31:25
You know, being part of that effort so that he. 00:31:29
Top end guy. 00:31:32
And so I I hope we can get some folks here. 00:31:34
Yeah, yeah, I'm thinking about. 00:31:37
Making a snow date too, just in case. 00:31:40
Camera and Dave are involved a little bit in that too, so. 00:31:43
Thank you, Patty. Yep, you're welcome. 00:31:46
OK. 00:31:48
All right, we got some updates from. 00:31:51
OK, come on up. 00:32:05
Who wants to go first? 00:32:07
OK, we're glad to see you. 00:32:10
And did you and did you get paid? That's what we want to know. 00:32:14
Yeah, I I think I did. I'm supposed to release the last. 00:32:18
I think Friday we were supposed to get our lump sum for. 00:32:22
Time off. 00:32:25
I haven't checked yet. 00:32:26
So yeah, nice to see you all. It's it's been a little while. 00:32:28
So after. 00:32:32
I mean, you guys are probably aware we just went through the longest shutdown in our government's history. 00:32:33
Almost 7 weeks. 00:32:40
USDA passed a bill ensure funding for our next calendar year. 00:32:42
So some. 00:32:46
Some departments, they have to revisit it after January 31st, but we're guaranteed for a year. 00:32:48
So if there's a possible threat of another shutdown. 00:32:54
And the January were kind of exempt from that. 00:32:58
So that's kind of good to know. 00:33:00
As of now, it sounds like programs are going to remain the same for this calendar year coming up. 00:33:03
So with us, it's basically our Environmental Quality incentive program and then our conservation stewardship program. 00:33:08
As of right now, our main priority is getting our CSP payments out the door. 00:33:17
It's kind of all hands on deck being seven weeks behind on that. 00:33:24
I can't really push that. 00:33:29
Deadline out because a lot of land owners and farmers want that for 2025 for tax purposes so. 00:33:30
We're going to find a way to get those done. 00:33:38
I guess our next sign up will be our equip. 00:33:42
Program and that's going to take place sometime in January. 00:33:45
It's kind of all hands on deck to get CSP done and then we'll kind of turn the page to equip so. 00:33:49
That's kind of where our heads are at right now, if you guys have any. 00:33:56
Questions. 00:34:00
Still some uncertainty on. 00:34:01
Stuff since we've only been back for like a week so. 00:34:04
Any questions from the committee? 00:34:09
Nice to see you all, thanks for coming. Thanks for the update. 00:34:13
Good morning, everyone. 00:34:22
OK, so as Sawyer said, we're back in the office. They funded us to the end of the year. 00:34:27
The October 1st end of our year. 00:34:34
With that, they also extended the farm bill programs one year. We're still waiting for official direction as to when. 00:34:38
Or how those programs are going to look. 00:34:46
So we're hoping. 00:34:49
When we get through this. 00:34:51
Cleanup process from the shutdown. 00:34:54
With the pay periods and everything that will get more information on that. 00:34:57
In the meantime, we do know FSA. 00:35:02
FSA was partially open during part of the shutdown. 00:35:06
To maintain some business flow when it came to farm loan activity. 00:35:10
Some crop reporting activity in general. 00:35:16
Office. 00:35:19
Getting the mail, answering phone calls. 00:35:20
So we're not in too big of a hole like. 00:35:23
NRCS was, but we still have some. 00:35:26
Cleanup work to do. 00:35:29
Our fall crop reporting that deadline was November 15th. 00:35:31
However they did. They didn't extend the deadline, but they waived all late file provisions for producers until February 2nd. 00:35:36
So we're continuing to get farmers in the door to report their fall. 00:35:44
Planted crops to keep their eligibility up. 00:35:49
We also had announcement of a few new disaster programs. 00:35:54
The first one is called the Milk loss program. This is a program. 00:36:00
Designed to cover losses from milk dumped from a natural disaster event that occurred. 00:36:05
2 Thousand, 2324. 00:36:11
Time frame. 00:36:14
We don't believe this is going to have much impact up here in Dodge County. This is more for southern states. 00:36:16
Another program they got is called the On Farm. 00:36:23
Commodity loss program. 00:36:26
Again, this ones designed to provide. 00:36:29
Funds for commodity. 00:36:33
Losses that were stored on farm and storage structures from 23 and 24 natural disaster events. 00:36:36
Again, we don't believe there's much. 00:36:43
Call for it up here, mostly down South. 00:36:45
The other, the third one that we've got is the SDRP or. 00:36:51
The supplemental disaster revenue program. 00:36:57
This is Phase 2. 00:37:01
If you guys remember, before shut down, we were working on phase one. 00:37:03
We had majority of our producers in the county paid. 00:37:08
Before the shutdown happened in phase one. 00:37:12
Now they've got Phase 2 rolling out, we are currently going through the trainings and putting a plan together for that. 00:37:15
This program is more or less designed for. 00:37:24
To cover the crops for. 00:37:30
Producers that participated in phase one that phase one did not cover. 00:37:33
Or any producer that did not participate in phase one. 00:37:38
So we don't believe it's going to be a tremendous impact on the majority of our producers, but it will have some impact. 00:37:42
It is by far a lot more complicated than phase one. Phase 1 was. 00:37:50
Pre filled application that farmers basically just had the sign and send back. 00:37:55
This application is 11 pages long. 00:38:01
And requires supplemental documentation to be submitted and reviewed by CLC's. 00:38:04
So it will be a lot. 00:38:10
Lengthier. 00:38:12
Program sign up. 00:38:14
They did announce a deadline with this program now, so both SDRP phase one and Phase 2. 00:38:16
The deadline will be, I believe, April 15th. 00:38:23
So we will be working on that. 00:38:26
The other news we've got? 00:38:30
Was because of the shutdown our county committee elections. 00:38:33
For FSA kind of got muddled up. 00:38:37
So we heard this last week that they're extending current CLC's until March 1st. 00:38:40
And then we are going to basically restart our election process. 00:38:48
So we will have to come up with a new election. 00:38:53
Ballot counting date sometime in February. 00:38:57
And then? 00:39:00
Roll through with sending out ballots and collecting them back and having our election process. 00:39:02
Again, we're waiting For more information on exactly what that's going to look like, but we do know that our. 00:39:08
Current CLC's will remain intact until March 1st. 00:39:15
So that was a lot of information coming out from us. Any questions from anybody? 00:39:21
The farm builds an extension, not a new bill. 00:39:28
Not a new bill is just an extension. Eclipse funding. Is that changed at all? 00:39:31
For what? Equip funding? 00:39:35
That's NRCS. 00:39:37
So I don't know what the funding levels are on that. We know it's going to be offered. We don't have. 00:39:39
Each day it's going to have yet that's probably going to come out December at some point, but it's it's going to roll out like any 00:39:44
other year. 00:39:49
But the pool has not changed. 00:39:55
Pool of funding. 00:39:56
The pool of funding that I know of hasn't changed. I just don't know that number that it's. 00:39:59
Going to be at. 00:40:05
So it's going to be scoring involved to, you know. 00:40:08
There will be a ranking process. They did get rid of our screening tool. 00:40:10
Because there's just not enough. 00:40:15
Time that they need to screen them all anymore, so I think. 00:40:17
It's going to prioritize. 00:40:21
Ones that have been in the system a little bit longer I think. 00:40:23
But there's no like. 00:40:26
Favoring certain practices over others, I think. 00:40:28
They're all kind of going to be in the same. 00:40:31
Any other questions? 00:40:39
From anyone. 00:40:41
OK. Thank you. Appreciate the time. 00:40:43
Good morning, everybody. 00:41:00
Hope you're doing good. 00:41:02
So John hopefully printed out the handout for my presentation. 00:41:09
Basically. So as you all likely know, I'm Lizzie from Rock River Coalition and we currently hold the contract with Dodge and Rock 00:41:14
County for The Olympian. 00:41:20
The lake monitoring and protection network and essentially that means we get a certain pool of money each year to do aquatic 00:41:27
invasive species work. 00:41:31
In those counties. 00:41:35
And in our contracts, we have a couple things listed and I just wanted to go over some of those things today and our progress that 00:41:38
we made this year. 00:41:42
As well as some other grants that we got that covered aquatic invasive species work in Dodge County that we're really excited 00:41:47
about so. 00:41:51
Firstly, as required by the contract, we did AIS signage checks. So you go to any water body you're going to find most likely in a 00:41:56
is sign basically saying. 00:42:02
Here are the rules for when you leave a boat landing or anything like that. 00:42:08
Contract requires us to do 8. 00:42:14
This year we did 20 so. 00:42:17
As part of our. 00:42:21
Search around Beaver Dam Lake for good spots for boot brush stations. For a different project, we ended up searching all of the 00:42:23
AIS signs around the lake. 00:42:27
And for the most part, aside from a few that could use like a small like wipe down with some dirt. 00:42:32
To get some dirt off. They were all in very good condition. 00:42:38
So a plus on that bill. 00:42:41
And then? 00:42:45
We checked a few others throughout the rest of the county. So 2 incentive B Lake. 00:42:48
One of them could. 00:42:53
Potentially be replaced in the coming years. It was a little bit. 00:42:55
And be taken care of. 00:42:58
Due to some overgrown. 00:43:01
Grass around it. 00:43:03
We checked one in Watertown that was good, one of the Crawfish River that was good. 00:43:05
One that we're considering. 00:43:11
Adding a sign to is Crawfish River at Rotary Park. 00:43:13
And then there's three spots around Horicon Marsh that I'll talk about in a second that we added boot brush stations this year. 00:43:18
And I want to include that as part of our sinus checks. 00:43:25
So this year, as part of our sort of growing initiative to install boot brush cleaning stations, we received funding from the 00:43:31
Beaver Dam Area Community Foundation and We Energies Foundation. 00:43:36
To install Boot rush cleaning stations around Dodge County with a focus, we ended up focusing on Beaver Dam and Horicon Marsh. 00:43:42
We received a lot of help. 00:43:52
I just want to shout out Mark Baldock, Eric Kilberg with work on Marsh. 00:43:54
Bill and Mike with Beaver Dam Lake District. John, he helped us out as well, finding locations that these brushes could go. 00:44:00
And Jonathan Gansky, he was the teacher. 00:44:08
That led two classes of students from Beaver Dam High School. That helped us build these stations, did some educational work with 00:44:11
them as well, talking about aquatic invasives. 00:44:15
But yeah, it was a really fun project and we feel like it did a lot of good around the county so. 00:44:22
Three of them, with the help of Bill and Mike, they were installed around Beaver Dam and Fox Lake area. So one was in the Fox Lake 00:44:28
Fishery area. 00:44:32
One in the Trussell fishing area and the Fish Camp boat launch so. 00:44:36
It's a little difficult to find some of these spots as we were trying to target areas where we know anglers are always attempting 00:44:41
to get in the water with their boots. 00:44:45
So they would need some thing to clean it off. 00:44:50
And with a lot of Beaver Dam Lake, a lot of it's like RIP raft and not a whole lot of foot traffic in there. But we did find those 00:44:53
three locations and those were installed. 00:44:58
And we also spoke with Horacon Marsh in getting a couple boot rust stations there, one at the Burnett boat landing, the Nebraska 00:45:05
St. boat land. 00:45:10
Boat launch and the Chestnut St. boat launch. 00:45:15
Chestnut St. had one originally from the Waterfowl group. 00:45:18
But unfortunately, over the years it had. 00:45:23
Disintegrated and the blue brush on the bottom had basically snapped in half. 00:45:26
So working with Eric Kilberg, he basically agreed. Yep, you can replace that fully please. 00:45:30
So yeah. 00:45:37
And then in general, so general outreach and education that we did. So as usual, we attended the Beaver Dam Fishing Fund. 00:45:39
Interacted with I think believe the number was roughly 100 kids and their parents talking all about aquatic invasive species 00:45:46
around Beaver Dam. 00:45:50
As well as contacted 3 different bait shops, Beaver Bait and Tackle, James E Bait and Tackle and Fishtails. 00:45:54
Do you make sure they have all the materials they need to give out to local anglers to? 00:46:01
Do that education with them regarding aquatic invasive species and again, the laws. 00:46:08
That there are around exiting these. 00:46:13
Boat landings and taking care that you're not spreading AIS. 00:46:16
And then, as usual, we continue to do our general outreach and social media work. So did 24 social media posts throughout the year 00:46:22
about aquatic invasives. 6 different newsletter articles about aquatic invasives. 00:46:28
Promoted the the exotic pet surrenders that happened around the Rock River basin. 00:46:34
As well as did. 00:46:40
A waterfowl hunter outreach bit in a E newsletter that we did all about how waterfowl hunters can prevent the spread of aquatic 00:46:43
invasives. 00:46:46
And from there, so I want to talk a bit about Snapshot day. So this is an annual monitoring event that. 00:46:53
Water action volunteers. 00:47:00
Helps host and run all around the state and locally a lot of aquatic coordinators. 00:47:02
Like me will run local events and gather volunteers and basically sort of a. 00:47:08
Scavenger hunt in a way. 00:47:14
Bio blitz. Those are sort of different words you can use. Basically looking for aquatic invasive species in the local waterways 00:47:17
and reporting that. 00:47:20
Anything you find to the DNR. 00:47:24
This year we hosted it for the first time in Beaver Dam and we were particularly focusing on. 00:47:27
Some of the notable species in the area including curly pond weed, zebra mussels, Eurasian water, milk oil, rusty crayfish, and 00:47:34
purple loose strife. 00:47:38
With Crowley pond weed and Eurasian water milfoil they can cause a lot of recreation issues in terms of. 00:47:44
Navigating the waterways, they can create the very thick unnavigable mats. 00:47:51
And in particular, there are some issues when they die off because they're in such. 00:47:56
Thick dense mats. When they die off they can release a lot of phosphorus. 00:48:01
Causing algae blooms and these can then cause. 00:48:05
All sorts of other issues. 00:48:08
I'm sure you know about zebra mussels and the issues that can cause on a lot of your fishing equipment and they can clean the 00:48:11
boats, motors, anything that's sitting in the water, your peers, your. 00:48:15
Equipment, anything like that? 00:48:21
And. 00:48:23
Unfortunately, while they're great filter feeders and they can make a lake look really clear, they are unfortunately such good 00:48:24
filter feeders that they're taking away from our native mussels. 00:48:29
And out competing them. 00:48:33
As for our purple, blue stripe, that's another program that we have going on that I'll mention in a little bit. 00:48:36
But the problem with them is they can create up to like. 00:48:42
I believe the number is 1.8 million seats per plant. 00:48:45
Which is obviously. 00:48:49
Not great when you have an invasive species. 00:48:51
And these can travel all through the water and through the air. 00:48:54
And again, like with most invasive species, they have the problem of creating very thick uniform stands that are out competing the 00:48:58
native species. 00:49:02
So snapshot nay, was August 9th. 00:49:08
And we had two volunteers that attended. Unfortunately, I believe the Beaver Dam Lake District was meeting at that day, so. 00:49:11
It seems everyday snapshot day falls on the wrong day in Dodge County, which it's unfortunate, but together we tackle 13 sites 00:49:19
which was a great number. 00:49:24
And looked all around Beaver Dam and Fox Lake as well. 00:49:29
So around the Fox Lake area, we've looked at Indian Point Road and we found known populations of zebra mussel and purple blue 00:49:35
strife, but nothing new there, which was great. 00:49:40
And then? 00:49:45
Sorry, I shouldn't say Edgewater Park. This was in Mill Creek. 00:49:48
Right after the dam. 00:49:53
So. 00:49:55
We found new slash extended populations of zebra mussel, rusty crayfish and water milfoil and purple loose strife. 00:49:56
