Meeting: Conservation/Extension Committee Meeting

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Event transcript
	I don't know I some of you may have known, but I applied for the position and I was hired a couple weeks ago. And so we're	00:00:00
	transitioning this role, the human development and relationships educator role into the AED role starting next week already.	00:00:06
	So I will be your new AED along with four other counties.	00:00:13
	Dodge, Columbia, Washington, Fond du Lac and Ozaukee County and I'm.	00:00:18
	Really excited and honored.	00:00:22
	To have been chosen for the position.	00:00:24
	So that brings me to the next thing on the agenda that I wanted to talk to you about was.	00:00:26
	Refilling my position, I talked to Andrew and Cameron and.	00:00:31
	And the position is already in the budget for this year.	00:00:37
	And so this is just informational only, but we're going to go ahead.	00:00:39
	One of the first things of my responsibilities will be to rehire them the vacancy.	00:00:43
	In in the position that I'm leaving.	00:00:49
	So that will be moving forward and I'll give you a more concrete timeline as I know more.	00:00:51
	But I first start the role next week, so just.	00:00:57
	Just give me a break with that.	00:01:00
	Item number six on your agenda is Willful Rider from UW Extension, our regional crops educator, and he was going to report out on	00:01:03
	the county farm. He got called into jury duty this morning.	00:01:09
	He's on this whole month. I know. What would you? OK, so, and he's actually got called in. You know, sometimes you have jury duty	00:01:15
	and they don't need you, but he got called in. And so I spoke with Andrew a little bit about that this morning. We're going to	00:01:21
	bring him back next month to give you an update and it'll probably be more appropriate at that time anyway.	00:01:27
	So that brings us to number 7 and both Andrew and I are going to give you a little update on.	00:01:34
	The AI program that.	00:01:39
	Cameron and Andrew and UW Extension brought in to the county.	00:01:42
	Was it last month?	00:01:47
	No, it was this month, January 30th, oh, January 30th. At the end of the month, we brought in a state specialist who is an	00:01:49
	attorney. His name is Bill Olmeshine, and he came in and conducted a training for senior level.	00:01:57
	Dodge County employees, so department heads and people in it. And then we invited the board. There were there were board members.	00:02:05
	There were some 50 people here.	00:02:09
	And it was a training that went over really, really well. It was called AI 101. It went over so well that we are bringing Bill	00:02:13
	back.	00:02:18
	Or.	00:02:23
	A surrogate for Bill to come in in sometime this spring, maybe in April, to do a Part 2 on it.	00:02:24
	But we would encourage you to come.	00:02:30
	But folks, there is there are some regional trainings that UW extension.	00:02:32
	Is doing on a state level.	00:02:39
	In.	00:02:41
	Oshkosh, Baraboo, up in Eau Claire, and then one other area a little bit. Oh, Wisconsin Dells.	00:02:43
	And.	00:02:50
	We want to cordially invite you to that training.	00:02:52
	And within the extension professional development budget, the training is a mere $50.00. I don't.	00:02:55
	You're not going to get mileage or per diem, but.	00:03:01
	We couldn't.	00:03:04
	Umm, couch some of your or the professional development.	00:03:06
	Dollars.	00:03:09
	There isn't a flyer Andrew, it's just a website, so I will get you information if you're interested.	00:03:11
	And getting some undergirding about what AI is and how it can work in county governments.	00:03:17
	And in entities that you might work in, in your in your free, in your other life outside of the county. I would strongly encourage	00:03:23
	you to attend. And if you're interested, please contact me because I will get you information on.	00:03:30
	On how to register.	00:03:38
	It can help you register and we can absorb some of that professional development cost.	00:03:40
	What else do you want to say about the AI training? No, that it's it. I signed up.	00:03:46
	For March 17th in Oshkosh, so and you want to come?	00:03:50
	I'm gonna go.	00:03:53
	That this invitation went out to towns, also into, I assume, cities. My wife.	00:03:55
	Got it through the towns and she's also going to 17th for her town. So I mean, I think that opened up a.	00:04:01
	Beyond counties, this invitation for AI. So I am. I'm gonna go that day.	00:04:06
	I just want to mention we had two.	00:04:12
	Ken and Dale went to the AI training and since since that Dave and I.	00:04:14
	Dave Froin and I went up to the legislative.	00:04:22
	WCA event.	00:04:26
	And I learned, I got to talk to Carl and I talked to Bill again, but I learned that that counties have counties are very, can be	00:04:27
	very independent.	00:04:32
	I don't see that. Is that a fair statement, Cameron in there, there, there.	00:04:37
	All American way, I guess, right? We do whatever we want.	00:04:43
	So I wanted to get your input, especially you 2 guys since you were there.	00:04:48
	Is.	00:04:52
	You know all counties are going to implement AI, Our county right now, correct me if I'm wrong, Aaron, we don't officially use AI	00:04:52
	right now. We didn't. We don't pay a fee.	00:04:56
	And by the way, I did some cool searches and it and it won't let you on the free one.	00:05:01
	You don't remember that, you know, in the demonstration we had. So I went home and I.	00:05:05
	Tried like like make a picture of a county board like they did.	00:05:09
	Can't do it. They don't have the the rate I get to pay money for that so so the free AI.	00:05:12
	That you have and you can get on your phone.	00:05:18
	It is very limited. I didn't realize that.	00:05:20
	Because then I tried some of his.	00:05:22
	I was doing my homework and it doesn't work.	00:05:24
	So he had a really good one when he was demonstrating. We just didn't realize that he did this thing, it said make a picture of.	00:05:26
	Dodge County supervisors.	00:05:33
	Remember it was so it's amazing. Wasn't that amazing? And there we are in room and even has the plaque of Dodge County, Wisconsin	00:05:35
	on the wall and there's and all people are old.	00:05:39
	It was that, it was that just, I mean, it was just amazing. It looks so real. I looked at it looked and even have the street, the	00:05:44
	streetscape of Juno and the. And out the window, you saw it, right? It was, it was, yeah.	00:05:49
	It was unbelievable, but you can't do that on the free one.	00:05:55
	So that.	00:05:58
	It could have been. It would look like a photograph, but The thing is, is that that.	00:06:00
	It costs up between 18 and $30.00 a month per computer, so this is a new class for our county.	00:06:05
	Coming up and it'll be different in different.	00:06:10
	You know, we don't even know where we're at, right? Right. Camera. We don't even know like what we're going to do yet. We haven't	00:06:12
	decided, right? So we have. We have.	00:06:16
	A license. Our licenses are with Microsoft.	00:06:21
	OK, Microsoft Office Suite is something that all of our IT department has access to the full.	00:06:23
	Suite that we so that has it in it and then we distribute as as needed throughout the county. Most have the same standard group of	00:06:30
	office.	00:06:33
	Applications.	00:06:38
	But in addition so in that.	00:06:39
	Copilot bucket of things is Microsoft Copilot? Yep.	00:06:41
	And so we do have a subscription for that, but it is.	00:06:46
	Actually, I should say.	00:06:49
	We.	00:06:51
	It is that has not been.	00:06:52
	Made into a license, yet Microsoft just provides it.	00:06:54
	So.	00:06:57
	We have limited access, I think, to who can use it as as really a.	00:06:58
	The uh.	00:07:03
	AI search kind of tool or creation kind of thing.	00:07:04
	It has all of the things they've provided for years in terms of helping you write stuff but correcting spelling errors. But.	00:07:07
	If you want more more advanced than that, there are only a few people that are in the county trying that out, but that's one of	00:07:13
	the options. The other option is.	00:07:17
	As you mentioned, we could go with the same.	00:07:20
	License that UW Extension uses.	00:07:23
	Or similar. And that's the 18 or $30. Eighteen dollars is the discount for educational institutions, $30 is the regular.	00:07:25
	And then there are other.	00:07:33
	There are other tools that we could also potentially use.	00:07:35
	But in any case.	00:07:38
	In order to protect.	00:07:40
	Information that should be protected.	00:07:42
	We want to make sure that we only use a service that we subscribe to so.	00:07:44
	That is and.	00:07:50
	Because of that, it isn't.	00:07:51
	Widespread throughout the county, yet to be used because we're working on a policy that clarifies some of that before we open the	00:07:52
	gate.	00:07:55
	So today.	00:07:59
	Yeah. No, no, just you have to let us know. So I guess what we're looking for from you and Dave and direction is to what?	00:08:00
	Involvement in for Patty? What involvement?	00:08:08
	You know we set policy only for.	00:08:11
	This education. So we we, I think we should.	00:08:13
	Utilize.	00:08:17
	Unless you guys disagree here, I think we should utilize extensions resources at no charge to our county.	00:08:18
	To advise us and help us. Does anyone disagree with that or you guys OK with that or?	00:08:24
	Because then we would call back.	00:08:29
	Someone from UW, Patty and then.	00:08:31
	Then Patty would this department.	00:08:33
	Would work with.	00:08:36
	Cameron and offer the service I think.	00:08:37
	That's what I think. Now, other counties don't think that. Other counties, here's that. Here's the rub. Other counties think I	00:08:40
	know more.	00:08:43
	And this is the direction we're going.	00:08:46
	And so that that's that's why I say that.	00:08:48
	And I will. I will.	00:08:51
	Do a little tiny caveat.	00:08:53
	Extension is an educational arm and.	00:08:55
	And so they will.	00:08:58
	With unbiased information, give you facts and information and give you education, educate you about it.	00:08:59
	And then you ultimately have to make the decisions.	00:09:06
	They're not going to.	00:09:09
	Like Bill's not going to advise, right? I know he, I know. Thank you.	00:09:10
	Yeah. And the other thing though that I would like to see down the road here is I think, I think that UW has.	00:09:14
	They still do.	00:09:20
	Public education too, don't they?	00:09:21
	Does UW do that or not?	00:09:24
	Public extension, like I mean, should we, should we have sessions around the county educating the public?	00:09:25
	About.	00:09:30
	AI basics of AI11 investment that extension has done is there they are in the process.	00:09:31
	This person hasn't been announced yet, but they're hiring.	00:09:38
	And AI specialist.	00:09:41
	And so that would be a potential that we could bring in an AI specialist.	00:09:43
	Umm, but it's a, it's a niche educational thing. So it's not like the educator or the new HDR person or Maria is our youth	00:09:48
	development or will.	00:09:52
	You know, we're not going to be able to go out. We're going to, we'll, we'll rely on the resources, the specialists from	00:09:57
	extension.	00:10:00
	So yes.	00:10:04
	And the other thing even from extension side.	00:10:06
	Sorry, I just can't give well you all.	00:10:09
	I got to hang out with Kent with Clayton on Saturday, so you know, it was a lot of fun. But the other side of extension is that,	00:10:12
	and I'm in a cohort right now.	00:10:17
	That Carl invited apparently decided we should have is finding out about. It's called Expand AI.	00:10:24
	And so it's looking about how we're expanding AI in our.	00:10:30
	In our programming.	00:10:34
	And so I think we're all in the same learning curve.	00:10:36
	Yeah, You know, because the people that are teaching that, I mean, Bill is one of the 10 people on that, along with a bunch of	00:10:39
	other specialists, but they're figuring out what's good.	00:10:43
	For extension to be using and to advocate with our educators and then.	00:10:47
	You know where we should be going. So we have to, we're practicing that for the next six weeks and and this might even be a larger	00:10:51
	discussion maybe with the.	00:10:55
	IT committee and.	00:10:59
	Your ship, Yeah.	00:11:01
	I think the point though, I think it's.	00:11:03
	I would say it's very good that this body be supportive and moving and pushing for education and training because.	00:11:05
	That's the first step that we had a really this training that's being talked about for.	00:11:11
	Potentially for you all to attend.	00:11:16
	That is going to be very good if it's.	00:11:19
	Anything like the one? I know there's parts of it that are very similar to what we had.	00:11:21
	Here that surprised, Johnson and Hale went to.	00:11:25
	They it's gonna be good.	00:11:30
	There's a.	00:11:33
	The the message I think that was shared there.	00:11:34
	And the one that I would share now or reiterate is.	00:11:37
	AI is not going to.	00:11:42
	Take away jobs.	00:11:44
	For people that know how to use AI.	00:11:46
	Are going to have the jobs or take away the job so if we don't.	00:11:49
	If we don't fully acknowledge.	00:11:54
	The abilities that are there.	00:11:56
	And harness what's useful.	00:11:57
	For the county, we are going to very quickly.	00:11:59
	Be left behind.	00:12:03
	So I would say I I went to that session for three hours, I would have to tell you that.	00:12:04
	I didn't know what AI was other than a super Google or something like that until I went there and then I realized and you guys	00:12:09
	over there.	00:12:13
	Correct me if I'm wrong, it's it's all about you have to know what you want and you have to know what questions to ask.	00:12:18
	I mean, it's very powerful, but if you don't know the right questions.	00:12:23
	That's a really. And so, so you know, we put in the packet a copy of the slides from that.	00:12:28
	And so if you want to look at those prompts for your own.	00:12:33
	Just for your own information about AI, it's it's incredible the prompts in there, the prompts being questions asking. I I like	00:12:36
	the moment he said explain it how A5 year old would.	00:12:40
	See this? I mean that. And then if it's something complicated, you could do that and that. But how would you know that if you	00:12:44
	didn't know?	00:12:47
	You know what I mean, that you do that so absolutely.	00:12:51
	So, Long story short, if you're interested in one of the forms or you want more information.	00:12:54
	I'll put the link in the minutes so you can click on it when you get the minutes, but also contact the office, Kelly answers the	00:12:59
	phone. We can get you the link.	00:13:04
	I thought there were Flyers, but there are no Flyers. You have to go right to the to the website.	00:13:08
	Where they're offering the forms and then you can take a look at that.	00:13:14
	But contact us and we'll we'll help support you in your.	00:13:17
	Learning Development if you're interested in attending this.	00:13:22
	That's how important we think it is so.	00:13:26
	Any other thoughts or questions?	00:13:28
	Can we share the presentation with other groups in the county?	00:13:31
	I I believe Bill, when he shared it with us, said it could be shared widely. Yeah. And, and Cameron?	00:13:36
	You got it, and I think your person.	00:13:42
	Yeah.	00:13:44
	So if you want a copy of the presentation too.	00:13:46
	You can let me know.	00:13:48
	I can. Good question. I sent it out, yeah.	00:13:49
	Well, you gotta you got a colored one.	00:13:52
	I printed it myself.	00:13:54
	Oh, that's nice.	00:13:55
	Like, wow, OK.	00:13:58
	Past you, you know you want to be able to.	00:14:01
	That's great.	00:14:03
	So what they got me about, yeah, this presentation was that he's a member of the New Glarus school board.	00:14:05
	Yeah, and they're one of the. Oh yeah.	00:14:10
	Defended 2 districts that are not applying for a spending referendum.	00:14:12
	They didn't need one.	00:14:16
	I don't know if he's implying a I helped him with that or what.	00:14:18
	But but didn't he give some examples of what he said? Remember he said like to cut cost this area they'll ask and it came up with	00:14:21
	all these options. Remember to or or increase revenue.	00:14:25
	Well, what can we do? And it gave right? It really was incredibly smart.	00:14:30
	Yeah, but if you ask the right question, you.	00:14:34
	And but you, but I was thinking about that. He was a lawyer. Bill's a lawyer, but he knew.	00:14:37
	He knew what results.	00:14:41
	You have to be.	00:14:43
	It's it's like AI won't replace intelligence right? You have to know what the end what you want.	00:14:44
	And a lot of things.	00:14:50
	And that then that requires.	00:14:51
	You have to be educated to know.	00:14:53
	What you want, you have to be a critical thinker.	00:14:56
	And.	00:14:59
	Yeah.	00:15:01
	He also realized that answers given to you may not be right. Oh, that was a good point.	00:15:01
	Makes up stuff.	00:15:06
	Yeah, makes up site. Even if you say citation, it makes up the citation. You probably heard about this couple lawsuits in recent.	00:15:07
	Where the judge kept.	00:15:13
	No, no, no, no, no, no, no.	00:15:15
	Yes, you have to be very careful. And just a little FYI for it and I can talk with Kevin about this too.	00:15:16
	With extension, we're required to take cybersecurity every year.	00:15:22
	And if there's any pay raises or promotions, you have to be in compliance.	00:15:27
	With what you have to do within UW.	00:15:32
	And so I just did my cybersecurity and this was the first year they had a whole section on AI.	00:15:35
	So it's it's very.	00:15:40
	Like for human subjects and for research. And you can't put sensitive information into AI.	00:15:43
	You know, you just don't want to. It's generative and you.	00:15:49
	You want to be very careful and that's why.	00:15:52
	Got to kind of tempt the brakes, but yet.	00:15:54
	Embrace it because it's happening.	00:15:56
	But we need to to think about how we can apply it in government.	00:15:58
	I do have one question for you inquiry. He talked about agents. Agents are specific.	00:16:02
	I don't know what you call it, a genre for area. You have an agent that does something, it seems to me.	00:16:09
	That the UW could coordinate with WCI, WCA.	00:16:16
	And and create agents for different departments, for example zoning.	00:16:20
	It would take a very particular agent of thought.	00:16:25
	For that, and I would think that say if you had.	00:16:28
	Between the AI people and say maybe like.	00:16:31
	5 or 6 people from counties from.	00:16:34
	From.	00:16:36
	Mapping and from whatever they would come up with the ideal template and then they would give the Dodge County the template here	00:16:37
	and then you fill in your stuff. But we don't want our.	00:16:42
	I don't think it'd be smart for us to say, OK.	00:16:49
	Take it upstairs to Bill.	00:16:51
	OK, Nate and Bill figure it out.	00:16:52
	That it seems to me that you'd want.	00:16:55
	AI people.	00:16:58
	And.	00:16:59
	Save, say, a few county people to say this is the kind of.	00:17:00
	Information or for like Melissa's department conservation that you'd get a couple conservationists, AI people sitting in the room.	00:17:04
	OK, let's create an agent.	00:17:09
	A template for.	00:17:13
	Conservation in Wisconsin.	00:17:15
	Otherwise, Melissa is going to be the person creating your agent.	00:17:17
	Or.	00:17:21
	Other staff.	00:17:22
	And it seems to me you'd have a lot more brain power.	00:17:23
	If you would get.	00:17:26
	A few county folks together and a few AI people together.	00:17:28
	And you'd make an incredible agent, because agent is the.	00:17:32
	I don't know. How do you describe an agent? What would you say?	00:17:36
	But but, but you know what I mean? You're an agent or or can you saw an agent is a is a is a it's a particular application of AI.	00:17:40
	Is that a is that fair? Like a like a person? It's like a person, but it's not a person. But you know what I mean though. But but	00:17:45
	but you but but an agent for for.	00:17:49
	On conservation would be different than the agent for.	00:17:55
	Mapping or for.	00:17:58
	But because down the road I see a zoning.	00:18:00
	Probably the most.	00:18:03
	They'll be awesome, you'll say.	00:18:04
	You know, the zoning guys are going to say, you know, ask questions and will this work not work? And it'll it'll tell you and have	00:18:07
	pictures and everything.	00:18:10
	So that's going to be awesome, but that's my opinion.	00:18:14
	So that when I went to the seminar that that's what I think because I don't want our employees.	00:18:17
	Trying to figure out the.	00:18:23
	Best way when we have this Wisconsin idea, Really smart people up here.	00:18:25
	Helping, you know, to help us that that's what I think.	00:18:31
	That's my two cents, So.	00:18:34
	Highway. Oh, highway. Yeah, highway. All these roads and they can do all that work for you. I mean, this road is that bad, but is	00:18:37
	that much traffic? It can do all that.	00:18:40