This was to be fairly expected as these are again all populations that are found in either Fox Lake or Beaver Dam. 00:50:03
One or the other, and it kind of makes sense that where they meet, you're going to find all of the species. 00:50:10
So that wasn't too concerning, but. 00:50:17
Then we hosted our initial training at Edgewater Park and we had. 00:50:20
Nothing found at Edgewater Park, surprisingly. 00:50:26
But there was an incidental find on National Ave. Purple loosestrife. 00:50:30
In some of the wetland patches and private properties. 00:50:34
And the railroad? 00:50:38
Right of way there were. 00:50:40
Some purple blue stripes scattered in there, which we reported. 00:50:42
Additionally, we checked out a new area to our stream monitor. Something that's not been checked much is Crystal Creek. Crystal 00:50:48
Lake, that area. 00:50:53
We started at the very top of Crystal Lake Park and found nothing, which was great and then went down to the City Beach area and 00:50:59
we did however find curly pond weed and Eurasian water mill foil. 00:51:04
Additionally, something that was concerning was when we were driving on S 33. 00:51:09
We did find a very extensive patch of purple blue strife. South of that road is around a nursery area and there is a big wetland 00:51:16
behind that and there's lots of purple blue strife in there. 00:51:22
Which is something that we will. 00:51:28
Hopefully address in the coming years. 00:51:30
Through our purple blue stripe program, but. 00:51:33
And then our volunteers went pretty extensively down the Beaver Dam River trying to know any new species there. So they checked a 00:51:36
bunch of different spots on that right below the dam. They checked and found nothing there. 00:51:42
And then at Mill Street they found a known population of currently pond weed, but nothing new there. 00:51:49
And then at Davis St. they found a new slash extended population of zebra mussels and Cooper Street was correlated pond weed. 00:51:54
And then lastly we did a check of Shell Creek at Parker Road and checked and found nothing. 00:52:05
But yeah, we. 00:52:12
We're happy to find that none of these species. 00:52:13
That we did find were entirely new species that we didn't expect to see in the area that we hadn't seen in previous years. 00:52:17
And this was hopefully a good effort in. 00:52:25
More properly mapping where these species are in the watershed. 00:52:28
As our general knowledge is great, but it can be helpful to know, oh, there's some further down the Creek or further down this 00:52:32
river. 00:52:36
And hopefully that'll. 00:52:40
Help you guys and making any management decisions that you want to make. 00:52:41
Yeah, so. 00:52:46
Any questions with that before I continue? 00:52:48
OK. 00:52:54
And then one of our other programs that we started up again this year was the purple loosestrife biocontrol. So I included a basic 00:52:56
like lifecycle of the bugs basically. 00:53:01
DNR a long time ago ran a study and found that. 00:53:08
A bug native to the Purple Blue Stripes native area, called the Glaricello Epidemic, entirely relied on Purple Blue Strife. 00:53:12
Its support for its entire life cycle, and it would rather fly a couple dozen. 00:53:23
About 5 miles I think it is to a new patch of purple blue stripe than feed on anything else in the area. So it was a fairly good. 00:53:31
Method of potential bio control so. 00:53:40
They as beetles and larvae, they will chew up the leaves pretty well and because of that the seed production of the plant and the 00:53:44
heights of the plants and everything will drastically decline. It's not a great way of completely eliminating a plant in the area, 00:53:50
but it will definitely help minimize the spread. 00:53:56
So we had two host sites this year, one was at. 00:54:03
In Cambridge which Kashkin and Trail School and then the other was with Neighborhood House and Neosho. 00:54:08
We had a mass rearing cage, basically a nice big cloth greenhouse in a way. 00:54:14
That we raised purple blue strife in and then release beetles within that cage to breed over the summer and then to hopefully 00:54:19
capture and release in places in Dodge County. 00:54:25
Unfortunately, the Dodge County one. 00:54:30
The colony failed because of some very hungry and very happily fed jumping spiders. 00:54:33
So they went after The Beatles pretty heavily and we weren't able to remove them at a fast enough rate. 00:54:40
And they pretty much decimated all the beetles that were breeding in that cage. 00:54:46
But we have overwintered the rootstock of purple loosestrife, so hopefully. 00:54:52
Next year we can start off early and. 00:54:57
Have a better shot at. 00:55:00
Getting our beetles up and going and out into the patches in Dodge County that we know of. 00:55:02
Including some of the ones that we found on snapshot day. 00:55:08
And then I wanted just to highlight some indirect impacts, so these aren't directly. 00:55:13
Through the LMPN. 00:55:18
Work that we do in Dodge but have some indirect effect on you guys. So our new Young Must Know project, we do a lot of general 00:55:21
outreach and education about invasive New Zealand mud snails. 00:55:25
And that sort of trickles into Dodge County, where? 00:55:31
Also distributing a lot of formula 409 decon kits so the household chemical is really good at. 00:55:36
Killing the New Zealand months now when sprayed on waiters. So we put together decon kits that we've been handing out to anglers 00:55:43
when we come across them. 00:55:46
And we also do regular promotion of our developed 2 minute video. 00:55:51
Of how to decontaminate your kayak and your paddling. 00:55:56
Whatever. Sort of. 00:56:00
Tools you're using anything like. 00:56:02
Anything really, anything that you're using in the water, how to decontaminate that after you're leaving the water. 00:56:05
As well as our stream monitoring program, that's the other half of my position is running that. We have a couple stream monitors 00:56:11
in Dodge County and all of them are again trained in for the major aquatic invasive species. 00:56:16
And a lot of those sort of overlap with those in Dodge County, so. 00:56:23
What are we planning to do in 2026? So it's pretty much again, as it is with every year, it's about the same amount, a little over 00:56:29
$14,000. We're going to be doing mostly everything that I spoke of today. 00:56:35
Except for our rotating events that we switch between rock and dodge every year. So snapshot day will be in rock next year again. 00:56:42
But. 00:56:47
Drain campaign and landing blitz where we go out to the boat launches during specific periods and we will talk to anglers and do 00:56:52
some outreach there. 00:56:57
We'll be doing that in Dodge. 00:57:03
Next year. 00:57:05
And we'll potentially be using leftover funding from the Boot Brush Station grants to install three more boot brush stations, so. 00:57:06
That'll be interesting and continuing as well our purple Blue Strife biocontrol program. 00:57:15
And yeah, I just wanted to know are there any questions about anything I brought up and. 00:57:22
Are there any? 00:57:28
Desires for us to do more, obviously our contracts already been submitted. 00:57:29
But it is pretty flexible in what sort of activities we do every year. So if you guys have constituents that are interested in 00:57:35
particular. 00:57:39
Programs or. 00:57:43
We can run workshops for our Project Red, which is basically we teach people how to monitor for aquatic invasives on their water 00:57:45
bodies. So yeah, any questions? Any. 00:57:50
Interest in. 00:57:56
What we're doing like. 00:57:57
Anything evolving that in any way? 00:57:59
You didn't mention your citizen monitoring program. That's a very strong part. 00:58:03
Where you have people out there and you train them. 00:58:07
Do you know what your schedule is for next year? 00:58:10
Not yet, no. We are working out by our schedule though for. 00:58:13
The year? Hold on, let me. 00:58:18
I do think we of the Watertown one is actually one that we have scheduled. I can check my phone though. I'm sorry. 00:58:21
That should be. That is a great program that you should talk about a little bit. 00:58:29
Yeah, so. 00:58:33
Hold on, let me check this real quick. 00:58:35
I don't have access to the Internet here. May 9th will be the Watertown training. That's the one training that we've solidified so 00:58:39
far. 00:58:42
But yeah, so that status of monitoring is basically we have my position is running a stream monitoring program across the Rock 00:58:47
River basin. 00:58:51
And a lot of it is focused on Dane County because we get additional funding through some of the municipalities there. 00:58:56
But. 00:59:02
Through the Rock River Stormwater Group, we have funding throughout the other counties to do stream monitoring and basically we 00:59:04
train volunteers to go out from May to October once a month and they'll look. 00:59:10
And record and monitor for things like air temperature, water temperature, dissolved oxygen. 00:59:16
The transparency of the water. 00:59:22
The amount of stream flow. 00:59:24
They estimate that through various methods. 00:59:26
And twice a year they'll look at the macro invertebrate populations and that will give us. 00:59:29
A They're all basically water health indicators. 00:59:35
And tell us a little bit about how the stream is doing. 00:59:39
And in the hopes of overtime, if you develop enough data, you develop a nice baseline for what the stream is at so. 00:59:43
If anybody comes in and does a restoration project, they can tell oh restoration project is working a few years later or if it's 00:59:52
not working. 00:59:55
And with the DNR impaired waters list a lot of our nutrient testing that we do in addition. 01:00:00
To that also feeds into that, so that can help inform impaired water decisions and various restoration and management decisions as 01:00:07
well. 01:00:12
Thank you. 01:00:17
Anything else? 01:00:19
Any other questions for Lizzie? 01:00:20
So our invasive pragmatism. 01:00:22
An issue where you don't think they're a problem. 01:00:25
Sorry. 01:00:27
Invasive pragmatics. 01:00:28
Yes, that's not something that we are able to focus on just due to our limitations and funding, but that is definitely an issue. 01:00:31
Throughout I've. 01:00:39
Heard a lot from Jefferson people as well. 01:00:41
About it as well as dodge people. 01:00:44
And usually we've just left that up to the counties to address. 01:00:47
But it is unfortunately an issue here. 01:00:51
Thank you very much. 01:01:02
All right, Farmer preservation update. I wish Lisa was here because these are some numbers that she's been wanting. 01:01:12
That we got here so. 01:01:19
As of last week, we have a total 116,142 acres enrolled in the Farmland preservation program. 01:01:21
Now these are. 01:01:30
AG A1 zoned. 01:01:32
Acres. 01:01:34
So it's not a. 01:01:36
Total of all the acres. 01:01:38
That are being affected. 01:01:41
By the program. 01:01:43
An example is if if a landowner has. 01:01:44
Acres in a town zone for from the preservation but then also has land that he runs in. 01:01:49
Beaver Dam Township, Lowell Township or climbing that's not zoned for farmland preservation. 01:01:56
Those out acres are not eligible for the. 01:02:03
Tax credit. 01:02:06
But they still have to follow the same program rules to to keep him eligible for the program. 01:02:07
So even though there's only 116,000 actually enrolled. 01:02:14
We don't keep track of the other acres, but. 01:02:19
You know, there's a lot more acres that are actually being affected by the program. 01:02:21
Than what they're able to claim the tax credits on. 01:02:25
We had 12,800 new acres enrolled in 25. 01:02:30
And 1267 acres removed in. 01:02:35
25. 01:02:39
Some of those acres that were removed were affected by the. 01:02:41
The data. 01:02:45
Center and some solar farms. 01:02:46
Next month you will have a. 01:02:52
Voluntary notice and non compliance coming to you for 35 acres. 01:02:55
Landowner just. 01:02:59
Wants to be out of the program, so. 01:03:01
That's all I have for farmland preservation. 01:03:05
The 25 budget I sent that to you, I do have. 01:03:10
Larger copies that you can look at. 01:03:15
Realize the with. 01:03:19
Down on the small sheets, it's difficult to see some of them numbers. 01:03:22
Unless if you want to go through line item by line item for 25. 01:03:29
We're going to be under budget. 01:03:34
So we're in good shape, but we had originally had. 01:03:37
32,700. 01:03:40
For operating expenses and currently we're at 25,000, so we're. 01:03:42
Not quite 7000 under budget for 2025. 01:03:49
As of last week Friday. 01:03:52
All the others. 01:03:59
Again, our flow through dollars. 01:04:00
Farmer LED grant wall testing program MDB funds. 01:04:03
The tree sale program is going on now. 01:04:07
So that's some money in and out. 01:04:11
But really the other the other divisions. 01:04:14
Don't affect the operating budget at all. 01:04:18
So. 01:04:20
Our operating budget is. 01:04:22
Fairly small compared to the rest of the county. 01:04:24
Are there any questions on that part? 01:04:31
OK. 01:04:37
Next line, Next item is conservation cost share practices and possibly transferring of funds. 01:04:41
In your packet there was a spreadsheet that talks that shows you all the different land owners that we've been working with this 01:04:49
summer. 01:04:53
It's just been difficult to get them to. 01:04:58
Actually commit. 01:05:01
And sign an agreement. 01:05:02
I had a $9000 cost share agreement already for him to be signed for putting in cover crops and they backed out the last minute. 01:05:05
So currently. 01:05:14
We have done three well abandonments that have been paid for. 01:05:16
We do have a $25,000 contract signed for grazing. 01:05:21
We have two other contracts that the land owners. 01:05:27
As of last week, Friday said that they are willing to sign. 01:05:30
And. 01:05:34
They have to be signed and dated by the end of day tomorrow. 01:05:35
Because we have to transfer unused funds by December 1st. 01:05:40
With the holiday this week and me being in Florida. 01:05:45
Next week. 01:05:49
I gotta. 01:05:51
Let counties know. 01:05:52
By the end of this week if we have any money available. 01:05:54
So if these other two contracts get signed. 01:05:57
Great. We got $873 unaccounted for. 01:06:01
If. 01:06:06
Worst case scenario if both of them don't sign. 01:06:08
We got $22,900 that's. 01:06:11
On spent this year. 01:06:14
That will be available for other counties. 01:06:16
And there are other counties looking for the funds. 01:06:19
What's in this between green and a yellow? 01:06:23
That's my coding. 01:06:25
OK, if you look at the spreadsheet on the top, the top 3 Dodge County Fair nail brothers and Dan Byrd. 01:06:27
That's money carried over from last year. 01:06:33
So those are contracts that were signed last year and projects completed this year? 01:06:36
Of those 3. 01:06:41
The Dan bird with the well abandonment that has not been completed yet, I. 01:06:44
That money has to be used this year or it's gone. It cannot be carried over another year. 01:06:49
He's been contacted several times, he's contacted people to come out and abandoned the well and. 01:06:55
They just don't get back to him. 01:07:03
While drillers are really busy. 01:07:05
Anymore so. 01:07:07
Hopefully he can get it done if he doesn't. 01:07:09
$500 that's lost. 01:07:12
You can always sign up another agreement next year if you finally get somebody in, but. 01:07:14
So and then the rest of it is I just kind of. 01:07:22
Highlighted in yellow. Can't keep track of where the process is so I know what's going on with it. 01:07:24
So that'll that'll be taking place some. 01:07:33
By the end of Wednesday this week. 01:07:36
If we have any money available to transfer out, it'll have to be transferred out. 01:07:38
Any questions? 01:07:44
What was the reason for the guy with the cover caps to abandon that? 01:07:46
He, he was all for it. I mean, Dave and him have been talking back and forth. Dave's gone out. 01:07:51
It's it's on a piece of property that he rents. 01:07:57
So what we do in that instance is the agreement is. 01:08:00
Signed by the landowner. 01:08:04
But then the cost share dollars are transferred over to the operator and we've done that. 01:08:07
Several times on on. 01:08:12
All different kinds of practices. 01:08:14
He hadn't gotten back, hasn't gotten back and. 01:08:18
Dave was in the area you drove by. It was all worked up. 01:08:20
So I don't know. 01:08:24
I don't know why he why he decided not to. 01:08:27
Any other questions? 01:08:35
All right. Next thing is staffing update. 01:08:41
Cameron, you want to try to bring him up on where we're at? 01:08:46