	We could do the yeah, I could design it. You're right.	00:18:45
	Not only designed it, but which ones identified.	00:18:47
	Should be.	00:18:50
	What they what it can do is tabulate the statistics in a very quick order versus.	00:18:51
	Having somebody from the highway department with pen and paper and ledgering it out like OK, the traffic patterns or whatever, it	00:18:59
	can very quickly give you statistics. It's, it's a, it's a brilliant tool that can save.	00:19:05
	Human capital a lot of time, but then.	00:19:12
	Human capital has to be applied.	00:19:15
	It's a little bit above our.	00:19:17
	Pay grade.	00:19:18
	Just so you know.	00:19:20
	Bill had said a genetics.	00:19:21
	Was was, it's been around, but he was just learning about it.	00:19:22
	Our the specialistic that came in so.	00:19:26
	But it's going to take a little bit of time.	00:19:30
	For for us to understand the power behind.	00:19:34
	A Genetics.	00:19:38
	The agent thing you're talking about?	00:19:39
	And AI in general.	00:19:41
	Like like Marie said, we're all kind of on the same learning curve here, folks.	00:19:43
	And.	00:19:48
	All of us so.	00:19:49
	That's that's why we we look to.	00:19:51
	To Doctor Oma Shine.	00:19:53
	So anyway.	00:19:55
	All right. Well, you guys just let us know or Cameron, let us know. As a committee, we support it. I think unless anyone objects,	00:19:57
	I think we support going forward.	00:20:01
	Using that and then you just let us know if there's anything we need to do.	00:20:05
	Patty, so congratulations on your promotion. And so this is going to take a little bit of time. The transition you're you	00:20:09
	effectively start March 1. Yeah, next Monday, next Monday. But but I'm, I'm going to 10% of my time is going to be wrapping up my	00:20:15
	current responsibilities because I have responsibilities for Dodge County. I'm doing a program with Dodge Correctional right now	00:20:21
	that I'm going to finish up. I'm going to.	00:20:26
	And then try to get the person hired so that we can have a a smooth transition, but there's going to be a small gap.	00:20:32
	But we'll figure it out. It's it's good.	00:20:38
	OK. OK. Thank you very much.	00:20:41
	OK, moving on to agency, those guys aren't here yet, so maybe they'll.	00:20:43
	Come or probably running ahead of time.	00:20:48
	OK, Karen, you want to introduce our special?	00:20:50
	Person here.	00:20:53
	Certainly I.	00:20:54
	Here before you.	00:20:56
	Is is your conservationist?	00:20:58
	And director of Land and Water conservation department. So Melissa, can it pull? We're very happy.	00:21:01
	And Melissa with us.	00:21:05
	And.	00:21:06
	She has been.	00:21:08
	Officially employed by Dodge County now for.	00:21:09
	Two business days and a weekend.	00:21:12
	And.	00:21:14
	I was. I had a.	00:21:16
	I've been struggling with a cold and catching up on a couple different things, so Melissa and I haven't had a lot of.	00:21:17
	A lot of time to chat.	00:21:23
	But I know that she's been working with the team in the office.	00:21:24
	And getting well connected the day before her official start date, she came in with some things just to get set up and get	00:21:27
	acquainted so.	00:21:31
	Anything you want to share about your first couple days please? Sure.	00:21:34
	So like Cameron said, this is day three, the first.	00:21:39
	Two days. We're pretty busy getting to know everybody and get to meet people.	00:21:42
	Meet folks around the county here.	00:21:46
	There, I'm glad there's no quiz.	00:21:50
	And names, because that's going to take me a little while to get to get to put all the names to all the faces. But just a little	00:21:52
	bit about myself. My husband and I are looking at a.	00:21:57
	Purchasing a place in the area, hopefully that's going to be taken care of here in March sometime.	00:22:03
	And.	00:22:09
	I grew up on a dairy farm in Marquette County. We had 30 milking cat. Sorry 30 but 60 milking. Had 60 young stock on 350 acres. We	00:22:11
	did have irrigation on that Marquette County sand.	00:22:17
	So that kind of added a whole different twist to.	00:22:24
	Coming from.	00:22:27
	Dodge County, My father actually came from the Dodge County area, so he was used to a little heavier soils than what?	00:22:29
	He ended up.	00:22:36
	Marrying my my mother and I'm Home Farm there.	00:22:37
	So I was the 5th generation up there.	00:22:41
	I did graduate from the UW Stevens Point.	00:22:44
	And from there.	00:22:47
	I had experiences throughout the state, so from Dodge County to Buffalo County to Price Taylor.	00:22:48
	And.	00:22:56
	Through various agencies. So I've worked with the county and I've worked with the federal service, with the Natural Resources	00:22:56
	Conservation Service.	00:23:00
	And so my conservation years has been.	00:23:04
	30 some years, 20 to 25 to 30 years of conservation experience.	00:23:07
	So I'm I'm really looking forward to working and meeting our partners.	00:23:12
	And getting to know our land owners in the county. A lot of things have changed since the last time I was in Dodge County, so.	00:23:16
	I'm the I'm the first person to to see those changes coming back to Dodge County and and seeing what what has changed and how the	00:23:23
	just the the farming industry has changed in.	00:23:28
	And.	00:23:34
	Working with my coworker or my staff.	00:23:36
	It's then.	00:23:40
	They've been really opening my eyes as to.	00:23:41
	What what great things Dodge County has to offer so.	00:23:44
	Looking forward to continuing that and meeting.	00:23:49
	More folks in.	00:23:52
	And going forward so?	00:23:53
	Thank you.	00:23:56
	OK, well, welcome.	00:23:57
	And I went and talked to her on Friday. So I think we're off to a great start and.	00:23:59
	And I think it's going to go well.	00:24:03
	So just let us know and.	00:24:05
	Keep in touch with me and we've got our figure out how we do our agendas and we're getting things figured out. Yep. So it's all	00:24:07
	good.	00:24:10
	Appreciate the time. Thank you.	00:24:13
	OK. OK. We have fourth quarter REAM.	00:24:15
	Burst meant for wildlife damage.	00:24:19
	What do you have there?	00:24:21
	Cheryl.	00:24:22
	So the total for that final request was 14,000, one 0863.	00:24:24
	And again, that's for the fourth quarter, so that will closeout for 2025.	00:24:29
	Does it have a name of is that for a person or particular? It's for the Leroy meets.	00:24:33
	For the deer processing and for the Pernod Hazy deer processing, OK, so that's the request for both of the deer processing for the	00:24:38
	end of the.	00:24:42
	2025 season.	00:24:47
	OK, does that.	00:24:49
	Number of deer network.	00:24:50
	Provided it is there a number, what does it have on the? I can get that to you.	00:24:51
	There were quite a lot.	00:25:00
	I might have to get back to you on that though. Dale. Dale.	00:25:01
	Are you OK going forward even though we don't have that normally?	00:25:06
	OK, Yeah, packet.	00:25:11
	So if I can get there.	00:25:14
	I don't, I don't think it's critical for what we're doing right now.	00:25:18
	I don't. I don't think so.	00:25:21
	OK, so I need a motion to approve the wildlife reimbursement.	00:25:23
	OK, Dale is a.	00:25:30
	First, second I'll second, then second.	00:25:31
	Any further discussion?	00:25:33
	Hearing none, those in favor signify by saying aye.	00:25:35
	All right, OK.	00:25:38
	OK. We have issuance of cancellation notice for non compliance for farmland preservation.	00:25:40
	All right. Like last month we had a participant that wants to get back in the program. They were cancelled a couple years ago.	00:25:54
	They only have.	00:26:03
	One parcel in Dodge County, I think it's like 45 acres.	00:26:04
	Most of their farm is in Fond du Lac County.	00:26:09
	And what happens?	00:26:11
	A lot of times is that.	00:26:13
	They allow their agronomists to do all the certification and they certify in one county and assume it's taken care of.	00:26:15
	And then?	00:26:21
	Don't realize after we send them letters.	00:26:23
	Numerous times about.	00:26:26
	Certifying in Dodge County. Then we finally kick them out anyway.	00:26:27
	They've come come around and to to certify now.	00:26:30
	And I.	00:26:34
	And and with a lot of farmers.	00:26:35
	That have landed both counties we are required to check.	00:26:38
	The other county to see if they're still in compliance there and which I did. And so they're they're good to go. So OK, what's the	00:26:41
	name on that? It's under load.	00:26:45
	Crayola Dairy Farm.	00:26:49
	Greg Low dairy Farm.	00:26:51
	OK, so.	00:26:53
	I just need a signature on that, OK?	00:26:55
	I need a Yep. Do you have anyone have any questions?	00:26:57
	We're good to go. Add back in. OK. We need a motion to approve the Craig Lord Dairy Farm back in 45 acres.	00:27:00
	Yeah, something like that. I don't have. Well, whatever it is, make sure that the motion says exactly what it is, though.	00:27:06
	Cheryl, Yeah.	00:27:11
	OK.	00:27:12
	OK, John, first.	00:27:14
	I'll second.	00:27:16
	OK, Dale second.	00:27:18
	Any further discussion?	00:27:20
	Those in favor signify by saying aye.	00:27:21
	Aye, those opposed.	00:27:23
	OK.	00:27:25
	OK. Since we have you up here, update on the farmland preservation program. All right, so.	00:27:27
	I know I've made maps for.	00:27:32
	John, in the past about participants in the program, I'm just going to pass these two round quick.	00:27:34
	Take a look at those.	00:27:39
	One is showing in blue all the parcels that are currently.	00:27:41
	Signed up for farmer preservation.	00:27:45
	And the other was just a zoning map showing the townships that are eligible.	00:27:47
	And the dollar amounts that the credit amount that they're eligible for.	00:27:51
	So as of.	00:27:56
	As of.	00:27:57
	Friday.	00:27:58
	We have 840 certificates issued.	00:27:59
	And this is since.	00:28:03
	2009, 2011 is when they started off requiring that certificate be drafted.	00:28:05
	To claim the credit.	00:28:11
	Of those 840.	00:28:13
	572 are active certificates.	00:28:16
	So the 840 was a.	00:28:19
	Total since day one that we created.	00:28:21
	Because if somebody gets out of the program or or if they change from.	00:28:24
	An individual landowner to a trust we still have to track.	00:28:28
	All the existing certificates from day one, so nothing can be duplicated. So like say right now there's 572.	00:28:32
	Certificates.	00:28:39
	Now of that.	00:28:40
	There are several that.	00:28:42
	Like in Dale's case, he has five certificates.	00:28:44
	Covering all his land.	00:28:46
	So it's not.	00:28:47
	Indicative of.	00:28:48
	Exactly.	00:28:50
	You know, different land owners or farmers it's.	00:28:51
	There's probably there's a lot less.	00:28:54
	Than the 572.	00:28:56
	That roughly covers.	00:29:00
	116,300.	00:29:02
	And 13 acres.	00:29:04
	And and their tax credit amounts vary from the $10 credit amount to 12:50.	00:29:07
	Well, that total acres.	00:29:14
	There's actually more acres covered under neutral management plans.	00:29:16
	Due to the fact that.	00:29:21
	A lot of the the the land is.	00:29:24
	Jumps borders as far as if you look. Notice those maps?	00:29:26
	There are certain townships that aren't eligible for the credit.	00:29:30
	It's not but.	00:29:33
	Due to cross compliance, they have to maintain a neutral management plan and that's why some of those townships.	00:29:35
	Those parcels in there are included.	00:29:40
	The same goes for the county borders to. Obviously I don't have any.	00:29:43
	Stuff that goes over to county lines here.	00:29:47
	But those acres are usually reported.	00:29:49
	In those other counties.	00:29:53
	Let's see.	00:29:56
	We have 47 participants under.	00:29:58
	Egg enterprise area agreements.	00:30:01
	Either part of their land or all their land.	00:30:03
	They don't.	00:30:05
	They don't specifically have the sign up all their land.	00:30:06
	Most of which are.	00:30:09
	Are up for renewal starting.	00:30:11
	Next year.	00:30:13
	So there's going to be quite a workload starting in the next two years. Is resigning these guys up?	00:30:15
	For.	00:30:20
	You know, egg enterprise areas.	00:30:22
	They were initially first signed up on her 15 year agreements.	00:30:24
	And now the new.	00:30:27
	Agreement.	00:30:29
	A time frame is only a 10 year.	00:30:30
	Certification. Uh.	00:30:32
	Other than that, we still have 4 old contracts.	00:30:35
	And these were based years ago.	00:30:39
	Based on how much landowner made.	00:30:43
	Instead of a dollar amount per acre so that that varied for participants.	00:30:45
	But there's still four of them on the books yet.	00:30:50
	And some of those go to 2031 and to 2033. Is the is the final certificate or excuse me, final contract?	00:30:52
	When that expires, a lot of those actually all they were 25 year contracts when they were signed up.	00:31:00
	So.	00:31:06
	And you'll see a few of those on the map 1 And in the town of Rubicon, there's like 3 parcels there that that landowner is still	00:31:08
	signed up under a contract yet until I think 2031.	00:31:12
	That basically.	00:31:18
	Until rosette.	00:31:20
	What is our?	00:31:22
	In our 10 year plan, what's our goal and what was the percentage you guys remember what percentage we wanted to be up?	00:31:23
	That I don't so in our 10 year plan.	00:31:28
	When you in the next several months when you're taking a peek at it.	00:31:31
	Yeah, there is a number and Lisa is not here today, but she always tells us that number. She knows that number.	00:31:34
	But there is, I think there's a goal we're trying to reach yet now this year it sounds like because you and I were talking about	00:31:40
	the workload, so the 15 years, so, so we have to do a lot of contract work this year.	00:31:44
	Starting next year.	00:31:49
	A lot of these land owners in those egg enterprise area want to sign up again. We've had I think 3.	00:31:51
	3 problems in the last.	00:31:56
	Two years with issues with land owners that.	00:31:58
	Didn't understand that they couldn't sell off parcels.	00:32:02
	And one one landowner in particular was quite mad at us because it was $1000 an acre fine.	00:32:04
	Actually, a little more than that.	00:32:10
	So when you say fine, does that mean it he doesn't get the credit? Is that what that no?	00:32:11
	It's a fine.	00:32:16
	To sell it you got to pay $1000 unless.	00:32:17
	The people you sell to would take on the program, will take on the program, but you got benefit. That's why you get it fine,	00:32:20
	because you got.	00:32:23
	Right. Well, so in that case, the landowner sold it to his son. His son bought the buildings.	00:32:26
	And it was initially, he was initially told years ago, yeah, you can. You can sell.	00:32:31
	You know, to family.	00:32:35
	You know, as long as I mean it's still in the farm, but the Department of AG.	00:32:36
	Kind of failed to.	00:32:39
	You know, tell people that.	00:32:42
	They needed to have acres somewhere else to qualify.	00:32:43
	They need to have some parcels somewhere else to qualify as a farm, then they could sign that up.	00:32:46
	Into their farm operations.	00:32:50
	In this case, the his son only had the parcels that he bought up.	00:32:52
	Building parcels.	00:32:56
	And had to pay 1000 plus dollars an acre.	00:32:57
	Back to the state.	00:33:00
	So he was quite upset with us.	00:33:01
	The zoning know about that. When, when?	00:33:04
	Upstairs.	00:33:07
	Yeah, I.	00:33:09
	As far as if they allow.	00:33:12
	I don't think so. I don't think in the past that was really discussed when people are signing up for egg enterprise areas.	00:33:16
	I think, and me too, when I read over the requirements years ago, I thought, OK, it says here that you can be sold.	00:33:21
	You know family members and you're still eligible.	00:33:27
	But there's like, say that fine caveat of they have to have some qualifying acres somewhere else and you just tie it to it.	00:33:30
	So that.	00:33:37
	If guys come in again to sign up, we're going to have a little.	00:33:38
	Quite a little.	00:33:42
	Lengthy discussion again to make sure people understand. I think it's more.	00:33:43
	A commitment you make to keep farm farmland farmland.	00:33:48
	Is what it is, Yeah. It's an incentive.	00:33:50
	Yeah. So you agree that you're gonna keep it farmland?	00:33:53
	You're being held with that, You're being held accountable.	00:33:56
	Yeah, basically they should be told you can't develop it at all.	00:33:58
	Anything, even if you want to sell it to your son.	00:34:02
	I mean.	00:34:05
	But so should we, as a county, come up with a way to.	00:34:06
	Through.	00:34:09
	You know, I mean that they're notified in a friendly way. You know that by the way, just, you know, not not in a negative way, but	00:34:10
	it.	00:34:13
	Went at the transaction to make sure that this this land. I'm not sure how you would do that, but.	00:34:16
	This land is under farmland preservation and you can keep.	00:34:21
	There what?	00:34:24
	Because you have to get a, you have to file.	00:34:25
	Applied for a permit to divide. Why don't Why don't we just add that on the checklist to the?	00:34:29
	For the because they have a list I think when you apply for.	00:34:34
	A permit to divide.	00:34:37
	Right deal.	00:34:38
	That this might be something you might want to look into.	00:34:40
	So, so if it's under zoning, you can split off any parcel, it's not going to affect anything, right. But if it's going to get sold	00:34:43
	to like that interest that you said they still whether it goes to the kid or not, they still got applied for that change.	00:34:49
	Yeah, and.	00:34:55
	And it is recorded on that deed.	00:34:57
	Anything in AG enterprise area is recorded on the deed.	00:34:58
	That's what makes a little.	00:35:01
	You know, difficult time wise to take care of the.	00:35:03
	Oh yeah, yeah. Let's say it's on the DD, Everybody in the county here. I mean, but it the problem is.	00:35:09
	The landowner themselves.	00:35:14
	Either weren't explained that in the beginning.	00:35:16
	Didn't understand but understand or there was enough verbage from Department of AG from the start.	00:35:18
	So for example, I just hold a parcel to that installation next to you.	00:35:23
	But he agreed to take it on the agreement so.	00:35:26
	Otherwise it would have been $1000 an acre at least.	00:35:30
	But there's if they when they apply it all to do the division.	00:35:35
	That could be just like a reminder and a checklist that they get that, you know, if you're in the AG enterprise, you might.	00:35:38
	You need to look into this before.	00:35:43
	That's a good idea. You know, that's I was trying to get at, you know, then that way.	00:35:46
	Takes the onus off for you guys.	00:35:50
	Yeah, puts it back onto the property owner.	00:35:52
	So, Melissa, could you touch base with Bill? Ellen can.	00:35:55
	Mm-hmm. I, I'd rather have the first conversation from accounting friendly instead of you're not, you're not in compliance. That's	00:35:57
	the first time we talk to you. That's not it doesn't happen that often, but like, you know, like in Dale's case, it just came up.	00:36:01
	Somebody wants to.	00:36:05
	Inquire about it.	00:36:09
	OK.	00:36:11
	You have any other questions?	00:36:13
	I'm glad you brought that up. It was good. Good. Good catch. Yeah, real good.	00:36:17
	OK, so.	00:36:22
	OK. I don't, I don't have anything else for you. So thank you, John. I'll have you sign this quick. Sure.	00:36:25
	All right, Sawyer, you guess you can come up.	00:36:31
	So I'll just have you back. Oh, yeah.	00:36:39
	Matt couldn't make it. I don't. He had some prior obligations, so he gave me some notes and I will do my best to try to interpret	00:36:45
	them.	00:36:49
	So Farm Service Agency program report, thanks for coming. Thank you.	00:36:53
	They they announced some different signups, so they got a dairy margin coverage DMC sign up.	00:36:59
	That deadline is the end of this month, 227.	00:37:05
	They have a new Farmers Bridges assistance.	00:37:10
	FBS program.	00:37:13
	That starts 223 and that runs through April 17th.	00:37:15
	They also have a supplemental disaster.	00:37:20
	Recovery program.	00:37:24
	And that sign up deadline is April 30th as well.	00:37:26
	They also kind of big news. They announced the CRP sign up.	00:37:31
	Week or two ago.	00:37:35
	All CRP is being done by batch process, again with priority on water quality practices.	00:37:37
	Continuous and CREP sign up are open now through.	00:37:43
	3:30 so March 30th.	00:37:48
	For batch 1.	00:37:50
	General starts.	00:37:53
	March 9th through April 17th.	00:37:55
	For batch 1.	00:37:58
	And the grasslands portion will be announced in the future.	00:38:00
	There's no guarantee of batch 2.	00:38:03
	We're kind of just happy to have a batch 1 sign up as of now.	00:38:06
	Very limited acres available nationwide.	00:38:10
	It's estimated only 1.9 million acres to be enrolled in it.	00:38:14
	Which I think is.	00:38:19
	Substantially less than normal.	00:38:20
	And then we'll transition some NRCS program stuff.	00:38:24
	March 18th is our Environmental Quality incentive program ranking deadline for our high applications.	00:38:29