For those that. 01:08:51
Have been around for a while, I am retiring. 01:08:53
December 10th is my last day. 01:08:57
December 8th there's food, so make sure you tell your staff. 01:08:59
Plan I think in the. 01:09:05
While you weren't around. 01:09:06
Yoga. 01:09:09
I have it all ready to go. 01:09:16
So we have a surprise farewell for John tomorrow in our Management Council meeting. Don't tell him. 01:09:19
No, but we. 01:09:25
It won't be it'll be new cupcakes, but the. 01:09:30
As far as the update. 01:09:35
I meant to write down before coming in here the actual number from our. 01:09:37
Our software system, I don't have the number today, but we received multiple applications, a number of candidates that looked to 01:09:40
be very qualified. So I have a review of those applications this week with our HR director and then we'll be reaching out to 01:09:46
arrange for the interviews. 01:09:52
So interviews hopefully. 01:09:57
As a courtesy, we want to give at least a week of advance notice so. 01:09:59
Hopefully the end of next week or the. 01:10:05
Following week we'd be we would actually be having the interviews. So once we once we have the the candidates. 01:10:07
Will we will likely reach out for to the committee for individuals that might want to participate. 01:10:14
In that would. 01:10:20
Ideally, I think we would have two. 01:10:21
Potentially that that join us so, but more to come on that once we have the candidate list and then. 01:10:24
Some sort of fire when staff would be available, the HR director and myself and any other. 01:10:31
Members of staff that would be involved. 01:10:37
So it's moving along. 01:10:38
Any questions? 01:10:42
OK. Thank you. 01:10:46
Our temporary plan. 01:10:50
John, I've I've already talked with it, my emails and my. 01:10:52
Computer access, Cheryl will have be receiving those, so she'll have access on anything on here. 01:10:58
I am also meeting with Cameron tomorrow. 01:11:05
To see as to what extent and interim. 01:11:08
Will need to be obviously if they're gonna. 01:11:12
Fill the position, sometimes first part of January. It's not a big deal if they're going to. 01:11:15
Wait till March or April, while then somebody would need to be. 01:11:21
There may be some signatures. 01:11:26
That need to take place in that time. 01:11:29
So. 01:11:31
I've already talked to him. The rest of my staff, I haven't talked to them about it yet, but. 01:11:33
John Dukert will be the one that will be signing in my place while I'm. 01:11:37
In the meantime. 01:11:42
I but it's kind of where where that's all at right now. 01:11:46
I I've thrown away all incriminating stuff so far so. 01:11:51
So the. 01:11:56
Recycle bin is full. 01:11:58
Cleaning house, going through stuff I've got. 01:12:00
Some information ready for we put my replacement as far as in January. These are the things you look at February, look at these. 01:12:04
Been going through all my emails and. 01:12:13
Trying to not e-mail but all my files. 01:12:18
Putting them on the W drive so that. 01:12:21
All the staff can look at it. 01:12:23
Trying to make it. 01:12:26
Accessible. 01:12:27
For other people that need to be in there, you know, contracts for land and water, the. 01:12:28
Crap. Crap agreements and things like that. 01:12:33
Got a couple things I want to tidy up. 01:12:37
This week yet, as far as prep agreements, get some signatures. Get them sent in. 01:12:39
But yeah. 01:12:47
We're getting things. 01:12:47
Getting things ready for the next person. 01:12:51
So John said for the agenda for next month, he'll have a good part of it made Cheryl's been last few few months is. 01:12:52
She actually does put it together now, writes it all down South. Sure, I'll be working with her then the week before we publish 01:12:58
it, and then extension. Then we'll get stuff over to you. 01:13:03
And and then we'll go from there. But we we think we'll be just fine. 01:13:09
OK, the December agenda is pretty much done. I've gone through and looked at that. So it's just. 01:13:17
Whatever extension needs to to add on to it and if something pops up. 01:13:23
We put on there. 01:13:29
But that will be pretty much taken care of before I. 01:13:31
OK. Any other questions for John? 01:13:38
So be his last time. 01:13:40
You want to say any parting words to us or? 01:13:42
Oh, it's been a good ride 32 1/2 years in Dodge County. 01:13:45
We're a little over 8 as you county Con. 01:13:51
And it's it's been good. 01:13:56
Met a lot of land owners. 01:13:58
Before I became County Con, I ran the and moist ordinance. 01:14:00
Did issuing of the permits. I did most of the design work on the structures back then, a lot of. 01:14:04
Holes in the ground that. 01:14:12
That I had a part of. 01:14:15
Did more strong investigations in this county than. 01:14:17
Then I care to think about. 01:14:20
But yeah, it's been good, I've been. I've enjoyed my time here. 01:14:24
Thank you for your faithful service and then you dedicated yours on behalf of the committee we just. 01:14:28
Wish you the very best and hopefully you can enjoy yourself. Do do whatever you want to do on your land and. 01:14:32
Thank you. 01:14:40
Yeah. Thank you. 01:14:41
OK. 01:14:43
Committee reports for the. 01:14:46
Lake Districts. I'll start with LSID. 01:14:49
We had our meeting on. 01:14:52
1111. 01:14:54
Commissioners were updated and discussed, we had a new website and then we're just switching over to it by the end of November. 01:14:55
And we're going to be including records for the last three years on it, which would be kind of nice, so. 01:15:03
That'll be good for the public. 01:15:09
The big part of the meeting was an initial review and critique of Hay and Associates dredging feasibility study. 01:15:11
That's the big feasibility study that the taxpayers selected. 01:15:18
The number came in at the option. This is up near. 01:15:23
Oxbow Marine. Those either familiar with they Hustisford. 01:15:28
Area that that. 01:15:33
North there. 01:15:35
The project came in an estimated $2.9 million for dredging. 01:15:37
And then the commissioning the commissioners also discussed. 01:15:42
You know our. 01:15:46
Our relationship with the DNR and the the Corps of Engineers to get grants for that and so that that's that's ongoing underway 01:15:48
now. 01:15:51
I think the only other thing I've reported Shane in the LSA representatives are touring the Hustisford Dam operations. The they 01:16:00
have changeover and staff at their uses for Dam the way they. 01:16:06
Who's running it? And so we will be working with their new folks on that. So we're aware of what's going on there. And that's 01:16:12
about it for me. 01:16:16
Go at Beaver Dam. 01:16:21
Beaver Dam Lake, We've been collecting data this summer and. 01:16:22
Call. 01:16:25
Punching the numbers and mapping out. 01:16:28
Finding. 01:16:35
What you're looking at is a map of Beaver Dam vegetation. 01:16:42
So we crisscrossed the lake with a boat. We borrowed the association boat. 01:16:45
Lake District with a bunch of volunteers. 01:16:50
Map that out over. 01:16:52
Week period. 01:16:55
And what we found was that you'll see the yellow marks are vegetation. 01:16:56
That's in a. 01:17:01
50% density range, which is reasonable. 01:17:04
As you go down to the greens, you start to have less and less vegetation. You'll see how. 01:17:08
Sparse, that is. 01:17:13
Then the blue is. 01:17:15
Mucky bottom and water. 01:17:17
So Beaver Dam lakes, roughly 90% without vegetation. 01:17:19
That's not a very good number. 01:17:23
The green is sparse. 01:17:25
And the yellow, and even less. 01:17:28
You want the vegetation there for the habitat. 01:17:30
And for the uptake of the phosphorus? 01:17:33
So this is a work area for us to improve the vegetation. 01:17:36
I'm be ready. I'm Mike. 01:17:40
The second map is our. 01:17:45
Field surveys went back and forth across the lower part of the lake. We did this the whole lake. 01:17:48
And what we looked at was the shoreline and any anomalies on the bottom of the lake. 01:17:54
Many protrusions that would come up to the surface. 01:18:01
But then, more importantly, we looked at the shoreline as we went back and forth. 01:18:04
And compare the residential shoreline for buffering. 01:18:08
So in the city of Beaver Dam, for example. 01:18:14
We had under 7% of the residences had reasonable buffering. 01:18:17
So we have two situations now we have to look at for the future. 01:18:21
We need better buffering on the shoreline. 01:18:25
To keep the phosphorus and sediment out of the lake. 01:18:27
Then we have to get more. 01:18:30
Native good vegetation in the. 01:18:32
So that can be a habitat for the fishery. 01:18:36
And uptake the phosphorus. 01:18:41
We're going to combine this information with a University of Wisconsin WRM. 01:18:44
They'll finish up their work in March. 01:18:48
It will dovetail this and the additional information we got on the lake with our volunteers. 01:18:50
So that'll be March in a presentation at the high school. 01:18:55
I believe early April. 01:18:59
The last major undertaking is we're compiling the data for Beaver Dam Lake. 01:19:06
We have data. 01:19:11
In different areas so the water is in the swims program. 01:19:13
The Rivers and Creeks is in the wave program. 01:19:17
The. 01:19:21
Some of the. 01:19:22
Tributaries. 01:19:24
Is collected by volunteers and. 01:19:25
Analyzed by the BBM water utility. 01:19:29
And we also have different. 01:19:32
Analysis of the different bays coming into the lake. 01:19:34
So this information for our lake is scattered in different locations. 01:19:37
So we're putting this in one database, and we started that this fall. 01:19:41
With the data we have here. 01:19:45
And we'll go over the winter time to try to Polish that up to get it to 1 format. 01:19:47
Again, if you have a chance, come when the UW. 01:19:53
Identifies their date for the presentation. 01:19:56
I think be quite interesting. 01:19:59
We have the preliminary review in Madison. 01:20:01
3rd of December. 01:20:05
And it's moving along very nicely. 01:20:07
OK. Any questions for Bill? 01:20:11
Deal. OK, Fox Lake met on November 13th. 01:20:15
We met at 1:00 instead of our usual 9:00. 01:20:20
Because they were trying to get the DNR to come on to discuss. 01:20:23
Wetland phosphorus. 01:20:29
Soil tester. 01:20:31
But turned out that they could not. They had a conflict. They couldn't. 01:20:33
Attend virtually so. 01:20:37
Tentatively, they're going to try to attend. 01:20:39
Our next meeting in December. 01:20:42
They wanted to do. 01:20:47
Core sampling in wetlands to see if there is any. 01:20:50
Legacy phosphorus and if there is, what can be done about it? 01:20:53
You know, whether they have to judge it out or whatever. 01:20:57
And Tracy? 01:21:03
Got in contact with ER to see if. 01:21:06
That's the engineering firm that did our lake management plan to see if there's any funding left that they could help. 01:21:09
Fund us doing the samples. 01:21:14
And there was not, and they didn't seem. 01:21:16
Willing to step up at all so. 01:21:19
The DNR has volunteered to help with the. 01:21:21
Chlorine, as I understand. We'll see what happens with that. 01:21:24
With the soil pourings and I don't know where they would send a test to. They're just regular in these oil test lab would do that 01:21:31
or does that take a special lab? 01:21:34
The Mayville Soils lab used to do that. Once they moved to Verona, I'm not sure anymore. 01:21:40
That's where we sun. 01:21:45
So our Commissioner for our approximate group is, is Liz or say and. 01:21:50
She's in Florida now, so she attends virtually. 01:21:54
And. 01:21:58
She made some comments that. 01:21:58
Our lake management plan. 01:22:00
Was a very good plan and that. 01:22:02
Farmer practices would probably have one of the biggest impacts on the lake. 01:22:09
So. 01:22:13
She's pushing to. 01:22:15
Get farmers to change their practices. 01:22:18
And I'm saying, yeah, Liz, that's, that's great. But it's, it's, it's a hard sell. 01:22:21
You know, as John's well aware. 01:22:26
So kind of look at avenues that they can contact farmers and see they can. 01:22:28
Find a way to. 01:22:35
Convince them that change could be actually be in their benefit as well as the lakes. 01:22:38
OK. 01:22:47
All right, for the next scheduled meeting. 01:22:49
On one paper it says December 22nd, another paper says December 15th. So now it's it's it's the 15th. 01:22:52
The 15th. 01:22:58
OK. 01:23:01
OK, everybody OK with that? December 15th, 8:30. 01:23:05
We have to meet that day, right? We have things we have to do. 01:23:11
I'll have to look. 01:23:15
See. But there is it, is there a light schedule? I mean, I yeah, it won't be. 01:23:17
It won't be a long one. 01:23:21
We probably should have a meeting though still because update staffing, right Cameron? We probably should still have a meeting 01:23:23
just so that people know. 01:23:26
Red or do we not need to have a meeting? 01:23:30
I don't. 01:23:32
There's there's no there wouldn't be any required action on that and I can. 01:23:34
I can send out information to the committee members. All right, let us. 01:23:37
And and what's what's on the December meeting for? 01:23:42
For me. 01:23:45
Could be pushed off to January if you want to skip. So I don't know if we'll have a meeting. Cheryl, why don't you you? 01:23:47
Confer Cameron with Cheryl. 01:23:53
And and tell us a week ahead. 01:23:56
Over the week before December 15th, we. 01:23:58
May not. I don't think they have a meeting. I don't think extension will have anything. 01:24:01
That so we may not have a meeting until January will be our next date in January. Then why don't we determine that date now? 01:24:05
Be the 26th. 01:24:19
Everybody OK with that? 01:24:23
OK. 01:24:26
So Cheryl, you'll be in touch with us, that touch with me, and then we'll send you guys a communication. Otherwise, it'll be 01:24:27
January 26. 01:24:30
If we have no official business, Cameron, I'm thinking we will not have a meeting unless. 01:24:33
Unless you hire somebody or something like that, then we would, you know what I mean? You already have an announcement or 01:24:37
something, you see? 01:24:40
But if we don't have any papers, we have to sign anything. 01:24:43
Don't see an extension can wait so. 01:24:45
OK by the. 01:24:47
Completion of the agenda. I call the meeting adjourned Events. 01:24:49
Or what's it upcoming events? I'm sorry. OK. Oh yeah, conference. 01:24:52
Atlanta Water Conference is March 4th to the 6th. It'll be at the Chula Vista and The Dells this year. 01:24:56
They will open the registrations up in December. 01:25:02
Typically in the past, I try to get that information from you by the end of January so that it can we can make the reservations. 01:25:07
So when we. 01:25:16
Need information? We'll need to know if you're going. 01:25:19
If you're taking the spouse. 01:25:22
If the spouse will be attending. 01:25:25
The events or just. 01:25:27
Going up there. 01:25:29
To go up there. 01:25:31
And if there's any dietary. 01:25:32
Concerns. 01:25:34
Cheryl, could you e-mail us out when you get the? 01:25:37
Packet to look. 01:25:40
Would you get a packet of info about that? 01:25:41
It comes through emails. 01:25:44
OK. So get it, OK. 01:25:45
So if for some reason we don't have meeting, we'll be sure to get you that information so you guys can set your calendars and 01:25:47
decide, but we have to firm it up in January, in January. 01:25:51
To get the early bird discount, yeah. 01:25:55
So they get a discount if you sign up early. 01:25:58
If we don't meet in December, maybe we should move the date up in January. Just a thought. 01:26:00
Yeah. 01:26:07
By the end. 01:26:09
I think. 01:26:10
I think by the the sometime in February is the cut off. 01:26:13
For. 01:26:18
The. 01:26:19
Reduce rates. 01:26:21
So we have time to get the good rate. You'll have time, yeah. 01:26:23
Yeah, OK. We will communicate with the committee. 01:26:26
For sure. 01:26:30
And though we send it in right after the committee meeting, that's what does I try to. 01:26:31
I've never had an issue. 01:26:40
Other than. 01:26:42
Before covert at Green Bay. 01:26:44
Of of not being able to have enough rooms at the hotel. 01:26:48
So the earlier we get sent in. 01:26:51
Then the better chance of getting a room. 01:26:54
At the hotel and not having to have a room at another place and then do driving back and forth. 01:26:56
So we don't want that, you don't want that and Chula Vista. 01:27:01
I mean, they've expanded. 01:27:05
They're they're pretty good size now. So last time did they have another hotel? I think they did. 01:27:07
Did they? Did they? Well, when we had at Green Bay, there was 2 held hotels side by side. Yeah, the one right next door. Yeah. 01:27:12