	These are applications we received in 2025 or before.	00:38:36
	We will probably know within a month or so, that's when our ranking deadline.	00:38:41
	Deadline is on which ones get pre approved for funding.	00:38:46
	April 17th is our Conservation Stewardship Program ranking deadline.	00:38:51
	And then?	00:38:56
	Likewise, soon after that we'll know which applications are selected for funding.	00:38:57
	And then kind of a new program.	00:39:02
	It's not necessarily a program, but it's a new funding opportunity.	00:39:06
	It's called this Regenerative pilot program.	00:39:10
	That the current administration is kind of piloting.	00:39:13
	It's additional money, but instead of.	00:39:17
	It's not, it's not funding in addition to what we were currently going to get.	00:39:21
	It's just a portion of that money is kind of rebranded into.	00:39:25
	This RPP program.	00:39:30
	So basically to be eligible.	00:39:32
	The producer has to meet.	00:39:35
	All resource concerns for soil and health have to be met at the end of the contract.	00:39:38
	So it's a little bit different than.	00:39:44
	In the past, people could apply for a practice just to treat.	00:39:46
	Say I got a gully in a field. I just want to treat that gully.	00:39:50
	Now it's got it looks at like the whole.	00:39:54
	Operation and everything soil and water needs to meet at the end, so if there's any.	00:39:57
	Any type of compaction that's got to be addressed at the end, so.	00:40:04
	You know, if somebody's like mold more plowing, they're not going to meet the.	00:40:09
	Compaction and aggregate stability stuff, so.	00:40:13
	It's it's going to be harder to get into.	00:40:16
	Also with that.	00:40:20
	The participants required to take.	00:40:22
	Soil health tests.	00:40:25
	These are a little bit more advanced than just like your farmland preservation.	00:40:27
	Soil tests that you have to do every 5 acres.	00:40:32
	And as of now, there's only four labs in the nation that can do these tests.	00:40:35
	Umm, hopefully if they're going to need to get some more that are approved, otherwise they're going to have an influx.	00:40:41
	And and if there's only four, we're predicting that prices will be pretty high. So we don't know how that's going to shake out.	00:40:47
	So.	00:40:55
	We're kind of learning as we go with this.	00:40:56
	And I guess we'll see where it leads, but farmer, is that covered by so we have cost share for it.	00:40:59
	And I think it's like.	00:41:06
	It's somewhere in the ballpark, like 500 bucks for the test.	00:41:08
	Is what we're cost sharing.	00:41:11
	We don't know how much the labs going to charge.	00:41:13
	But they're going to know that we.	00:41:16
	Cost share 500 so I would.	00:41:18
	Assume it's going to be more than 500.	00:41:20
	So.	00:41:22
	Any questions related to any of that?	00:41:24
	Kind of threw a lot at you.	00:41:27
	I get an added comment from Sure because I talked to Matt before I came here, that Farmer bridge assistance program which a lot of	00:41:29
	farmers are waiting for.	00:41:33
	Supposed to sign up Start this morning.	00:41:37
	Yeah.	00:41:39
	Did it?	00:41:41
	They went online at 6:00 at the office.	00:41:42
	To find the software and it's it's down already 5 minutes and crashed so.	00:41:45
	They can't sign up.	00:41:50
	Yeah, yeah. There's a lot of different signups open right now in FSA, so.	00:41:54
	I think there.	00:42:00
	They're kind of busy there, at least.	00:42:01
	Thank you.	00:42:06
	OK.	00:42:07
	OK, Cheryl, poster contest.	00:42:12
	So thank you.	00:42:15
	So, umm.	00:42:18
	Our poster did not move on to the next level.	00:42:20
	They were not selected for that. I did include all of the posters in your packet.	00:42:23
	That she had sent to me.	00:42:28
	And I'm thinking you guys are probably going to see them at your March conference as well.	00:42:31
	From my understanding, you're going to see more of the winning contests.	00:42:34
	Poster contest that you have there, when I do receive the poster back, they will be taken back to the schools.	00:42:38
	And along with that, the Dodge County Farmers group gives gift cards to the winners. So they will be at least.	00:42:44
	They'll get a little gift that way as well for participating in the program.	00:42:50
	But yeah, there was some pretty neat posters out there and you put them in the pack.	00:42:55
	For us, ours, So I put them in the packet. Yeah, they're all in there.	00:43:00
	So and I'm working on.	00:43:05
	The I found my invoices for the meat.	00:43:07
	The deer processing, so I'll have that for you guys by the end of the meeting.	00:43:10
	How much?	00:43:14
	Dear pounds of processing were in there but.	00:43:15
	Yeah, OK.	00:43:19
	On a committee, reports Lakes in Mississippi. I did not attend the regular meeting I was at.	00:43:21
	The Legislative conference for WCA.	00:43:27
	But we are going to have a special meeting tomorrow night.	00:43:31
	To review and approve.	00:43:33
	With our expert hay and associates.	00:43:36
	Of of work to engage with a letter of interest to the US Army Corps of Engineers. What's that means is.	00:43:40
	After we hired these experts.	00:43:47
	I had a.	00:43:50
	A real, honest conversation with our.	00:43:52
	Because Bill, you know how grants work. Had a real, honest conversation with our board.	00:43:55
	We need instead of because we're going to get into a lot of money here with taxpayer money. I think this this preparation is like	00:44:01
	100 grand or something just to prepare the to get the grants.	00:44:05
	You know, it's a lot of money.	00:44:10
	And so how far do we go if we're not going to get them? So I I told them.	00:44:11
	My experience with getting grants is you need to talk to the right person at.	00:44:16
	The Engineers, the Army Corps of Engineers and the DNR.	00:44:20
	And are they really going to give us consideration, give us a grant?	00:44:24
	Have the conversation.	00:44:27
	I we really even that's a good approach, you know, I mean, I mean.	00:44:30
	We've already got like 100 grand of this and then we're going to go more money, more money.	00:44:33
	In these the.	00:44:37
	The people we hire, the experts.	00:44:39
	They want you to keep going.	00:44:41
	You're gonna get it. You're gonna get it.	00:44:43
	And so.	00:44:45
	So that's what this meetings about. I think we just need an honest conversation. I think Bill, you probably know this at the Army	00:44:47
	Corps in general has not interested investing much money in Dodge County. It was my understanding.	00:44:52
	We saw that with the flood.	00:44:58
	But if, if, if they are, then fine, we should do that. But and at the same time though, I don't think they should make government.	00:45:00
	Spend a whole bunch of money when they're not even going to really help us. So that was that was the thought. I think that's why	00:45:06
	we're having the meeting tomorrow night so.	00:45:10
	That's all I have to report.	00:45:13
	So.	00:45:15
	Beaver Dam.	00:45:15
	I met with the representative Meadow.	00:45:17
	And my search was defined if they had the local specialist for watershed management.	00:45:19
	And in and out they managed the consultants. So they have consultants they hire.	00:45:25
	And there are people.	00:45:30
	Oversee what their work product is.	00:45:31
	What they do have is in the fall.	00:45:34
	Conservation Grants.	00:45:36
	So you have to be hydraulically connected to their.	00:45:38
	Property.	00:45:41
	Which includes Fox Lake and Beaver Dam Lake.	00:45:42
	So in the fall we have to look and see what projects we have in the offering.	00:45:45
	And ask them for funding.	00:45:49
	So again, they do not have on site expertise. They use consultants, they use Stantec.	00:45:52
	Out of Milwaukee for this site here in Beaver Dam.	00:45:59
	And I have talked to Stantec and.	00:46:02
	Checked out their qualifications.	00:46:07
	Met with the Mayor of Beaver Dam, Mayor Markey and the new administrator but Mr. Burke.	00:46:11
	And they're both new to the city.	00:46:17
	So I provided a background history for the watershed and our rough fish issues that have.	00:46:19
	Propped up over the past number of years.	00:46:24
	They are very interested. We would like to be part of any future activity with the DNR.	00:46:27
	So that's a very positive mood.	00:46:32
	Have submitted to the DNR a revised fishery plan.	00:46:36
	This is the third year of their plan.	00:46:40
	And it really hasn't worked out as well as anticipated.	00:46:42
	So this new plan will.	00:46:45
	Follow US Fish and Wildlife guidelines of how they've approached the rough fish programs.	00:46:47
	After putting that together.	00:46:54
	I tried the Microsoft Copilot AI.	00:46:57
	It's interesting that the more information put in there.	00:47:00
	The more it asks.	00:47:03
	So after I put in enough information, it says, oh, you're talking about be like.	00:47:04
	I put in the acreage, the depth.	00:47:09
	In different parameters.	00:47:11
	And it came back and told me was.	00:47:12
	The liquors talking.	00:47:14
	And they said for that lake.	00:47:16
	Here's what you want to do.	00:47:18
	Most of his cracks on it was.	00:47:21
	The the attachments, the references.	00:47:23
	Most were very good.	00:47:26
	Some were not.	00:47:28
	You have to go to the references and understand what they're asking you to.	00:47:29
	Provide for the watershed.	00:47:33
	But it's very interesting.	00:47:35
	Dale is very nice to allow us to use his shop to have two of our.	00:47:38
	Grad students visit with him.	00:47:42
	Matt Link and Robert Byrd to talk about.	00:47:44
	Agriculture in our county.	00:47:48
	The UW folks have done a community survey for the riparian people.	00:47:50
	They've done a shoreline survey across the lake.	00:47:55
	And they're comparing the water quality from 2015.	00:47:58
	To 2025.	00:48:02
	So I thought this was very.	00:48:03
	Key part.	00:48:05
	Of what they're.	00:48:06
	Presentation.	00:48:08
	Should have in it.	00:48:09
	So on March 14th, they'll have a presentation at the Beaver Dam High School.	00:48:10
	Of what they've learned over the past two years. So that's the March 14th at 10 AM at the high school.	00:48:15
	So if you have the time, stop in.	00:48:21
	It's a partial of.	00:48:23
	All the pieces that go into the watershed study.	00:48:25
	That will be complemented by other work performed last year.	00:48:28
	By other organizations. Other groups. Biobit.	00:48:31
	Biomass studies and other shoreline studies.	00:48:35
	But at the end of the day, we have a pretty good picture.	00:48:38
	Of the watershed.	00:48:41
	From the upland through the.	00:48:43
	Shoreline and into the lake.	00:48:45
	So we'll have the first time.	00:48:47
	Complete look at our watershed.	00:48:49
	It's all for today.	00:48:53
	So actually.	00:48:57
	Our temporary meeting has been pushed off to Thursday of this week.	00:48:59
	So we haven't met since our last meeting.	00:49:03
	However, some things have come up that have been emailing back.	00:49:06
	MCO, which is the company that.	00:49:11
	The district hired to oversee and maintain the sewer system all the way along Fox Lake.	00:49:14
	Has gone through there, I think the 4th employee in the last two years.	00:49:20
	And so they want to terminate the contract with the.	00:49:24
	They just.	00:49:26
	Because they just can't seem to.	00:49:28
	Keep an employee in place.	00:49:30
	So now.	00:49:32
	Tim is.	00:49:34
	Who's the?	00:49:35
	Our committee chairman is.	00:49:37
	Looking for alternatives.	00:49:39
	Whether they might not be able to have the city of Fox Lake hire an additional person.	00:49:42
	To oversee.	00:49:46
	The sewer system along the lake.	00:49:48
	They don't seem too fond of that idea.	00:49:50
	Another solution would be to have the city.	00:49:53
	Annex that into the city, the whole area around the lake, which the town of Fox Lake would not.	00:49:56
	Be in favor of that because they've been losing all that.	00:50:02
	Yes, that's real. Sure, sure.	00:50:06
	And they're looking at maybe hiring a private firm like PG E Other Randolph to oversee it. So everything's kind of up in here.	00:50:09
	OK, what the district doesn't really want to do is hire somebody on their own.	00:50:19
	Yeah, that's hard.	00:50:24
	OK, moving on, we've got the the Land and Water conference coming up March 4th and 6th I believe.	00:50:33
	Sure. Who do we have signed up this?	00:50:41
	I know I'm going.	00:50:43
	Bill.	00:50:45
	Bill is going.	00:50:46
	Melissa will be there.	00:50:48
	Jarrett and.	00:50:51
	Day OK anyone else going?	00:50:53
	No, OK.	00:50:56
	All right, so.	00:50:57
	I'm going to be late later that day. I've got a we got to go to Iron Ridge.	00:50:58
	In community development that day.	00:51:02
	So I'll be an Iron Ridge.	00:51:06
	We are giving our counties given a grant and so then I'll be there about 3:00 or 3:30. So don't think I'm not coming. I'm coming.	00:51:07
	And then just deal with the credit card Cameron to make sure because it's under Cheryl's name and just make sure that.	00:51:14
	We're all taken care of.	00:51:20
	So, OK, all right. And then those of us are there. Well, they've got a Melissa, they've got like a.	00:51:22
	You'll find it's free beer.	00:51:29
	That's true. Will be.	00:51:31
	That's where you'll find us and then we'll go from there, OK?	00:51:35
	After the thing, they're going to say that and you'll find us there, OK?	00:51:38
	All right, senior.	00:51:42
	Next thing, select Representative for OK.	00:51:46
	So we talked about that last month a little bit and so the committee, so when the committee.	00:51:48
	When we reorganize in April.	00:51:55
	Then we'll see if we get a volunteer to be on the Southern Area Committee.	00:51:58
	And I'm not sure in the past, I know Lisa's been involved and goes and I don't know if John went.	00:52:04
	Do you know Cheryl, if John went to that? I don't know.	00:52:09
	He did go, OK. So Melissa, I guess I'd be something that you'd go to and.	00:52:14
	And so she, Lisa emailed me.	00:52:21
	A very detailed.	00:52:24
	Very detailed information about.	00:52:26
	The meeting.	00:52:28
	And I went over some of it with Melissa on on.	00:52:29
	On on Friday. But you know, like the committee, the structure, how it works.	00:52:34
	The contests and I believe there's 11 counties in it.	00:52:39
	And she explained it all. And then, like right now, there's a grant from Nestle's corporation for $1.7 million.	00:52:42
	So counties are available to get they're interested in regenerative agriculture.	00:52:50
	As a farming approach that restores rather than sustained.	00:52:55
	So those are. I guess that's an.	00:52:58
	That's a place that we would get information, so I guess we probably should if we can get a committee member. Lisa has done it.	00:53:00
	So those funds are available on the county level?	00:53:06
	Apparently I will give you can take a look at this. I can give you know it's apparently.	00:53:08
	So.	00:53:13
	Double dip them with Interesting.	00:53:15
	You can.	00:53:18
	I can show you this after and then you can take a look at it.	00:53:21
	I Because we don't. Lisa. Lisa.	00:53:24
	Is not going to be able to be here next month so.	00:53:27
	We're not going to have anybody on that.	00:53:30
	I don't know, Melissa. Maybe he could check.	00:53:32
	I don't know if you'd want to go in between just to.	00:53:35
	Get updated. I'm not sure that's up to you because you get a lot of stuff going on when you start, but it down the road that's	00:53:37
	something we want to be part of though, I would say.	00:53:41
	Umm, Lisa said to be sure to tell you about the.	00:53:46
	This is one thing she said. If you don't send me, here's your instruction.	00:53:49
	If you read one thing, this is the one I spoke. Then at the end, if you read one thing, this is the thing you read.	00:53:52
	OK.	00:53:56
	I don't know why she wrote me the rest but OK input on the 590.	00:53:57
	Updating small farmers.	00:54:01
	So, she said, only Dane County gave feedback to the updates. First was about the February March prohibition.	00:54:04
	What do you do when over 200 parts per million on fields? So this obviously is the.	00:54:11
	The putting of the.	00:54:17
	Placement and timing of plant nutrient the.	00:54:20
	Manure, you know.	00:54:23
	This is other questions regarding the storage.	00:54:25
	What if you don't hit the weather right?	00:54:28
	Roof storage requirements are really hard to meet.	00:54:31
	Can a county allow two to three months storage normally?	00:54:34
	Normally required for whole year. I know this year I talked to Melissa on Friday to up let her know that we are going to be	00:54:38
	updating our storage.	00:54:41
	Ordinance this next year and so she's aware of that and is aware of the process.	00:54:45
	So I don't know.	00:54:50
	Exactly what what this means for our people, but I know it's something we're going to dive into pretty soon, so I think it.	00:54:52
	I think will be OK so.	00:54:58
	But anyway that Lisa wanted me to mention that and I know Lisa would have said about the ordinance too, so.	00:55:00
	So that's all I have.	00:55:05
	Future.	00:55:07
	Items, agenda items probably update us on the tree sale. I believe we do that in.	00:55:08
	April.	00:55:13
	Right, April's our tree sale.	00:55:14
	Umm oh, next meeting date.	00:55:17
	March 23rd. It'll be the last meeting date for the session.	00:55:19
	So.	00:55:23
	Anyone a conflict? March 23rd OK.	00:55:25
	My kids and wife are on spring break so.	00:55:28
	You probably won't be there then.	00:55:31
	It's up in there. We'll see what I just let me know. I'll let you know at least a week in advance.	00:55:32
	OK, let me know.	00:55:38
	If we lose another one and I'll be a.	00:55:39
	Hard to get a quorum then.	00:55:41
	So just just I'll let you know all week.	00:55:43
	Yeah, Lisa cannot come.	00:55:45
	She told us ahead of time she's a.	00:55:47
	OK, so.	00:55:50
	OK, I'm.	00:55:53
	Make them. I need a motion to adjourn.	00:55:55
	Bill.	00:55:58
	2nd.	00:55:59
	Ben OK. Those in favor signify by saying aye.	00:56:00
	All right, in all the media is concluded. Cheryl, do you want to see something?	00:56:03
	I do have an announcement to make.	00:56:09
	Yeah, you can stop the recording.	00:56:13

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Event transcript
	I don't know I some of you may have known, but I applied for the position and I was hired a couple weeks ago. And so we're	00:00:00
	transitioning this role, the human development and relationships educator role into the AED role starting next week already.	00:00:06
	So I will be your new AED along with four other counties.	00:00:13
	Dodge, Columbia, Washington, Fond du Lac and Ozaukee County and I'm.	00:00:18
	Really excited and honored.	00:00:22
	To have been chosen for the position.	00:00:24
	So that brings me to the next thing on the agenda that I wanted to talk to you about was.	00:00:26
	Refilling my position, I talked to Andrew and Cameron and.	00:00:31
	And the position is already in the budget for this year.	00:00:37
	And so this is just informational only, but we're going to go ahead.	00:00:39
	One of the first things of my responsibilities will be to rehire them the vacancy.	00:00:43
	In in the position that I'm leaving.	00:00:49
	So that will be moving forward and I'll give you a more concrete timeline as I know more.	00:00:51
	But I first start the role next week, so just.	00:00:57
	Just give me a break with that.	00:01:00
	Item number six on your agenda is Willful Rider from UW Extension, our regional crops educator, and he was going to report out on	00:01:03
	the county farm. He got called into jury duty this morning.	00:01:09
	He's on this whole month. I know. What would you? OK, so, and he's actually got called in. You know, sometimes you have jury duty	00:01:15
	and they don't need you, but he got called in. And so I spoke with Andrew a little bit about that this morning. We're going to	00:01:21
	bring him back next month to give you an update and it'll probably be more appropriate at that time anyway.	00:01:27
	So that brings us to number 7 and both Andrew and I are going to give you a little update on.	00:01:34
	The AI program that.	00:01:39
	Cameron and Andrew and UW Extension brought in to the county.	00:01:42
	Was it last month?	00:01:47
	No, it was this month, January 30th, oh, January 30th. At the end of the month, we brought in a state specialist who is an	00:01:49
	attorney. His name is Bill Olmeshine, and he came in and conducted a training for senior level.	00:01:57
	Dodge County employees, so department heads and people in it. And then we invited the board. There were there were board members.	00:02:05
	There were some 50 people here.	00:02:09
	And it was a training that went over really, really well. It was called AI 101. It went over so well that we are bringing Bill	00:02:13
	back.	00:02:18
	Or.	00:02:23
	A surrogate for Bill to come in in sometime this spring, maybe in April, to do a Part 2 on it.	00:02:24
	But we would encourage you to come.	00:02:30
	But folks, there is there are some regional trainings that UW extension.	00:02:32