Yeah. But what about when we were at the, I'm talking about 2-3 years ago then. 01:27:16
Was that did they have? 01:27:21
Did they have enough room for us or do we have to go? Yeah, no, we've I've always been able to get us in have enough room. 01:27:22
Right, but the longer you wait, the chance of that? 01:27:29
Not happening. 01:27:32
So today's concern should we move the meeting? 01:27:33
Right now we have January 26. Should we move it? 01:27:36
They move it. He might. 01:27:40
Might have a good point. 01:27:41
Move it like a week before the 19th. 01:27:43
Would everyone be are we OK with getting the room here? 01:27:45
Yeah, that shouldn't be an issue. 01:27:49
I think that might be a good idea. Is everyone OK with that? Go to the 19th. 01:27:52
So 26 why don't we do that to firm up our. 01:27:57
I think that's a good idea. 01:28:00
OK, January 19th. 01:28:02
OK, I think I've covered everything now. 01:28:08
Anything else, John? 01:28:15
OK. 01:28:17
Future agenda items. 01:28:20
The only thing I have for future agenda items. 01:28:22
And I already talked about it with Patty. I'll see if I can get AG science and will to come maybe like I'm thinking like February 01:28:26
or March. 01:28:29
That's the only you know, I'd like to have them come and talk to us. 01:28:34
OK. OK. By the completion of the agenda, I call the meeting adjourned. Thank you, everybody. 01:28:38
John's retirement party is on the. 01:28:46
Monday the 8th, 11 to 2 those. 01:28:48
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Transcript

Event transcript
OK. 00:00:03
Be in the hour of 830 I called the conservation education. 00:00:05
Meeting to order. 00:00:09
I have taken attendance. John and Lisa are not here, but we have a quorum. 00:00:13
I see no other county board members. 00:00:19
Except Dave. 00:00:22
Our chairman. 00:00:24
I don't see any public comment today. 00:00:25
People here. 00:00:27
OK, what's your pleasure of the minutes for October 20th? 00:00:29
OK, Ken makes a motion to approve the minutes. Do I have a second? 00:00:35
Sort of a bill seconds. 00:00:37
Any discussion on the minutes? 00:00:39
OK, hearing none, those in favor signify by saying aye. 00:00:43
Aye. 00:00:47
OK, those opposed. 00:00:48
OK. 00:00:50
Last month seemed like a long time ago now. 00:00:53
Tim and I went to the to Madison. 00:00:56
To the WCA committee. 00:00:59
For extension. 00:01:02
And we had a meeting with. 00:01:04
The. 00:01:06
Committee which? 00:01:08
Main people on that committee that were that day, that were important were Jeremy our. 00:01:09
Our assistant Dean, the other assistant Dean, Jason. 00:01:14
And and Carl Martin, the Dean of the school. 00:01:17
And we had an opportunity to. 00:01:21
Being a small group with the head folks and we got updated and all the different things we've been telling you. 00:01:25
The different changes. 00:01:31
And you've heard them different ways. 00:01:32
But I thought I should take a minute and tell you a little bit about the changes from the university's point of view. 00:01:35
Extension to remind you. 00:01:42
That extension was taken under the fold of the university. 00:01:44
So the effects of the. 00:01:48
Cuts to extension have. 00:01:51
Been been fortunately. 00:01:54
Helped by the extension being part of the whole university. 00:01:57
The UW had a 5%. 00:02:01
Cut to academics and 7% to administration. 00:02:03
And So what that meant for extension about 1,000,007 decrease? 00:02:08
And, umm. 00:02:13
And a good part of that, of course, was the snaps program, which is all, but I think a few jobs were saved, but 92 were cut, 2 00:02:15
here in Dodge County. 00:02:19
The university made a firm commitment. 00:02:26
To us, to the counties that they have no reduction to their Co funded positions. In other words with our educators, they pay half, 00:02:28
we pay half and they're going to continue to do that. 00:02:33
And that's in our contract today. 00:02:39
The AED's. The AED's like Cindy will be getting one. 00:02:41
And they're in the process of hiring one. We do not have 1 yet. 00:02:46
Today is Cindy's last day. Also John's last day here with us. 00:02:51
But they are. They're on it. They are going to hire somebody. 00:02:55
And it's going to be a little different. They had did 21 in the state, they're going to be 19. But their duties, I've changed a 00:02:58
little bit. 00:03:02
Ours is going to be for Dodge. 00:03:06
Columbia Fond du Lac. 00:03:09
Washington and Azaki is that is that your current? 00:03:10
OK. So we're transferring to. We used to be a little different, but that's our new like group. 00:03:13
That we're in. 00:03:19
The other thing that was very important to me? 00:03:22
And. 00:03:25
And. 00:03:26
When we went. 00:03:29
I know those of you came like Dale, remember we went a couple years ago to that, that farm over in Janesville. 00:03:29
Then we they said you guys want a county farm. 00:03:34
And I guess I'm I'm still learning about how extension works. OK, that was called the Ag Institute. 00:03:37
That's a little different. Like we have the we normally when we think of extension, we think of our educators and. 00:03:42
You know, we think of Cindy and but then another part of extension is the different schools they have. 00:03:48
Also. 00:03:53
That's all connected. And so the Ag Institute, our county, I, I had a one-on-one and Kim was there at a one-on-one conversation. 00:03:55
Put Carl on the spot, the Dean of the school. 00:04:00
And said I wanted assurances. 00:04:05
That the Agriculture Institute. 00:04:08
Would back up our county farm. 00:04:11
That because remember that day? Remember those other guys were all there and they said, yeah, we want 10 farms or whatever. And we 00:04:13
said, Oh yeah, we want it. 00:04:16
And because I was concerned because of the cuts. 00:04:20
Will you support Dodge County? 00:04:23
And he assured. 00:04:25
Me. 00:04:26
And Kim was there also. 00:04:27
That they would support. 00:04:29
The Dodge County Test Farm and I told them that our county board, you know, passed a resolution. We've dedicated these acres. 00:04:31
It was a very important to me. We have will full water of course involved. 00:04:37
We have the person that renting it involved. 00:04:40
But I wanted assurances. 00:04:44
From the school that they would support us and they did. They did do that. 00:04:46
Support financially. 00:04:50
No, I want the scientists. 00:04:51
OK, I want those guys that we met that one day that help to help support Will. 00:04:54
And. 00:04:59
To support the farmer, the guy that's renting the land, I want them to support. 00:05:01
That. 00:05:06
You know, they're experiments. I wanted a top down support. 00:05:07
He assured me they would. 00:05:10
And. 00:05:12
I would like to and I'll I'll work with Patty. I want. 00:05:14
I would like to have those scientists or those egg. I'd like maybe see like in February, have them come on. 00:05:18
And talk to us with Will. 00:05:24
And to tell to talk about. 00:05:25
That what we're doing. I'd like to do that coming up. 00:05:28
They have some other institutes that are that are important. 00:05:32
The Wisconsin Idea is, is bringing Wisconsin assets to our county, The, the, the, the university's assets and you know, they have 00:05:35
a housing. 00:05:39
They have a housing institute that. 00:05:43
Or an effort. 00:05:45
That's very strong that we probably should engage in. 00:05:46
Strategic planning. 00:05:50
And then they have one with AI. 00:05:52
That we'll talk about. I don't know if Patty's going to talk about that or Cindy and her report. Andrew have one question. 00:05:54
Egg Institute is that's is that different their egg research farms or UW extension, it's a whole separate. 00:06:00
And institutes in under UW extension, we have institutes like it's part of extension. 00:06:06
All right, like I told you in the beginning, I'm learning. 00:06:14
They're saying all that all fits together and that's the right question. That's I don't always ask the right questions, but but 00:06:17
yes, we're going to get them to help us. 00:06:21
And it won't cost you. 00:06:25
Extra tax dollars. So that's the good news. 00:06:27
The hiring process, I've got different updates from from Cindy and Jeremy. They're, they're they're planning on and and maybe 00:06:30
Cindy will talk about this early next year. 00:06:35
They're looking. They did ask for input there. They asked me for input. I I will give it. I think at the end I offered that I 00:06:40
would. 00:06:43
Umm Jeremy is appointed Patty Carroll. 00:06:46
As the point of contact for extension, so the next few meetings when we don't have an ad, I'll be working with Patty for the 00:06:50
agenda. 00:06:53
And to make sure we get everything that we need to get right in any activities that come up. 00:06:57
Patty be working with us. 00:07:02
And and that's really at the the MOU contract, there is no changes for 26. The committee made no changes and that's what we'll be 00:07:05
looking at later today. 00:07:08
And then we're looking at, I guess I will say the one AI thing. 00:07:16
We were offered to have a AI expert come here to Dodge County. 00:07:20
For for several counties. 00:07:26
The supervisors of leadership and we we are going to have that here in Dodge County. So that's. 00:07:28
It'll be I don't know if we're gonna call it a summit or what we're gonna call it. 00:07:34
But there will be an AI. 00:07:37
Educator. 00:07:41
High end guy. 00:07:43
That has done this. 00:07:44
And it's going to be really, really neat. So that's up and coming. Then that'll be January 30th. So I don't know if you're going 00:07:46
to talk about a Patty or Cindy. I'm not sure what. 00:07:50
OK. That's all I have there. So that was the meeting in Madison. 00:07:57
And I think we're, I feel very comfortable. 00:08:01
With the transition. 00:08:04
I think Cindy's done an excellent job helping us as Jeff has left. 00:08:05
And is is extension had to figure out. 00:08:10
What they were going to do now, they've made their plans, they've got their budget. 00:08:14
And so I think we're in good shape. And so I thought I should take a minute and explain that to everybody. 00:08:17
And that's my update. If anyone has any questions I'll be happy to answer now or later. 00:08:23
And OK, so the next thing, Cindy, you're up. 00:08:28
Or. 00:08:32
This is the updated. 00:08:40
OK, so you. 00:08:42
OK, you've got the contract by you and now you're going to get the MOU companion document. 00:08:44
So these are. 00:08:54
We have a contract contract with. 00:08:56
Extension for one year, it's for the positions. Ours of course, is a lot smaller this year because we have a lot less educators. 00:09:00
In in the meat of the contract is on page 2. It's the same as you received an e-mail. There's a couple small changes. What were 00:09:07
the changes from the e-mail edition? Could you or Kim? 00:09:12
Sir Kim. 00:09:17
So every year, Dodge County customizes. 00:09:22
136 contract. 00:09:25
Used to be. 00:09:29
And the changes really relate to on page 2. 00:09:33
The extension responsibility about hiring. 00:09:37
What we have in our our contract for Dodge County is really just near the MU. And what that says is that. 00:09:41
Essentially. 00:09:49
The county is involved when there is a vacancy for one of the educators. The county needs to be involved in the hiring process. Of 00:09:50
course, Extension has a final say. 00:09:55
On who is hired? 00:10:01
But we. 00:10:02
As a county want to have. 00:10:04
A good interaction and. 00:10:06
Participation in that process for educators. 00:10:09
In addition to that change or so I added that to. 00:10:12
Page 2. 00:10:15
And then there's a section here and it is on Page 3. 00:10:17
At the top about. 00:10:22
The support staff that the county provides. 00:10:23
To assist the educators in the office. 00:10:26
And uh. 00:10:29
Language was included to. 00:10:31
Be clear that. 00:10:33
The support staff. 00:10:35
Is our county employees and it's up to the county administrator in terms of. 00:10:36
Number of positions. 00:10:42
And who does support staff report to and on a day-to-day basis? Certainly they assist with educators. 00:10:44
In the office, but ultimately. 00:10:50
The county administrator is oversight. 00:10:52
Those positions. 00:10:55
And also oversight in terms of? 00:10:57
Budget. So for instance, if. 00:11:00
If there's a proposal to, I don't know. 00:11:03
Expand the office. 00:11:05
15 support staff. I mean, ultimately that's up to the county administrator. 00:11:07
So it really recognizes the authority of the administrator. 00:11:10
And then the final change. 00:11:14
Is on the left. 00:11:17
The signature we reference the Mou. 00:11:20
Because the contract. 00:11:24
So we reference that and I see that I have a title there because they have. 00:11:31
Letter G twice. 00:11:34
So. 00:11:38
That's really kind of a summary of the changes. 00:11:38
I did print off a clean. 00:11:41
We should be signing last, reviewing it every year. 00:11:46
And then we signed it in 2025 and. 00:11:48
It really is. Nothing has changed. 00:11:51
But. 00:11:54
In front of the committee. 00:11:56
Every year. 00:12:00
If you have changes or thoughts about things that. 00:12:02
Need to be addressed in the MO U. 00:12:06
You can think about that as the year goes on and then bring those to the table. 00:12:07
When we redo the MOU if. 00:12:12
If anything needs to be. 00:12:15
Be included in the MO U. 00:12:16
At a later date, that's fine. 00:12:17
But right now it is the same as the 2025. 00:12:19
I think it's a good idea to sign both the contract and the MOU at the same time. 00:12:23
In the MOU is the one to make it clear, that's the one that the committee. 00:12:29
The committee works on. 00:12:32
Throughout and they did a lot work last year and this year we decided not to make any changes in the, the MO U is the. 00:12:33
Is the. 00:12:39
Is the. 00:12:41
Is the. 00:12:42
Way we operate, is that the best? It's like operations, like the operations and we as the counties association, we we thought it 00:12:43
was very important we tied these together. 00:12:47
And in really a lot of the MO U will be dependent on our day-to-day work will be dependent on the new AED and. 00:12:52
What we're going to do, for example, I had told you Cindy, we're not going to do a needs assessment this year. What would be 00:12:59
updating them and doing some other things. But when we, when the new AED comes on board, we'll, we'll do what works for us and 00:13:05
even years to come, we probably won't have one every even every year. I told you I'd probably rotate the different groups. 00:13:10
So, you know, this is very personal to Dodge County and then when the new ad will let them get started and then we'll kind of. 00:13:16
Make a plan with them as to what we're going to do for this year. 00:13:23
Does that sound sound good? 00:13:27
Do you OK? 00:13:28
So we have a. 00:13:30
Legally we are we are good to go here. And So what I will be doing looking for a motion, entertain a motion. 00:13:31
That we would approve. 00:13:37
And have authorization to sign. 00:13:40
The. 00:13:43
Contract for the extension Contract for 26. 00:13:45
And related. 00:13:51
For MO U. 00:13:53
So that's the motion I need. 00:13:54
I'll make that motion. OK. Bill makes the motion. 00:13:58
I need a second. 00:14:00
I'll second, OK. Second, Dale. OK. Is there any further discussion on the MO U in the contract? 00:14:02
We have both the folks here if you have any questions. 00:14:07
They've gone through it and I think we're good to go. 00:14:10
OK, hearing no discussion. Those in favor signify by saying aye. 00:14:14
Aye, those opposed. 00:14:19
OK, NASA, Cindy, other thing and I'm going to sign this. I'll pass it around to you guys. You have to sign each of them. 00:14:21
The Backpage. 00:14:26
I think the MO U doesn't have a lot of signature lines. 00:14:28
So they do good. 00:14:33
We're special. 00:14:38
That's good. Tim probably updated it because I know on mine it doesn't have that many. 00:14:39
All right, go ahead if you want to. 00:14:45
Talk and give us your final goodbyes. Yeah, my final goodbye sounds so now, yeah. 00:14:47
Dire. Well, appreciate the time that I've been here. It's been a great experience. I really enjoyed it. 00:14:54
I know we worked out some bugs and I think we're Dodge County is a shining star now leading the example of these MLU's in the 00:15:01
Community needs forums. 00:15:06
They are going to post that position. It should be this week and hopefully that will happen. Patty up it's point person. Just work 00:15:12
with her like you work with the AED and she'll work with Jeremy. 00:15:18
Other than that. 00:15:25