	Is doing on a state level.	00:02:39
	In.	00:02:41
	Oshkosh, Baraboo, up in Eau Claire, and then one other area a little bit. Oh, Wisconsin Dells.	00:02:43
	And.	00:02:50
	We want to cordially invite you to that training.	00:02:52
	And within the extension professional development budget, the training is a mere $50.00. I don't.	00:02:55
	You're not going to get mileage or per diem, but.	00:03:01
	We couldn't.	00:03:04
	Umm, couch some of your or the professional development.	00:03:06
	Dollars.	00:03:09
	There isn't a flyer Andrew, it's just a website, so I will get you information if you're interested.	00:03:11
	And getting some undergirding about what AI is and how it can work in county governments.	00:03:17
	And in entities that you might work in, in your in your free, in your other life outside of the county. I would strongly encourage	00:03:23
	you to attend. And if you're interested, please contact me because I will get you information on.	00:03:30
	On how to register.	00:03:38
	It can help you register and we can absorb some of that professional development cost.	00:03:40
	What else do you want to say about the AI training? No, that it's it. I signed up.	00:03:46
	For March 17th in Oshkosh, so and you want to come?	00:03:50
	I'm gonna go.	00:03:53
	That this invitation went out to towns, also into, I assume, cities. My wife.	00:03:55
	Got it through the towns and she's also going to 17th for her town. So I mean, I think that opened up a.	00:04:01
	Beyond counties, this invitation for AI. So I am. I'm gonna go that day.	00:04:06
	I just want to mention we had two.	00:04:12
	Ken and Dale went to the AI training and since since that Dave and I.	00:04:14
	Dave Froin and I went up to the legislative.	00:04:22
	WCA event.	00:04:26
	And I learned, I got to talk to Carl and I talked to Bill again, but I learned that that counties have counties are very, can be	00:04:27
	very independent.	00:04:32
	I don't see that. Is that a fair statement, Cameron in there, there, there.	00:04:37
	All American way, I guess, right? We do whatever we want.	00:04:43
	So I wanted to get your input, especially you 2 guys since you were there.	00:04:48
	Is.	00:04:52
	You know all counties are going to implement AI, Our county right now, correct me if I'm wrong, Aaron, we don't officially use AI	00:04:52
	right now. We didn't. We don't pay a fee.	00:04:56
	And by the way, I did some cool searches and it and it won't let you on the free one.	00:05:01
	You don't remember that, you know, in the demonstration we had. So I went home and I.	00:05:05
	Tried like like make a picture of a county board like they did.	00:05:09
	Can't do it. They don't have the the rate I get to pay money for that so so the free AI.	00:05:12
	That you have and you can get on your phone.	00:05:18
	It is very limited. I didn't realize that.	00:05:20
	Because then I tried some of his.	00:05:22
	I was doing my homework and it doesn't work.	00:05:24
	So he had a really good one when he was demonstrating. We just didn't realize that he did this thing, it said make a picture of.	00:05:26
	Dodge County supervisors.	00:05:33
	Remember it was so it's amazing. Wasn't that amazing? And there we are in room and even has the plaque of Dodge County, Wisconsin	00:05:35
	on the wall and there's and all people are old.	00:05:39
	It was that, it was that just, I mean, it was just amazing. It looks so real. I looked at it looked and even have the street, the	00:05:44
	streetscape of Juno and the. And out the window, you saw it, right? It was, it was, yeah.	00:05:49
	It was unbelievable, but you can't do that on the free one.	00:05:55
	So that.	00:05:58
	It could have been. It would look like a photograph, but The thing is, is that that.	00:06:00
	It costs up between 18 and $30.00 a month per computer, so this is a new class for our county.	00:06:05
	Coming up and it'll be different in different.	00:06:10
	You know, we don't even know where we're at, right? Right. Camera. We don't even know like what we're going to do yet. We haven't	00:06:12
	decided, right? So we have. We have.	00:06:16
	A license. Our licenses are with Microsoft.	00:06:21
	OK, Microsoft Office Suite is something that all of our IT department has access to the full.	00:06:23
	Suite that we so that has it in it and then we distribute as as needed throughout the county. Most have the same standard group of	00:06:30
	office.	00:06:33
	Applications.	00:06:38
	But in addition so in that.	00:06:39
	Copilot bucket of things is Microsoft Copilot? Yep.	00:06:41
	And so we do have a subscription for that, but it is.	00:06:46
	Actually, I should say.	00:06:49
	We.	00:06:51
	It is that has not been.	00:06:52
	Made into a license, yet Microsoft just provides it.	00:06:54
	So.	00:06:57
	We have limited access, I think, to who can use it as as really a.	00:06:58
	The uh.	00:07:03
	AI search kind of tool or creation kind of thing.	00:07:04
	It has all of the things they've provided for years in terms of helping you write stuff but correcting spelling errors. But.	00:07:07
	If you want more more advanced than that, there are only a few people that are in the county trying that out, but that's one of	00:07:13
	the options. The other option is.	00:07:17
	As you mentioned, we could go with the same.	00:07:20
	License that UW Extension uses.	00:07:23
	Or similar. And that's the 18 or $30. Eighteen dollars is the discount for educational institutions, $30 is the regular.	00:07:25
	And then there are other.	00:07:33
	There are other tools that we could also potentially use.	00:07:35
	But in any case.	00:07:38
	In order to protect.	00:07:40
	Information that should be protected.	00:07:42
	We want to make sure that we only use a service that we subscribe to so.	00:07:44
	That is and.	00:07:50
	Because of that, it isn't.	00:07:51
	Widespread throughout the county, yet to be used because we're working on a policy that clarifies some of that before we open the	00:07:52
	gate.	00:07:55
	So today.	00:07:59
	Yeah. No, no, just you have to let us know. So I guess what we're looking for from you and Dave and direction is to what?	00:08:00
	Involvement in for Patty? What involvement?	00:08:08
	You know we set policy only for.	00:08:11
	This education. So we we, I think we should.	00:08:13
	Utilize.	00:08:17
	Unless you guys disagree here, I think we should utilize extensions resources at no charge to our county.	00:08:18
	To advise us and help us. Does anyone disagree with that or you guys OK with that or?	00:08:24
	Because then we would call back.	00:08:29
	Someone from UW, Patty and then.	00:08:31
	Then Patty would this department.	00:08:33
	Would work with.	00:08:36
	Cameron and offer the service I think.	00:08:37
	That's what I think. Now, other counties don't think that. Other counties, here's that. Here's the rub. Other counties think I	00:08:40
	know more.	00:08:43
	And this is the direction we're going.	00:08:46
	And so that that's that's why I say that.	00:08:48
	And I will. I will.	00:08:51
	Do a little tiny caveat.	00:08:53
	Extension is an educational arm and.	00:08:55
	And so they will.	00:08:58
	With unbiased information, give you facts and information and give you education, educate you about it.	00:08:59
	And then you ultimately have to make the decisions.	00:09:06
	They're not going to.	00:09:09
	Like Bill's not going to advise, right? I know he, I know. Thank you.	00:09:10
	Yeah. And the other thing though that I would like to see down the road here is I think, I think that UW has.	00:09:14
	They still do.	00:09:20
	Public education too, don't they?	00:09:21
	Does UW do that or not?	00:09:24
	Public extension, like I mean, should we, should we have sessions around the county educating the public?	00:09:25
	About.	00:09:30
	AI basics of AI11 investment that extension has done is there they are in the process.	00:09:31
	This person hasn't been announced yet, but they're hiring.	00:09:38
	And AI specialist.	00:09:41
	And so that would be a potential that we could bring in an AI specialist.	00:09:43
	Umm, but it's a, it's a niche educational thing. So it's not like the educator or the new HDR person or Maria is our youth	00:09:48
	development or will.	00:09:52
	You know, we're not going to be able to go out. We're going to, we'll, we'll rely on the resources, the specialists from	00:09:57
	extension.	00:10:00
	So yes.	00:10:04
	And the other thing even from extension side.	00:10:06
	Sorry, I just can't give well you all.	00:10:09
	I got to hang out with Kent with Clayton on Saturday, so you know, it was a lot of fun. But the other side of extension is that,	00:10:12
	and I'm in a cohort right now.	00:10:17
	That Carl invited apparently decided we should have is finding out about. It's called Expand AI.	00:10:24
	And so it's looking about how we're expanding AI in our.	00:10:30
	In our programming.	00:10:34
	And so I think we're all in the same learning curve.	00:10:36
	Yeah, You know, because the people that are teaching that, I mean, Bill is one of the 10 people on that, along with a bunch of	00:10:39
	other specialists, but they're figuring out what's good.	00:10:43
	For extension to be using and to advocate with our educators and then.	00:10:47
	You know where we should be going. So we have to, we're practicing that for the next six weeks and and this might even be a larger	00:10:51
	discussion maybe with the.	00:10:55
	IT committee and.	00:10:59
	Your ship, Yeah.	00:11:01
	I think the point though, I think it's.	00:11:03
	I would say it's very good that this body be supportive and moving and pushing for education and training because.	00:11:05
	That's the first step that we had a really this training that's being talked about for.	00:11:11
	Potentially for you all to attend.	00:11:16
	That is going to be very good if it's.	00:11:19
	Anything like the one? I know there's parts of it that are very similar to what we had.	00:11:21
	Here that surprised, Johnson and Hale went to.	00:11:25
	They it's gonna be good.	00:11:30
	There's a.	00:11:33
	The the message I think that was shared there.	00:11:34
	And the one that I would share now or reiterate is.	00:11:37
	AI is not going to.	00:11:42
	Take away jobs.	00:11:44
	For people that know how to use AI.	00:11:46
	Are going to have the jobs or take away the job so if we don't.	00:11:49
	If we don't fully acknowledge.	00:11:54
	The abilities that are there.	00:11:56
	And harness what's useful.	00:11:57
	For the county, we are going to very quickly.	00:11:59
	Be left behind.	00:12:03
	So I would say I I went to that session for three hours, I would have to tell you that.	00:12:04