I appreciate your time and thanks for getting those signed. I'll get those over. That was the last MO you that and contract that I 00:15:26
needed to get in. So thank you. 00:15:30
OK. Oh, and Penny will talk about the AI. 00:15:35
We got bill omission that will be coming, but petty since I'm not gonna be there any longer. She's gonna run with this and. 00:15:39
That'll be a great. 00:15:47
Great educational. 00:15:48
Peace. 00:15:50
Good morning. 00:16:00
So I'm up. 00:16:02
I'm gonna just remind you because. 00:16:03
You know, some faces are new. I'm Patty Carroll. 00:16:05
I'm the human development and relationships educator. 00:16:08
And I'm up for the report this month. 00:16:11
And one thing that Cindy did do for us is the. 00:16:14
She shepherded the listening session. And then how we report out and what we have come up with as a staff is to report out 00:16:19
quarterly. 00:16:24
With very specific updates as to what we learned from our listening sessions and then how the educators are responding. 00:16:29
And so I wrote a report and I'm just going to go over a few of the highlights from the listening session and some of the things I 00:16:37
had been working on. 00:16:41
Between the listening session and now. 00:16:45
So progress towards some of the identified priorities from the listening session. One thing that was made clear during the 00:16:49
listening session for human development and relationships was building trust and connection within family, families and 00:16:56
communities. And one of the efforts that I established after that was creating a monthly drop in parenting support called Let's 00:17:03
Talk Parenting, and I'm doing that in partnership with Beaver Dam Schools. 00:17:11
As a pilot, but I will do it with other schools. My program manager is completely on board. 00:17:18
Being prepared to talk about parenting issues for parents, but having specific ideas in mind, so we've been doing those. 00:17:24
Um, another priority area that came to the surface during the listening session was just the basic support. 00:17:32
Reporting of parent parenting skills. 00:17:40
And early childcare education, and you all know that early child care. 00:17:43
Education has been a priority for the county as well and I wanted to bring to your attention, and I think you've received a copy 00:17:48
of it. 00:17:52
But in. 00:17:56
Partnership with Nate from Upstairs Community Development. 00:17:57
The. 00:18:03
Dodd County Human Resources Tanya Mindemann. 00:18:05
We have been, they, we've done a needs assessment of Dutch county employees and we're looking at viability. I've I've come here 00:18:10
and reported out on early childcare issues. 00:18:16
But with all of the data, I created an issue brief and Morgan helped put it together in this final form. But we made an issue 00:18:23
brief for child care for Dodd County employees. 00:18:29
And I did a little bit of the review of the literature and put together this issue brief that we will be using with other 00:18:36
stakeholders as we try to progress this further. 00:18:41
We're doing other things under the surface. For example, Tanya is in touch with other human resources directors. 00:18:46
Throughout the state of Wisconsin to find out. 00:18:54
How they're handling early childcare needs and issues for their. 00:18:57
For for their employees and we're going to be compiling that data as well. So just stay tuned. It feels like it's a slow grind and 00:19:02
it is because these are major, major. 00:19:07
Issues that require a lot of strategic thinking and action on multiple fronts. 00:19:12
So we've been working on that. 00:19:19
And then one of the big things that came out in the need in the listening session. 00:19:21
Not just for human development, but also for youth development, for community development, and for our egg educators was something 00:19:25
that we're looking at in terms of addressing social isolation and community connection. And you might be aware of other entities 00:19:33
within Dodge County and the state of Wisconsin and nationally. 00:19:40
Looking at mental health and Wellness, social isolation and connectedness. As or the lack of connectedness. 00:19:47
As real public health issues. 00:19:56
Our young people are suffering, our older adults are suffering just from ISIL, local social isolation. And so one of the things 00:19:59
that we put our heads together, and I'm teaming up with Dodge County Human Resources on this as well. 00:20:08
Is we put together a series of lunch and learns called Thrive at Work. 00:20:17
And these lunch and learns were we got together with human resources and myself and we pulled out some topics to start out with. 00:20:23
But in December we will be conducting. 00:20:29
A survey with Dodge County employees to find out what topics are of interest to them. And then in 2026, we will be doing these 00:20:35
lunch and learns as an effort to create that social connection, that educational peace. 00:20:42
For Dodge County employees, because if we don't walk the walk, then how are we going to talk the talk out in the community? So 00:20:50
we're starting with our Dodge County employees and maybe it'll be something that can be replicated with other. 00:20:56
Businesses and Dodge County Human Development offering lunch and learns for let's just say a John Deere. 00:21:02
Or another major employee where they're concerned about their employee well-being and what are the things in educational pieces 00:21:09
that we can provide for them? 00:21:14
So that was one thing and I thought that was fantastic. And then you guys, this is fantastic. 00:21:20
I teamed up with, I contacted Becky Bell over in Human Resources or Human Services. Excuse me. 00:21:26
And she put me in touch with Alyssa Schultz, who works with mental health practitioners and different people. She's the supervisor 00:21:34
over there. 00:21:39
And they were able to put me in touch with someone from the Sheriff's Office, Amy. 00:21:43
Blinsky, I think her name was right. Marie and Marie and I are working on this together for. 00:21:48
For youth development and human development. 00:21:54
And we have a contact person at the Sheriff's Office and we've all been trained in mental health first aid. We were trained in the 00:21:57
summer. And remember this, these are results of the listening session. 00:22:02
So we were trained this summer and now we're bringing in an evidence based. 00:22:07
Program called. 00:22:13
Comet COMET changing our mental. 00:22:15
An emotional trajectory and it is a workshop that we're going to be bringing in 2026. We are scheduled to get trained Marie, Amy 00:22:20
and myself. So three of us in Dodge County will be trained in this evidence based curriculum and we are going to be launching 00:22:27
trainings across. 00:22:33
The county so if you know of any entity, any school, your church, wherever that could use. 00:22:39
A2 hour training on how to deal with people's mental Wellness and mental health and some of the strategies they can use. 00:22:46
Marie, Amy and I are going to be ready to roll with that and they and your folks can be invited to these trainings at first hand. 00:22:54
We're going to be offering them quarterly, but. 00:22:59
That. 00:23:05
I I think to me that that really illustrates. 00:23:06
How the listening session changed Marie and my work plan because that wasn't necessarily something that. 00:23:10
Was high on the radar. We, Marie and I, had been working in our areas and then when we found that out during the listening session 00:23:19
and we knew we needed to respond, she and I both got ourselves trained. We've got the undergirding of this. 00:23:26
This curriculum that we'll be bringing to Dodge County and and this COMET training comes out of the University of Colorado 00:23:34
Extension. So we're using their research and bringing it here to Dodge County. So that's fantastic. 00:23:41
That is my update on the listening session. So I'll I'll take questions on that and then I will give you an update on the AI 00:23:48
thing. 00:23:52
Yeah, there's a school have to reach out to you. 00:23:55
Or do you reach out to the schools? 00:23:58
If they want this training, yes. 00:24:00
So what? 00:24:02
So what we're going to do is after the training, we're going to plan workshops. 00:24:04
And we will invite them. So if you know of a school, they, they can contact me or if you give me their contact number, I can give 00:24:10
them the dates and all schools could use it, you know. So I would think if you contact administrators and, and then they could. 00:24:17
Yeah, that it's available. 00:24:26
Yeah, so in this, this particular comment is for adults, but they Colorado is now. 00:24:28
Piloting it with young adults, so like a high school age. 00:24:35
And thus Maria's is, is is coming in on that. So yeah, I agree with you. 00:24:39
Any other questions for Penny? 00:24:49
Are you working with the junior College in Beaver Dam, Moraine? 00:24:51
Yeah. 00:24:54
Moraine Park is going to be hosting. 00:24:59
An early childcare seminar workshop that we have coming up in March. 00:25:01
And I partnered nut March. Is it May, March or May? 00:25:07
And that's coming out of a Baldwin grant that was part of my work plan. 00:25:11
Originally, so I didn't report on it, but it is a really major effort that we're doing these seven different workshops around the 00:25:15
state and in Dodge County. We're lucky enough to get one of them and Moraine Park is going to be hosting it for us. 00:25:22
And I sit on their Advisory Board for early child care educators. 00:25:30
Yeah, and Marie also works with MPTC. 00:25:35
Before you go, I thought I did get a formal limitation from the state care over in Mayville. Thank you. Those of you remember that 00:25:40
was the large daycare was built in Mayville. I think it went from what 30 to 121 kids? 00:25:46
Huge. And they're working with the factories over there. They did tell me that county officials are welcome to come to their 00:25:53
dedication. 00:25:56
It's multi $1,000,000 facility. 00:26:00
And it was I believe the church took a loan on it to make it go but an amazing. 00:26:03
And Cameron and Dave, you all are so invited. 00:26:09
Also, I've got a flyer for you. 00:26:11
Patty and I went to the ground breaking or whatever It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be and patties involved are you when 00:26:14
the education of of. 00:26:19
Adding they're going to grow slowly because they're going from. 00:26:24
30 to 100 kids and they're not doing it. 00:26:26
Overnight. And so Patty is going to be involved. 00:26:29
In training their workers from mixation. 00:26:32
And it in also early childcare have a. 00:26:36
Requirement by the state. 00:26:40
To have so much family engagement activity, they're mandated for that family engagement. And that's also an area in which I can 00:26:43
support early childcare by coming and doing a parenting night or doing some parenting education for the early childcare while they 00:26:49
offer childcare. And then I do parenting education at the daycare because we know that when families are involved, schools, 00:26:56
families and communities. 00:27:02
Make for better outcomes for children. 00:27:09
I believe there's also some good news date, right? We got the money. 00:27:11
To for the other one, some other big news. Dave, you want to tell us what? 00:27:14
Well, Senator Baldwin included it. 00:27:18
In the earmarks. 00:27:22
Anyway. 00:27:26
We are getting the grant. 00:27:27
For the refill childcare in with the houses. 00:27:28
Oh, that was approved in. 00:27:32
In the budget bill that just passed it. 00:27:36
So huge, huge, both these things, huge effort towards. 00:27:41
Meeting the counties strategic goal of trying to improve childcare availability. So very big news. 00:27:46
Quite some time, but. 00:28:00
It works to talk to your. 00:28:03
Representative SO. 00:28:05
Yeah, the Gears of government sometimes just hug. 00:28:06
But that is great. 00:28:10
The ground breaking that Andrew was talking about was so cool because they had all the two by fours. It was just the shell of the 00:28:12
building. They were just starting and families could go in their kids, families that were sending their kids there and they could 00:28:18
write messages to the children that are going to be encapsulated in the walls of this of this childcare. And I just thought that 00:28:24
was really cool. Just a a message to the kids. 00:28:30
And for the building and blessing the building, I will say. 00:28:36
Any other questions about the? 00:28:40
Listening session and my updates on that. 00:28:42
OK. OK. I want a quick just invite you, invitations will be coming out. 00:28:48
After Thanksgiving, but. 00:28:54
Andrew and Cindy talked about bringing in the AI expert for Dodge County. We have a date of January 30th. It's a Friday and Bill 00:28:57
will be coming in. Our doctor, I should call him Doctor Olmeshine. I believe his name. And I just want to quickly tell you he's 00:29:04
very familiar. I'm going to read a little bit of his bio. 00:29:11
This gentleman is very familiar with Wisconsin local government since he has served as a county supervisor, has served as the town 00:29:18
and village officer, and now he's sitting on the New Glarus School board as the president with school board. But this is a fellow 00:29:26
who's been working in artificial intelligence AI for 20 years, for two decades. And I'm only, I'm only smiling because for me. 00:29:34
I feel like I've just learned about AI a couple years ago, but this is somebody who's been using AI to advance their career and 00:29:44
their work for over 20 years, and he really specializes in risk and AI risk. 00:29:51
And so why it's significant is he's really going to help Dodge County and. 00:29:58
Andrew would like to invite other counties to really take a look at AI and how it's utilized by employees and do we need policies 00:30:03
and what are the policies and all sorts of different things. So he's going to be leading 2 workshops, 1 for government officials 00:30:09
and then one one for staff. 00:30:15
Later in the day. So it's going to be a 2 pronged approach and we would love it if our county officials could show up for this 00:30:22
training. It's professional development for you all, but it also will help you kind of think because this AI is is moving at 00:30:28
lightning speed and it's important it's very. 00:30:34
For thinking for Andrew and whoever else was thinking about bringing Bill in for this. 00:30:41
It's none too soon, so. 00:30:48
Yeah. What the where this came up is in our meeting in Madison, Bill is. 00:30:49
I don't there's an authority, but he is, he is one of the top edge guys at extension that is AI and. 00:30:55
It is really into it and he's a lawyer also, I believe. He's a really, really smart guy and he had already started doing some 00:31:02
talks and some of the people there had listened to him already and talked about this. 00:31:07
Than they wanted to have him come to different parts of the state and I suggested along with Kim that we thought it'd be good that 00:31:13
we hold a summit, AI summit in this part of the state, so it's bigger than Dodge County. 00:31:19
But we would like to have it here and we'd like to certainly be associated with. 00:31:25
You know, being part of that effort so that he. 00:31:29
Top end guy. 00:31:32
And so I I hope we can get some folks here. 00:31:34
Yeah, yeah, I'm thinking about. 00:31:37
Making a snow date too, just in case. 00:31:40
Camera and Dave are involved a little bit in that too, so. 00:31:43
Thank you, Patty. Yep, you're welcome. 00:31:46
OK. 00:31:48
All right, we got some updates from. 00:31:51
OK, come on up. 00:32:05
Who wants to go first? 00:32:07
OK, we're glad to see you. 00:32:10
And did you and did you get paid? That's what we want to know. 00:32:14
Yeah, I I think I did. I'm supposed to release the last. 00:32:18
I think Friday we were supposed to get our lump sum for. 00:32:22
Time off. 00:32:25
I haven't checked yet. 00:32:26
So yeah, nice to see you all. It's it's been a little while. 00:32:28
So after. 00:32:32
I mean, you guys are probably aware we just went through the longest shutdown in our government's history. 00:32:33
Almost 7 weeks. 00:32:40
USDA passed a bill ensure funding for our next calendar year. 00:32:42
So some. 00:32:46
Some departments, they have to revisit it after January 31st, but we're guaranteed for a year. 00:32:48
So if there's a possible threat of another shutdown. 00:32:54
And the January were kind of exempt from that. 00:32:58
So that's kind of good to know. 00:33:00
As of now, it sounds like programs are going to remain the same for this calendar year coming up. 00:33:03
So with us, it's basically our Environmental Quality incentive program and then our conservation stewardship program. 00:33:08
As of right now, our main priority is getting our CSP payments out the door. 00:33:17
It's kind of all hands on deck being seven weeks behind on that. 00:33:24
I can't really push that. 00:33:29
Deadline out because a lot of land owners and farmers want that for 2025 for tax purposes so. 00:33:30
We're going to find a way to get those done. 00:33:38
I guess our next sign up will be our equip. 00:33:42
Program and that's going to take place sometime in January. 00:33:45
It's kind of all hands on deck to get CSP done and then we'll kind of turn the page to equip so. 00:33:49
That's kind of where our heads are at right now, if you guys have any. 00:33:56
Questions. 00:34:00
Still some uncertainty on. 00:34:01
Stuff since we've only been back for like a week so. 00:34:04
Any questions from the committee? 00:34:09
Nice to see you all, thanks for coming. Thanks for the update. 00:34:13
Good morning, everyone. 00:34:22
OK, so as Sawyer said, we're back in the office. They funded us to the end of the year. 00:34:27
The October 1st end of our year. 00:34:34
With that, they also extended the farm bill programs one year. We're still waiting for official direction as to when. 00:34:38
Or how those programs are going to look. 00:34:46
So we're hoping. 00:34:49
When we get through this. 00:34:51
Cleanup process from the shutdown. 00:34:54
With the pay periods and everything that will get more information on that. 00:34:57
In the meantime, we do know FSA. 00:35:02
FSA was partially open during part of the shutdown. 00:35:06
To maintain some business flow when it came to farm loan activity. 00:35:10
Some crop reporting activity in general. 00:35:16
Office. 00:35:19
Getting the mail, answering phone calls. 00:35:20
So we're not in too big of a hole like. 00:35:23
NRCS was, but we still have some. 00:35:26
Cleanup work to do. 00:35:29
Our fall crop reporting that deadline was November 15th. 00:35:31
However they did. They didn't extend the deadline, but they waived all late file provisions for producers until February 2nd. 00:35:36
So we're continuing to get farmers in the door to report their fall. 00:35:44
Planted crops to keep their eligibility up. 00:35:49
We also had announcement of a few new disaster programs. 00:35:54
The first one is called the Milk loss program. This is a program. 00:36:00
Designed to cover losses from milk dumped from a natural disaster event that occurred. 00:36:05
2 Thousand, 2324. 00:36:11
Time frame. 00:36:14
We don't believe this is going to have much impact up here in Dodge County. This is more for southern states. 00:36:16
Another program they got is called the On Farm. 00:36:23
Commodity loss program. 00:36:26
Again, this ones designed to provide. 00:36:29
Funds for commodity. 00:36:33
Losses that were stored on farm and storage structures from 23 and 24 natural disaster events. 00:36:36
Again, we don't believe there's much. 00:36:43
Call for it up here, mostly down South. 00:36:45
The other, the third one that we've got is the SDRP or. 00:36:51
The supplemental disaster revenue program. 00:36:57
This is Phase 2. 00:37:01
If you guys remember, before shut down, we were working on phase one. 00:37:03
We had majority of our producers in the county paid. 00:37:08
Before the shutdown happened in phase one. 00:37:12
Now they've got Phase 2 rolling out, we are currently going through the trainings and putting a plan together for that. 00:37:15
This program is more or less designed for. 00:37:24
To cover the crops for. 00:37:30
Producers that participated in phase one that phase one did not cover. 00:37:33
Or any producer that did not participate in phase one. 00:37:38
So we don't believe it's going to be a tremendous impact on the majority of our producers, but it will have some impact. 00:37:42
It is by far a lot more complicated than phase one. Phase 1 was. 00:37:50
Pre filled application that farmers basically just had the sign and send back. 00:37:55
This application is 11 pages long. 00:38:01
And requires supplemental documentation to be submitted and reviewed by CLC's. 00:38:04
So it will be a lot. 00:38:10
Lengthier. 00:38:12
Program sign up. 00:38:14
They did announce a deadline with this program now, so both SDRP phase one and Phase 2. 00:38:16
The deadline will be, I believe, April 15th. 00:38:23
So we will be working on that. 00:38:26
The other news we've got? 00:38:30
Was because of the shutdown our county committee elections. 00:38:33
For FSA kind of got muddled up. 00:38:37
So we heard this last week that they're extending current CLC's until March 1st. 00:38:40
And then we are going to basically restart our election process. 00:38:48
So we will have to come up with a new election. 00:38:53
Ballot counting date sometime in February. 00:38:57
And then? 00:39:00
Roll through with sending out ballots and collecting them back and having our election process. 00:39:02
Again, we're waiting For more information on exactly what that's going to look like, but we do know that our. 00:39:08
Current CLC's will remain intact until March 1st. 00:39:15
So that was a lot of information coming out from us. Any questions from anybody? 00:39:21
The farm builds an extension, not a new bill. 00:39:28
Not a new bill is just an extension. Eclipse funding. Is that changed at all? 00:39:31
For what? Equip funding? 00:39:35
That's NRCS. 00:39:37
So I don't know what the funding levels are on that. We know it's going to be offered. We don't have. 00:39:39
Each day it's going to have yet that's probably going to come out December at some point, but it's it's going to roll out like any 00:39:44
other year. 00:39:49
But the pool has not changed. 00:39:55
Pool of funding. 00:39:56
The pool of funding that I know of hasn't changed. I just don't know that number that it's. 00:39:59
Going to be at. 00:40:05
So it's going to be scoring involved to, you know. 00:40:08
There will be a ranking process. They did get rid of our screening tool. 00:40:10
Because there's just not enough. 00:40:15
Time that they need to screen them all anymore, so I think. 00:40:17
It's going to prioritize. 00:40:21
Ones that have been in the system a little bit longer I think. 00:40:23
But there's no like. 00:40:26
Favoring certain practices over others, I think. 00:40:28
They're all kind of going to be in the same. 00:40:31
Any other questions? 00:40:39
From anyone. 00:40:41
OK. Thank you. Appreciate the time. 00:40:43
Good morning, everybody. 00:41:00
Hope you're doing good. 00:41:02
So John hopefully printed out the handout for my presentation. 00:41:09
Basically. So as you all likely know, I'm Lizzie from Rock River Coalition and we currently hold the contract with Dodge and Rock 00:41:14
County for The Olympian. 00:41:20
The lake monitoring and protection network and essentially that means we get a certain pool of money each year to do aquatic 00:41:27
invasive species work. 00:41:31
In those counties. 00:41:35
And in our contracts, we have a couple things listed and I just wanted to go over some of those things today and our progress that 00:41:38
we made this year. 00:41:42
As well as some other grants that we got that covered aquatic invasive species work in Dodge County that we're really excited 00:41:47
about so. 00:41:51
Firstly, as required by the contract, we did AIS signage checks. So you go to any water body you're going to find most likely in a 00:41:56
is sign basically saying. 00:42:02
Here are the rules for when you leave a boat landing or anything like that. 00:42:08
Contract requires us to do 8. 00:42:14
This year we did 20 so. 00:42:17
As part of our. 00:42:21
Search around Beaver Dam Lake for good spots for boot brush stations. For a different project, we ended up searching all of the 00:42:23
AIS signs around the lake. 00:42:27
And for the most part, aside from a few that could use like a small like wipe down with some dirt. 00:42:32
To get some dirt off. They were all in very good condition. 00:42:38
So a plus on that bill. 00:42:41
And then? 00:42:45
We checked a few others throughout the rest of the county. So 2 incentive B Lake. 00:42:48
One of them could. 00:42:53
Potentially be replaced in the coming years. It was a little bit. 00:42:55
And be taken care of. 00:42:58
Due to some overgrown. 00:43:01
Grass around it. 00:43:03
We checked one in Watertown that was good, one of the Crawfish River that was good. 00:43:05
One that we're considering. 00:43:11
Adding a sign to is Crawfish River at Rotary Park. 00:43:13
And then there's three spots around Horicon Marsh that I'll talk about in a second that we added boot brush stations this year. 00:43:18
And I want to include that as part of our sinus checks. 00:43:25
So this year, as part of our sort of growing initiative to install boot brush cleaning stations, we received funding from the 00:43:31
Beaver Dam Area Community Foundation and We Energies Foundation. 00:43:36
To install Boot rush cleaning stations around Dodge County with a focus, we ended up focusing on Beaver Dam and Horicon Marsh. 00:43:42
We received a lot of help. 00:43:52
I just want to shout out Mark Baldock, Eric Kilberg with work on Marsh. 00:43:54
Bill and Mike with Beaver Dam Lake District. John, he helped us out as well, finding locations that these brushes could go. 00:44:00
And Jonathan Gansky, he was the teacher. 00:44:08
That led two classes of students from Beaver Dam High School. That helped us build these stations, did some educational work with 00:44:11
them as well, talking about aquatic invasives. 00:44:15
But yeah, it was a really fun project and we feel like it did a lot of good around the county so. 00:44:22
Three of them, with the help of Bill and Mike, they were installed around Beaver Dam and Fox Lake area. So one was in the Fox Lake 00:44:28
Fishery area. 00:44:32
One in the Trussell fishing area and the Fish Camp boat launch so. 00:44:36
It's a little difficult to find some of these spots as we were trying to target areas where we know anglers are always attempting 00:44:41
to get in the water with their boots. 00:44:45
So they would need some thing to clean it off. 00:44:50
And with a lot of Beaver Dam Lake, a lot of it's like RIP raft and not a whole lot of foot traffic in there. But we did find those 00:44:53
three locations and those were installed. 00:44:58
And we also spoke with Horacon Marsh in getting a couple boot rust stations there, one at the Burnett boat landing, the Nebraska 00:45:05
St. boat land. 00:45:10
Boat launch and the Chestnut St. boat launch. 00:45:15
Chestnut St. had one originally from the Waterfowl group. 00:45:18
But unfortunately, over the years it had. 00:45:23
Disintegrated and the blue brush on the bottom had basically snapped in half. 00:45:26
So working with Eric Kilberg, he basically agreed. Yep, you can replace that fully please. 00:45:30
So yeah. 00:45:37
And then in general, so general outreach and education that we did. So as usual, we attended the Beaver Dam Fishing Fund. 00:45:39
Interacted with I think believe the number was roughly 100 kids and their parents talking all about aquatic invasive species 00:45:46
around Beaver Dam. 00:45:50
As well as contacted 3 different bait shops, Beaver Bait and Tackle, James E Bait and Tackle and Fishtails. 00:45:54
Do you make sure they have all the materials they need to give out to local anglers to? 00:46:01
Do that education with them regarding aquatic invasive species and again, the laws. 00:46:08
That there are around exiting these. 00:46:13
Boat landings and taking care that you're not spreading AIS. 00:46:16
And then, as usual, we continue to do our general outreach and social media work. So did 24 social media posts throughout the year 00:46:22
about aquatic invasives. 6 different newsletter articles about aquatic invasives. 00:46:28
Promoted the the exotic pet surrenders that happened around the Rock River basin. 00:46:34
As well as did. 00:46:40
A waterfowl hunter outreach bit in a E newsletter that we did all about how waterfowl hunters can prevent the spread of aquatic 00:46:43
invasives. 00:46:46
And from there, so I want to talk a bit about Snapshot day. So this is an annual monitoring event that. 00:46:53
Water action volunteers. 00:47:00
Helps host and run all around the state and locally a lot of aquatic coordinators. 00:47:02
Like me will run local events and gather volunteers and basically sort of a. 00:47:08
Scavenger hunt in a way. 00:47:14
Bio blitz. Those are sort of different words you can use. Basically looking for aquatic invasive species in the local waterways 00:47:17
and reporting that. 00:47:20
Anything you find to the DNR. 00:47:24
This year we hosted it for the first time in Beaver Dam and we were particularly focusing on. 00:47:27
Some of the notable species in the area including curly pond weed, zebra mussels, Eurasian water, milk oil, rusty crayfish, and 00:47:34
purple loose strife. 00:47:38
With Crowley pond weed and Eurasian water milfoil they can cause a lot of recreation issues in terms of. 00:47:44
Navigating the waterways, they can create the very thick unnavigable mats. 00:47:51
And in particular, there are some issues when they die off because they're in such. 00:47:56
Thick dense mats. When they die off they can release a lot of phosphorus. 00:48:01
Causing algae blooms and these can then cause. 00:48:05
All sorts of other issues. 00:48:08
I'm sure you know about zebra mussels and the issues that can cause on a lot of your fishing equipment and they can clean the 00:48:11
boats, motors, anything that's sitting in the water, your peers, your. 00:48:15
Equipment, anything like that? 00:48:21
And. 00:48:23
Unfortunately, while they're great filter feeders and they can make a lake look really clear, they are unfortunately such good 00:48:24
filter feeders that they're taking away from our native mussels. 00:48:29
And out competing them. 00:48:33
As for our purple, blue stripe, that's another program that we have going on that I'll mention in a little bit. 00:48:36
But the problem with them is they can create up to like. 00:48:42
I believe the number is 1.8 million seats per plant. 00:48:45
Which is obviously. 00:48:49
Not great when you have an invasive species. 00:48:51
And these can travel all through the water and through the air. 00:48:54
And again, like with most invasive species, they have the problem of creating very thick uniform stands that are out competing the 00:48:58
native species. 00:49:02
So snapshot nay, was August 9th. 00:49:08
And we had two volunteers that attended. Unfortunately, I believe the Beaver Dam Lake District was meeting at that day, so. 00:49:11
It seems everyday snapshot day falls on the wrong day in Dodge County, which it's unfortunate, but together we tackle 13 sites 00:49:19
which was a great number. 00:49:24
And looked all around Beaver Dam and Fox Lake as well. 00:49:29
So around the Fox Lake area, we've looked at Indian Point Road and we found known populations of zebra mussel and purple blue 00:49:35
strife, but nothing new there, which was great. 00:49:40
And then? 00:49:45
Sorry, I shouldn't say Edgewater Park. This was in Mill Creek. 00:49:48
Right after the dam. 00:49:53
So. 00:49:55
We found new slash extended populations of zebra mussel, rusty crayfish and water milfoil and purple loose strife. 00:49:56
This was to be fairly expected as these are again all populations that are found in either Fox Lake or Beaver Dam. 00:50:03
One or the other, and it kind of makes sense that where they meet, you're going to find all of the species. 00:50:10
So that wasn't too concerning, but. 00:50:17
Then we hosted our initial training at Edgewater Park and we had. 00:50:20
Nothing found at Edgewater Park, surprisingly. 00:50:26
But there was an incidental find on National Ave. Purple loosestrife. 00:50:30
In some of the wetland patches and private properties. 00:50:34
And the railroad? 00:50:38
Right of way there were. 00:50:40
Some purple blue stripes scattered in there, which we reported. 00:50:42
Additionally, we checked out a new area to our stream monitor. Something that's not been checked much is Crystal Creek. Crystal 00:50:48
Lake, that area. 00:50:53
We started at the very top of Crystal Lake Park and found nothing, which was great and then went down to the City Beach area and 00:50:59
we did however find curly pond weed and Eurasian water mill foil. 00:51:04
Additionally, something that was concerning was when we were driving on S 33. 00:51:09
We did find a very extensive patch of purple blue strife. South of that road is around a nursery area and there is a big wetland 00:51:16
behind that and there's lots of purple blue strife in there. 00:51:22
Which is something that we will. 00:51:28
Hopefully address in the coming years. 00:51:30
Through our purple blue stripe program, but. 00:51:33
And then our volunteers went pretty extensively down the Beaver Dam River trying to know any new species there. So they checked a 00:51:36
bunch of different spots on that right below the dam. They checked and found nothing there. 00:51:42
And then at Mill Street they found a known population of currently pond weed, but nothing new there. 00:51:49
And then at Davis St. they found a new slash extended population of zebra mussels and Cooper Street was correlated pond weed. 00:51:54
And then lastly we did a check of Shell Creek at Parker Road and checked and found nothing. 00:52:05
But yeah, we. 00:52:12
We're happy to find that none of these species. 00:52:13
That we did find were entirely new species that we didn't expect to see in the area that we hadn't seen in previous years. 00:52:17
And this was hopefully a good effort in. 00:52:25
More properly mapping where these species are in the watershed. 00:52:28
As our general knowledge is great, but it can be helpful to know, oh, there's some further down the Creek or further down this 00:52:32
river. 00:52:36
And hopefully that'll. 00:52:40
Help you guys and making any management decisions that you want to make. 00:52:41
Yeah, so. 00:52:46
Any questions with that before I continue? 00:52:48
OK. 00:52:54
And then one of our other programs that we started up again this year was the purple loosestrife biocontrol. So I included a basic 00:52:56
like lifecycle of the bugs basically. 00:53:01
DNR a long time ago ran a study and found that. 00:53:08
A bug native to the Purple Blue Stripes native area, called the Glaricello Epidemic, entirely relied on Purple Blue Strife. 00:53:12
Its support for its entire life cycle, and it would rather fly a couple dozen. 00:53:23
About 5 miles I think it is to a new patch of purple blue stripe than feed on anything else in the area. So it was a fairly good. 00:53:31
Method of potential bio control so. 00:53:40
They as beetles and larvae, they will chew up the leaves pretty well and because of that the seed production of the plant and the 00:53:44
heights of the plants and everything will drastically decline. It's not a great way of completely eliminating a plant in the area, 00:53:50
but it will definitely help minimize the spread. 00:53:56
So we had two host sites this year, one was at. 00:54:03
In Cambridge which Kashkin and Trail School and then the other was with Neighborhood House and Neosho. 00:54:08
We had a mass rearing cage, basically a nice big cloth greenhouse in a way. 00:54:14
That we raised purple blue strife in and then release beetles within that cage to breed over the summer and then to hopefully 00:54:19
capture and release in places in Dodge County. 00:54:25
Unfortunately, the Dodge County one. 00:54:30
The colony failed because of some very hungry and very happily fed jumping spiders. 00:54:33
So they went after The Beatles pretty heavily and we weren't able to remove them at a fast enough rate. 00:54:40
And they pretty much decimated all the beetles that were breeding in that cage. 00:54:46
But we have overwintered the rootstock of purple loosestrife, so hopefully. 00:54:52
Next year we can start off early and. 00:54:57
Have a better shot at. 00:55:00
Getting our beetles up and going and out into the patches in Dodge County that we know of. 00:55:02
Including some of the ones that we found on snapshot day. 00:55:08
And then I wanted just to highlight some indirect impacts, so these aren't directly. 00:55:13
Through the LMPN. 00:55:18
Work that we do in Dodge but have some indirect effect on you guys. So our new Young Must Know project, we do a lot of general 00:55:21
outreach and education about invasive New Zealand mud snails. 00:55:25
And that sort of trickles into Dodge County, where? 00:55:31
Also distributing a lot of formula 409 decon kits so the household chemical is really good at. 00:55:36
Killing the New Zealand months now when sprayed on waiters. So we put together decon kits that we've been handing out to anglers 00:55:43
when we come across them. 00:55:46
And we also do regular promotion of our developed 2 minute video. 00:55:51
Of how to decontaminate your kayak and your paddling. 00:55:56
Whatever. Sort of. 00:56:00
Tools you're using anything like. 00:56:02
Anything really, anything that you're using in the water, how to decontaminate that after you're leaving the water. 00:56:05
As well as our stream monitoring program, that's the other half of my position is running that. We have a couple stream monitors 00:56:11
in Dodge County and all of them are again trained in for the major aquatic invasive species. 00:56:16
And a lot of those sort of overlap with those in Dodge County, so. 00:56:23
What are we planning to do in 2026? So it's pretty much again, as it is with every year, it's about the same amount, a little over 00:56:29
$14,000. We're going to be doing mostly everything that I spoke of today. 00:56:35
Except for our rotating events that we switch between rock and dodge every year. So snapshot day will be in rock next year again. 00:56:42
But. 00:56:47
Drain campaign and landing blitz where we go out to the boat launches during specific periods and we will talk to anglers and do 00:56:52
some outreach there. 00:56:57
We'll be doing that in Dodge. 00:57:03
Next year. 00:57:05
And we'll potentially be using leftover funding from the Boot Brush Station grants to install three more boot brush stations, so. 00:57:06
That'll be interesting and continuing as well our purple Blue Strife biocontrol program. 00:57:15
And yeah, I just wanted to know are there any questions about anything I brought up and. 00:57:22
Are there any? 00:57:28
Desires for us to do more, obviously our contracts already been submitted. 00:57:29
But it is pretty flexible in what sort of activities we do every year. So if you guys have constituents that are interested in 00:57:35
particular. 00:57:39
Programs or. 00:57:43
We can run workshops for our Project Red, which is basically we teach people how to monitor for aquatic invasives on their water 00:57:45
bodies. So yeah, any questions? Any. 00:57:50
Interest in. 00:57:56
What we're doing like. 00:57:57
Anything evolving that in any way? 00:57:59
You didn't mention your citizen monitoring program. That's a very strong part. 00:58:03
Where you have people out there and you train them. 00:58:07
Do you know what your schedule is for next year? 00:58:10
Not yet, no. We are working out by our schedule though for. 00:58:13
The year? Hold on, let me. 00:58:18
I do think we of the Watertown one is actually one that we have scheduled. I can check my phone though. I'm sorry. 00:58:21
That should be. That is a great program that you should talk about a little bit. 00:58:29
Yeah, so. 00:58:33
Hold on, let me check this real quick. 00:58:35
I don't have access to the Internet here. May 9th will be the Watertown training. That's the one training that we've solidified so 00:58:39
far. 00:58:42
But yeah, so that status of monitoring is basically we have my position is running a stream monitoring program across the Rock 00:58:47
River basin. 00:58:51
And a lot of it is focused on Dane County because we get additional funding through some of the municipalities there. 00:58:56
But. 00:59:02
Through the Rock River Stormwater Group, we have funding throughout the other counties to do stream monitoring and basically we 00:59:04
train volunteers to go out from May to October once a month and they'll look. 00:59:10
And record and monitor for things like air temperature, water temperature, dissolved oxygen. 00:59:16
The transparency of the water. 00:59:22
The amount of stream flow. 00:59:24
They estimate that through various methods. 00:59:26
And twice a year they'll look at the macro invertebrate populations and that will give us. 00:59:29
A They're all basically water health indicators. 00:59:35
And tell us a little bit about how the stream is doing. 00:59:39
And in the hopes of overtime, if you develop enough data, you develop a nice baseline for what the stream is at so. 00:59:43
If anybody comes in and does a restoration project, they can tell oh restoration project is working a few years later or if it's 00:59:52
not working. 00:59:55
And with the DNR impaired waters list a lot of our nutrient testing that we do in addition. 01:00:00
To that also feeds into that, so that can help inform impaired water decisions and various restoration and management decisions as 01:00:07
well. 01:00:12
Thank you. 01:00:17
Anything else? 01:00:19
Any other questions for Lizzie? 01:00:20
So our invasive pragmatism. 01:00:22
An issue where you don't think they're a problem. 01:00:25
Sorry. 01:00:27
Invasive pragmatics. 01:00:28
Yes, that's not something that we are able to focus on just due to our limitations and funding, but that is definitely an issue. 01:00:31
Throughout I've. 01:00:39
Heard a lot from Jefferson people as well. 01:00:41
About it as well as dodge people. 01:00:44
And usually we've just left that up to the counties to address. 01:00:47
But it is unfortunately an issue here. 01:00:51
Thank you very much. 01:01:02
All right, Farmer preservation update. I wish Lisa was here because these are some numbers that she's been wanting. 01:01:12
That we got here so. 01:01:19
As of last week, we have a total 116,142 acres enrolled in the Farmland preservation program. 01:01:21
Now these are. 01:01:30
AG A1 zoned. 01:01:32
Acres. 01:01:34
So it's not a. 01:01:36
Total of all the acres. 01:01:38
That are being affected. 01:01:41
By the program. 01:01:43
An example is if if a landowner has. 01:01:44
Acres in a town zone for from the preservation but then also has land that he runs in. 01:01:49
Beaver Dam Township, Lowell Township or climbing that's not zoned for farmland preservation. 01:01:56
Those out acres are not eligible for the. 01:02:03
Tax credit. 01:02:06
But they still have to follow the same program rules to to keep him eligible for the program. 01:02:07
So even though there's only 116,000 actually enrolled. 01:02:14
We don't keep track of the other acres, but. 01:02:19
You know, there's a lot more acres that are actually being affected by the program. 01:02:21
Than what they're able to claim the tax credits on. 01:02:25
We had 12,800 new acres enrolled in 25. 01:02:30
And 1267 acres removed in. 01:02:35
25. 01:02:39
Some of those acres that were removed were affected by the. 01:02:41
The data. 01:02:45
Center and some solar farms. 01:02:46
Next month you will have a. 01:02:52
Voluntary notice and non compliance coming to you for 35 acres. 01:02:55
Landowner just. 01:02:59
Wants to be out of the program, so. 01:03:01
That's all I have for farmland preservation. 01:03:05
The 25 budget I sent that to you, I do have. 01:03:10
Larger copies that you can look at. 01:03:15
Realize the with. 01:03:19
Down on the small sheets, it's difficult to see some of them numbers. 01:03:22
Unless if you want to go through line item by line item for 25. 01:03:29
We're going to be under budget. 01:03:34
So we're in good shape, but we had originally had. 01:03:37
32,700. 01:03:40
For operating expenses and currently we're at 25,000, so we're. 01:03:42
Not quite 7000 under budget for 2025. 01:03:49
As of last week Friday. 01:03:52
All the others. 01:03:59
Again, our flow through dollars. 01:04:00
Farmer LED grant wall testing program MDB funds. 01:04:03
The tree sale program is going on now. 01:04:07
So that's some money in and out. 01:04:11
But really the other the other divisions. 01:04:14
Don't affect the operating budget at all. 01:04:18
So. 01:04:20
Our operating budget is. 01:04:22
Fairly small compared to the rest of the county. 01:04:24
Are there any questions on that part? 01:04:31
OK. 01:04:37
Next line, Next item is conservation cost share practices and possibly transferring of funds. 01:04:41
In your packet there was a spreadsheet that talks that shows you all the different land owners that we've been working with this 01:04:49
summer. 01:04:53
It's just been difficult to get them to. 01:04:58
Actually commit. 01:05:01
And sign an agreement. 01:05:02
I had a $9000 cost share agreement already for him to be signed for putting in cover crops and they backed out the last minute. 01:05:05
So currently. 01:05:14
We have done three well abandonments that have been paid for. 01:05:16
We do have a $25,000 contract signed for grazing. 01:05:21
We have two other contracts that the land owners. 01:05:27
As of last week, Friday said that they are willing to sign. 01:05:30
And. 01:05:34
They have to be signed and dated by the end of day tomorrow. 01:05:35
Because we have to transfer unused funds by December 1st. 01:05:40
With the holiday this week and me being in Florida. 01:05:45
Next week. 01:05:49
I gotta. 01:05:51
Let counties know. 01:05:52
By the end of this week if we have any money available. 01:05:54
So if these other two contracts get signed. 01:05:57
Great. We got $873 unaccounted for. 01:06:01
If. 01:06:06
Worst case scenario if both of them don't sign. 01:06:08
We got $22,900 that's. 01:06:11
On spent this year. 01:06:14
That will be available for other counties. 01:06:16
And there are other counties looking for the funds. 01:06:19
What's in this between green and a yellow? 01:06:23
That's my coding. 01:06:25
OK, if you look at the spreadsheet on the top, the top 3 Dodge County Fair nail brothers and Dan Byrd. 01:06:27
That's money carried over from last year. 01:06:33
So those are contracts that were signed last year and projects completed this year? 01:06:36
Of those 3. 01:06:41
The Dan bird with the well abandonment that has not been completed yet, I. 01:06:44
That money has to be used this year or it's gone. It cannot be carried over another year. 01:06:49
He's been contacted several times, he's contacted people to come out and abandoned the well and. 01:06:55
They just don't get back to him. 01:07:03
While drillers are really busy. 01:07:05
Anymore so. 01:07:07
Hopefully he can get it done if he doesn't. 01:07:09
$500 that's lost. 01:07:12
You can always sign up another agreement next year if you finally get somebody in, but. 01:07:14
So and then the rest of it is I just kind of. 01:07:22
Highlighted in yellow. Can't keep track of where the process is so I know what's going on with it. 01:07:24
So that'll that'll be taking place some. 01:07:33
By the end of Wednesday this week. 01:07:36
If we have any money available to transfer out, it'll have to be transferred out. 01:07:38
Any questions? 01:07:44
What was the reason for the guy with the cover caps to abandon that? 01:07:46
He, he was all for it. I mean, Dave and him have been talking back and forth. Dave's gone out. 01:07:51
It's it's on a piece of property that he rents. 01:07:57
So what we do in that instance is the agreement is. 01:08:00
Signed by the landowner. 01:08:04
But then the cost share dollars are transferred over to the operator and we've done that. 01:08:07
Several times on on. 01:08:12
All different kinds of practices. 01:08:14
He hadn't gotten back, hasn't gotten back and. 01:08:18
Dave was in the area you drove by. It was all worked up. 01:08:20
So I don't know. 01:08:24
I don't know why he why he decided not to. 01:08:27
Any other questions? 01:08:35
All right. Next thing is staffing update. 01:08:41
Cameron, you want to try to bring him up on where we're at? 01:08:46
For those that. 01:08:51
Have been around for a while, I am retiring. 01:08:53
December 10th is my last day. 01:08:57
December 8th there's food, so make sure you tell your staff. 01:08:59
Plan I think in the. 01:09:05
While you weren't around. 01:09:06
Yoga. 01:09:09
I have it all ready to go. 01:09:16
So we have a surprise farewell for John tomorrow in our Management Council meeting. Don't tell him. 01:09:19
No, but we. 01:09:25
It won't be it'll be new cupcakes, but the. 01:09:30
As far as the update. 01:09:35
I meant to write down before coming in here the actual number from our. 01:09:37
Our software system, I don't have the number today, but we received multiple applications, a number of candidates that looked to 01:09:40
be very qualified. So I have a review of those applications this week with our HR director and then we'll be reaching out to 01:09:46
arrange for the interviews. 01:09:52
So interviews hopefully. 01:09:57
As a courtesy, we want to give at least a week of advance notice so. 01:09:59
Hopefully the end of next week or the. 01:10:05
Following week we'd be we would actually be having the interviews. So once we once we have the the candidates. 01:10:07
Will we will likely reach out for to the committee for individuals that might want to participate. 01:10:14
In that would. 01:10:20
Ideally, I think we would have two. 01:10:21
Potentially that that join us so, but more to come on that once we have the candidate list and then. 01:10:24
Some sort of fire when staff would be available, the HR director and myself and any other. 01:10:31
Members of staff that would be involved. 01:10:37
So it's moving along. 01:10:38
Any questions? 01:10:42
OK. Thank you. 01:10:46
Our temporary plan. 01:10:50
John, I've I've already talked with it, my emails and my. 01:10:52
Computer access, Cheryl will have be receiving those, so she'll have access on anything on here. 01:10:58
I am also meeting with Cameron tomorrow. 01:11:05
To see as to what extent and interim. 01:11:08
Will need to be obviously if they're gonna. 01:11:12
Fill the position, sometimes first part of January. It's not a big deal if they're going to. 01:11:15
Wait till March or April, while then somebody would need to be. 01:11:21
There may be some signatures. 01:11:26
That need to take place in that time. 01:11:29
So. 01:11:31
I've already talked to him. The rest of my staff, I haven't talked to them about it yet, but. 01:11:33
John Dukert will be the one that will be signing in my place while I'm. 01:11:37
In the meantime. 01:11:42
I but it's kind of where where that's all at right now. 01:11:46
I I've thrown away all incriminating stuff so far so. 01:11:51
So the. 01:11:56
Recycle bin is full. 01:11:58
Cleaning house, going through stuff I've got. 01:12:00
Some information ready for we put my replacement as far as in January. These are the things you look at February, look at these. 01:12:04
Been going through all my emails and. 01:12:13
Trying to not e-mail but all my files. 01:12:18
Putting them on the W drive so that. 01:12:21
All the staff can look at it. 01:12:23
Trying to make it. 01:12:26
Accessible. 01:12:27
For other people that need to be in there, you know, contracts for land and water, the. 01:12:28
Crap. Crap agreements and things like that. 01:12:33
Got a couple things I want to tidy up. 01:12:37
This week yet, as far as prep agreements, get some signatures. Get them sent in. 01:12:39
But yeah. 01:12:47
We're getting things. 01:12:47
Getting things ready for the next person. 01:12:51
So John said for the agenda for next month, he'll have a good part of it made Cheryl's been last few few months is. 01:12:52
She actually does put it together now, writes it all down South. Sure, I'll be working with her then the week before we publish 01:12:58
it, and then extension. Then we'll get stuff over to you. 01:13:03
And and then we'll go from there. But we we think we'll be just fine. 01:13:09
OK, the December agenda is pretty much done. I've gone through and looked at that. So it's just. 01:13:17
Whatever extension needs to to add on to it and if something pops up. 01:13:23
We put on there. 01:13:29
But that will be pretty much taken care of before I. 01:13:31
OK. Any other questions for John? 01:13:38
So be his last time. 01:13:40
You want to say any parting words to us or? 01:13:42
Oh, it's been a good ride 32 1/2 years in Dodge County. 01:13:45
We're a little over 8 as you county Con. 01:13:51
And it's it's been good. 01:13:56
Met a lot of land owners. 01:13:58
Before I became County Con, I ran the and moist ordinance. 01:14:00
Did issuing of the permits. I did most of the design work on the structures back then, a lot of. 01:14:04
Holes in the ground that. 01:14:12
That I had a part of. 01:14:15
Did more strong investigations in this county than. 01:14:17
Then I care to think about. 01:14:20
But yeah, it's been good, I've been. I've enjoyed my time here. 01:14:24
Thank you for your faithful service and then you dedicated yours on behalf of the committee we just. 01:14:28
Wish you the very best and hopefully you can enjoy yourself. Do do whatever you want to do on your land and. 01:14:32
Thank you. 01:14:40
Yeah. Thank you. 01:14:41
OK. 01:14:43
Committee reports for the. 01:14:46
Lake Districts. I'll start with LSID. 01:14:49
We had our meeting on. 01:14:52
1111. 01:14:54
Commissioners were updated and discussed, we had a new website and then we're just switching over to it by the end of November. 01:14:55
And we're going to be including records for the last three years on it, which would be kind of nice, so. 01:15:03
That'll be good for the public. 01:15:09
The big part of the meeting was an initial review and critique of Hay and Associates dredging feasibility study. 01:15:11
That's the big feasibility study that the taxpayers selected. 01:15:18
The number came in at the option. This is up near. 01:15:23
Oxbow Marine. Those either familiar with they Hustisford. 01:15:28
Area that that. 01:15:33
North there. 01:15:35
The project came in an estimated $2.9 million for dredging. 01:15:37
And then the commissioning the commissioners also discussed. 01:15:42
You know our. 01:15:46
Our relationship with the DNR and the the Corps of Engineers to get grants for that and so that that's that's ongoing underway 01:15:48
now. 01:15:51
I think the only other thing I've reported Shane in the LSA representatives are touring the Hustisford Dam operations. The they 01:16:00
have changeover and staff at their uses for Dam the way they. 01:16:06
Who's running it? And so we will be working with their new folks on that. So we're aware of what's going on there. And that's 01:16:12
about it for me. 01:16:16
Go at Beaver Dam. 01:16:21
Beaver Dam Lake, We've been collecting data this summer and. 01:16:22
Call. 01:16:25
Punching the numbers and mapping out. 01:16:28
Finding. 01:16:35
What you're looking at is a map of Beaver Dam vegetation. 01:16:42
So we crisscrossed the lake with a boat. We borrowed the association boat. 01:16:45
Lake District with a bunch of volunteers. 01:16:50
Map that out over. 01:16:52
Week period. 01:16:55
And what we found was that you'll see the yellow marks are vegetation. 01:16:56
That's in a. 01:17:01
50% density range, which is reasonable. 01:17:04
As you go down to the greens, you start to have less and less vegetation. You'll see how. 01:17:08
Sparse, that is. 01:17:13
Then the blue is. 01:17:15
Mucky bottom and water. 01:17:17
So Beaver Dam lakes, roughly 90% without vegetation. 01:17:19
That's not a very good number. 01:17:23
The green is sparse. 01:17:25
And the yellow, and even less. 01:17:28
You want the vegetation there for the habitat. 01:17:30
And for the uptake of the phosphorus? 01:17:33
So this is a work area for us to improve the vegetation. 01:17:36
I'm be ready. I'm Mike. 01:17:40
The second map is our. 01:17:45
Field surveys went back and forth across the lower part of the lake. We did this the whole lake. 01:17:48
And what we looked at was the shoreline and any anomalies on the bottom of the lake. 01:17:54
Many protrusions that would come up to the surface. 01:18:01
But then, more importantly, we looked at the shoreline as we went back and forth. 01:18:04
And compare the residential shoreline for buffering. 01:18:08
So in the city of Beaver Dam, for example. 01:18:14
We had under 7% of the residences had reasonable buffering. 01:18:17
So we have two situations now we have to look at for the future. 01:18:21
We need better buffering on the shoreline. 01:18:25
To keep the phosphorus and sediment out of the lake. 01:18:27
Then we have to get more. 01:18:30
Native good vegetation in the. 01:18:32
So that can be a habitat for the fishery. 01:18:36
And uptake the phosphorus. 01:18:41
We're going to combine this information with a University of Wisconsin WRM. 01:18:44
They'll finish up their work in March. 01:18:48
It will dovetail this and the additional information we got on the lake with our volunteers. 01:18:50
So that'll be March in a presentation at the high school. 01:18:55
I believe early April. 01:18:59
The last major undertaking is we're compiling the data for Beaver Dam Lake. 01:19:06
We have data. 01:19:11
In different areas so the water is in the swims program. 01:19:13
The Rivers and Creeks is in the wave program. 01:19:17
The. 01:19:21
Some of the. 01:19:22
Tributaries. 01:19:24
Is collected by volunteers and. 01:19:25
Analyzed by the BBM water utility. 01:19:29
And we also have different. 01:19:32
Analysis of the different bays coming into the lake. 01:19:34
So this information for our lake is scattered in different locations. 01:19:37
So we're putting this in one database, and we started that this fall. 01:19:41
With the data we have here. 01:19:45
And we'll go over the winter time to try to Polish that up to get it to 1 format. 01:19:47
Again, if you have a chance, come when the UW. 01:19:53
Identifies their date for the presentation. 01:19:56
I think be quite interesting. 01:19:59
We have the preliminary review in Madison. 01:20:01
3rd of December. 01:20:05
And it's moving along very nicely. 01:20:07
OK. Any questions for Bill? 01:20:11
Deal. OK, Fox Lake met on November 13th. 01:20:15
We met at 1:00 instead of our usual 9:00. 01:20:20
Because they were trying to get the DNR to come on to discuss. 01:20:23
Wetland phosphorus. 01:20:29
Soil tester. 01:20:31
But turned out that they could not. They had a conflict. They couldn't. 01:20:33
Attend virtually so. 01:20:37
Tentatively, they're going to try to attend. 01:20:39
Our next meeting in December. 01:20:42
They wanted to do. 01:20:47
Core sampling in wetlands to see if there is any. 01:20:50
Legacy phosphorus and if there is, what can be done about it? 01:20:53
You know, whether they have to judge it out or whatever. 01:20:57
And Tracy? 01:21:03
Got in contact with ER to see if. 01:21:06
That's the engineering firm that did our lake management plan to see if there's any funding left that they could help. 01:21:09
Fund us doing the samples. 01:21:14
And there was not, and they didn't seem. 01:21:16
Willing to step up at all so. 01:21:19
The DNR has volunteered to help with the. 01:21:21
Chlorine, as I understand. We'll see what happens with that. 01:21:24
With the soil pourings and I don't know where they would send a test to. They're just regular in these oil test lab would do that 01:21:31
or does that take a special lab? 01:21:34
The Mayville Soils lab used to do that. Once they moved to Verona, I'm not sure anymore. 01:21:40
That's where we sun. 01:21:45
So our Commissioner for our approximate group is, is Liz or say and. 01:21:50
She's in Florida now, so she attends virtually. 01:21:54
And. 01:21:58
She made some comments that. 01:21:58
Our lake management plan. 01:22:00
Was a very good plan and that. 01:22:02
Farmer practices would probably have one of the biggest impacts on the lake. 01:22:09
So. 01:22:13
She's pushing to. 01:22:15
Get farmers to change their practices. 01:22:18
And I'm saying, yeah, Liz, that's, that's great. But it's, it's, it's a hard sell. 01:22:21
You know, as John's well aware. 01:22:26
So kind of look at avenues that they can contact farmers and see they can. 01:22:28
Find a way to. 01:22:35
Convince them that change could be actually be in their benefit as well as the lakes. 01:22:38
OK. 01:22:47
All right, for the next scheduled meeting. 01:22:49
On one paper it says December 22nd, another paper says December 15th. So now it's it's it's the 15th. 01:22:52
The 15th. 01:22:58
OK. 01:23:01
OK, everybody OK with that? December 15th, 8:30. 01:23:05
We have to meet that day, right? We have things we have to do. 01:23:11
I'll have to look. 01:23:15
See. But there is it, is there a light schedule? I mean, I yeah, it won't be. 01:23:17
It won't be a long one. 01:23:21
We probably should have a meeting though still because update staffing, right Cameron? We probably should still have a meeting 01:23:23
just so that people know. 01:23:26
Red or do we not need to have a meeting? 01:23:30
I don't. 01:23:32
There's there's no there wouldn't be any required action on that and I can. 01:23:34
I can send out information to the committee members. All right, let us. 01:23:37
And and what's what's on the December meeting for? 01:23:42
For me. 01:23:45
Could be pushed off to January if you want to skip. So I don't know if we'll have a meeting. Cheryl, why don't you you? 01:23:47
Confer Cameron with Cheryl. 01:23:53
And and tell us a week ahead. 01:23:56
Over the week before December 15th, we. 01:23:58
May not. I don't think they have a meeting. I don't think extension will have anything. 01:24:01
That so we may not have a meeting until January will be our next date in January. Then why don't we determine that date now? 01:24:05
Be the 26th. 01:24:19
Everybody OK with that? 01:24:23
OK. 01:24:26
So Cheryl, you'll be in touch with us, that touch with me, and then we'll send you guys a communication. Otherwise, it'll be 01:24:27
January 26. 01:24:30
If we have no official business, Cameron, I'm thinking we will not have a meeting unless. 01:24:33
Unless you hire somebody or something like that, then we would, you know what I mean? You already have an announcement or 01:24:37
something, you see? 01:24:40
But if we don't have any papers, we have to sign anything. 01:24:43
Don't see an extension can wait so. 01:24:45
OK by the. 01:24:47
Completion of the agenda. I call the meeting adjourned Events. 01:24:49
Or what's it upcoming events? I'm sorry. OK. Oh yeah, conference. 01:24:52
Atlanta Water Conference is March 4th to the 6th. It'll be at the Chula Vista and The Dells this year. 01:24:56
They will open the registrations up in December. 01:25:02
Typically in the past, I try to get that information from you by the end of January so that it can we can make the reservations. 01:25:07
So when we. 01:25:16
Need information? We'll need to know if you're going. 01:25:19
If you're taking the spouse. 01:25:22
If the spouse will be attending. 01:25:25
The events or just. 01:25:27
Going up there. 01:25:29
To go up there. 01:25:31
And if there's any dietary. 01:25:32
Concerns. 01:25:34
Cheryl, could you e-mail us out when you get the? 01:25:37
Packet to look. 01:25:40
Would you get a packet of info about that? 01:25:41
It comes through emails. 01:25:44
OK. So get it, OK. 01:25:45
So if for some reason we don't have meeting, we'll be sure to get you that information so you guys can set your calendars and 01:25:47
decide, but we have to firm it up in January, in January. 01:25:51
To get the early bird discount, yeah. 01:25:55
So they get a discount if you sign up early. 01:25:58
If we don't meet in December, maybe we should move the date up in January. Just a thought. 01:26:00
Yeah. 01:26:07
By the end. 01:26:09
I think. 01:26:10
I think by the the sometime in February is the cut off. 01:26:13
For. 01:26:18
The. 01:26:19
Reduce rates. 01:26:21
So we have time to get the good rate. You'll have time, yeah. 01:26:23
Yeah, OK. We will communicate with the committee. 01:26:26
For sure. 01:26:30
And though we send it in right after the committee meeting, that's what does I try to. 01:26:31
I've never had an issue. 01:26:40
Other than. 01:26:42
Before covert at Green Bay. 01:26:44
Of of not being able to have enough rooms at the hotel. 01:26:48
So the earlier we get sent in. 01:26:51
Then the better chance of getting a room. 01:26:54
At the hotel and not having to have a room at another place and then do driving back and forth. 01:26:56
So we don't want that, you don't want that and Chula Vista. 01:27:01
I mean, they've expanded. 01:27:05
They're they're pretty good size now. So last time did they have another hotel? I think they did. 01:27:07
Did they? Did they? Well, when we had at Green Bay, there was 2 held hotels side by side. Yeah, the one right next door. Yeah. 01:27:12
Yeah. But what about when we were at the, I'm talking about 2-3 years ago then. 01:27:16
Was that did they have? 01:27:21
Did they have enough room for us or do we have to go? Yeah, no, we've I've always been able to get us in have enough room. 01:27:22
Right, but the longer you wait, the chance of that? 01:27:29
Not happening. 01:27:32
So today's concern should we move the meeting? 01:27:33
Right now we have January 26. Should we move it? 01:27:36
They move it. He might. 01:27:40
Might have a good point. 01:27:41
Move it like a week before the 19th. 01:27:43
Would everyone be are we OK with getting the room here? 01:27:45
Yeah, that shouldn't be an issue. 01:27:49
I think that might be a good idea. Is everyone OK with that? Go to the 19th. 01:27:52
So 26 why don't we do that to firm up our. 01:27:57
I think that's a good idea. 01:28:00
OK, January 19th. 01:28:02
OK, I think I've covered everything now. 01:28:08
Anything else, John? 01:28:15
OK. 01:28:17
Future agenda items. 01:28:20
The only thing I have for future agenda items. 01:28:22
And I already talked about it with Patty. I'll see if I can get AG science and will to come maybe like I'm thinking like February 01:28:26
or March. 01:28:29
That's the only you know, I'd like to have them come and talk to us. 01:28:34
OK. OK. By the completion of the agenda, I call the meeting adjourned. Thank you, everybody. 01:28:38
John's retirement party is on the. 01:28:46
Monday the 8th, 11 to 2 those. 01:28:48