	I didn't know what AI was other than a super Google or something like that until I went there and then I realized and you guys	00:12:09
	over there.	00:12:13
	Correct me if I'm wrong, it's it's all about you have to know what you want and you have to know what questions to ask.	00:12:18
	I mean, it's very powerful, but if you don't know the right questions.	00:12:23
	That's a really. And so, so you know, we put in the packet a copy of the slides from that.	00:12:28
	And so if you want to look at those prompts for your own.	00:12:33
	Just for your own information about AI, it's it's incredible the prompts in there, the prompts being questions asking. I I like	00:12:36
	the moment he said explain it how A5 year old would.	00:12:40
	See this? I mean that. And then if it's something complicated, you could do that and that. But how would you know that if you	00:12:44
	didn't know?	00:12:47
	You know what I mean, that you do that so absolutely.	00:12:51
	So, Long story short, if you're interested in one of the forms or you want more information.	00:12:54
	I'll put the link in the minutes so you can click on it when you get the minutes, but also contact the office, Kelly answers the	00:12:59
	phone. We can get you the link.	00:13:04
	I thought there were Flyers, but there are no Flyers. You have to go right to the to the website.	00:13:08
	Where they're offering the forms and then you can take a look at that.	00:13:14
	But contact us and we'll we'll help support you in your.	00:13:17
	Learning Development if you're interested in attending this.	00:13:22
	That's how important we think it is so.	00:13:26
	Any other thoughts or questions?	00:13:28
	Can we share the presentation with other groups in the county?	00:13:31
	I I believe Bill, when he shared it with us, said it could be shared widely. Yeah. And, and Cameron?	00:13:36
	You got it, and I think your person.	00:13:42
	Yeah.	00:13:44
	So if you want a copy of the presentation too.	00:13:46
	You can let me know.	00:13:48
	I can. Good question. I sent it out, yeah.	00:13:49
	Well, you gotta you got a colored one.	00:13:52
	I printed it myself.	00:13:54
	Oh, that's nice.	00:13:55
	Like, wow, OK.	00:13:58
	Past you, you know you want to be able to.	00:14:01
	That's great.	00:14:03
	So what they got me about, yeah, this presentation was that he's a member of the New Glarus school board.	00:14:05
	Yeah, and they're one of the. Oh yeah.	00:14:10
	Defended 2 districts that are not applying for a spending referendum.	00:14:12
	They didn't need one.	00:14:16
	I don't know if he's implying a I helped him with that or what.	00:14:18
	But but didn't he give some examples of what he said? Remember he said like to cut cost this area they'll ask and it came up with	00:14:21
	all these options. Remember to or or increase revenue.	00:14:25
	Well, what can we do? And it gave right? It really was incredibly smart.	00:14:30
	Yeah, but if you ask the right question, you.	00:14:34
	And but you, but I was thinking about that. He was a lawyer. Bill's a lawyer, but he knew.	00:14:37
	He knew what results.	00:14:41
	You have to be.	00:14:43
	It's it's like AI won't replace intelligence right? You have to know what the end what you want.	00:14:44
	And a lot of things.	00:14:50
	And that then that requires.	00:14:51
	You have to be educated to know.	00:14:53
	What you want, you have to be a critical thinker.	00:14:56
	And.	00:14:59
	Yeah.	00:15:01
	He also realized that answers given to you may not be right. Oh, that was a good point.	00:15:01
	Makes up stuff.	00:15:06
	Yeah, makes up site. Even if you say citation, it makes up the citation. You probably heard about this couple lawsuits in recent.	00:15:07
	Where the judge kept.	00:15:13
	No, no, no, no, no, no, no.	00:15:15
	Yes, you have to be very careful. And just a little FYI for it and I can talk with Kevin about this too.	00:15:16
	With extension, we're required to take cybersecurity every year.	00:15:22
	And if there's any pay raises or promotions, you have to be in compliance.	00:15:27
	With what you have to do within UW.	00:15:32
	And so I just did my cybersecurity and this was the first year they had a whole section on AI.	00:15:35
	So it's it's very.	00:15:40
	Like for human subjects and for research. And you can't put sensitive information into AI.	00:15:43
	You know, you just don't want to. It's generative and you.	00:15:49
	You want to be very careful and that's why.	00:15:52
	Got to kind of tempt the brakes, but yet.	00:15:54
	Embrace it because it's happening.	00:15:56
	But we need to to think about how we can apply it in government.	00:15:58
	I do have one question for you inquiry. He talked about agents. Agents are specific.	00:16:02
	I don't know what you call it, a genre for area. You have an agent that does something, it seems to me.	00:16:09
	That the UW could coordinate with WCI, WCA.	00:16:16
	And and create agents for different departments, for example zoning.	00:16:20
	It would take a very particular agent of thought.	00:16:25
	For that, and I would think that say if you had.	00:16:28
	Between the AI people and say maybe like.	00:16:31
	5 or 6 people from counties from.	00:16:34
	From.	00:16:36
	Mapping and from whatever they would come up with the ideal template and then they would give the Dodge County the template here	00:16:37
	and then you fill in your stuff. But we don't want our.	00:16:42
	I don't think it'd be smart for us to say, OK.	00:16:49
	Take it upstairs to Bill.	00:16:51
	OK, Nate and Bill figure it out.	00:16:52
	That it seems to me that you'd want.	00:16:55
	AI people.	00:16:58
	And.	00:16:59
	Save, say, a few county people to say this is the kind of.	00:17:00
	Information or for like Melissa's department conservation that you'd get a couple conservationists, AI people sitting in the room.	00:17:04
	OK, let's create an agent.	00:17:09
	A template for.	00:17:13
	Conservation in Wisconsin.	00:17:15
	Otherwise, Melissa is going to be the person creating your agent.	00:17:17
	Or.	00:17:21
	Other staff.	00:17:22
	And it seems to me you'd have a lot more brain power.	00:17:23
	If you would get.	00:17:26
	A few county folks together and a few AI people together.	00:17:28
	And you'd make an incredible agent, because agent is the.	00:17:32
	I don't know. How do you describe an agent? What would you say?	00:17:36
	But but, but you know what I mean? You're an agent or or can you saw an agent is a is a is a it's a particular application of AI.	00:17:40
	Is that a is that fair? Like a like a person? It's like a person, but it's not a person. But you know what I mean though. But but	00:17:45
	but you but but an agent for for.	00:17:49
	On conservation would be different than the agent for.	00:17:55
	Mapping or for.	00:17:58
	But because down the road I see a zoning.	00:18:00
	Probably the most.	00:18:03
	They'll be awesome, you'll say.	00:18:04
	You know, the zoning guys are going to say, you know, ask questions and will this work not work? And it'll it'll tell you and have	00:18:07
	pictures and everything.	00:18:10
	So that's going to be awesome, but that's my opinion.	00:18:14
	So that when I went to the seminar that that's what I think because I don't want our employees.	00:18:17
	Trying to figure out the.	00:18:23
	Best way when we have this Wisconsin idea, Really smart people up here.	00:18:25
	Helping, you know, to help us that that's what I think.	00:18:31
	That's my two cents, So.	00:18:34
	Highway. Oh, highway. Yeah, highway. All these roads and they can do all that work for you. I mean, this road is that bad, but is	00:18:37
	that much traffic? It can do all that.	00:18:40
	We could do the yeah, I could design it. You're right.	00:18:45
	Not only designed it, but which ones identified.	00:18:47
	Should be.	00:18:50
	What they what it can do is tabulate the statistics in a very quick order versus.	00:18:51
	Having somebody from the highway department with pen and paper and ledgering it out like OK, the traffic patterns or whatever, it	00:18:59
	can very quickly give you statistics. It's, it's a, it's a brilliant tool that can save.	00:19:05
	Human capital a lot of time, but then.	00:19:12
	Human capital has to be applied.	00:19:15
	It's a little bit above our.	00:19:17
	Pay grade.	00:19:18
	Just so you know.	00:19:20
	Bill had said a genetics.	00:19:21
	Was was, it's been around, but he was just learning about it.	00:19:22
	Our the specialistic that came in so.	00:19:26
	But it's going to take a little bit of time.	00:19:30
	For for us to understand the power behind.	00:19:34
	A Genetics.	00:19:38
	The agent thing you're talking about?	00:19:39
	And AI in general.	00:19:41
	Like like Marie said, we're all kind of on the same learning curve here, folks.	00:19:43
	And.	00:19:48
	All of us so.	00:19:49
	That's that's why we we look to.	00:19:51
	To Doctor Oma Shine.	00:19:53
	So anyway.	00:19:55
	All right. Well, you guys just let us know or Cameron, let us know. As a committee, we support it. I think unless anyone objects,	00:19:57
	I think we support going forward.	00:20:01
	Using that and then you just let us know if there's anything we need to do.	00:20:05
	Patty, so congratulations on your promotion. And so this is going to take a little bit of time. The transition you're you	00:20:09
	effectively start March 1. Yeah, next Monday, next Monday. But but I'm, I'm going to 10% of my time is going to be wrapping up my	00:20:15
	current responsibilities because I have responsibilities for Dodge County. I'm doing a program with Dodge Correctional right now	00:20:21
	that I'm going to finish up. I'm going to.	00:20:26
	And then try to get the person hired so that we can have a a smooth transition, but there's going to be a small gap.	00:20:32
	But we'll figure it out. It's it's good.	00:20:38
	OK. OK. Thank you very much.	00:20:41
	OK, moving on to agency, those guys aren't here yet, so maybe they'll.	00:20:43
	Come or probably running ahead of time.	00:20:48
	OK, Karen, you want to introduce our special?	00:20:50
	Person here.	00:20:53
	Certainly I.	00:20:54
	Here before you.	00:20:56
	Is is your conservationist?	00:20:58
	And director of Land and Water conservation department. So Melissa, can it pull? We're very happy.	00:21:01
	And Melissa with us.	00:21:05
	And.	00:21:06
	She has been.	00:21:08
	Officially employed by Dodge County now for.	00:21:09
	Two business days and a weekend.	00:21:12
	And.	00:21:14
	I was. I had a.	00:21:16
	I've been struggling with a cold and catching up on a couple different things, so Melissa and I haven't had a lot of.	00:21:17
	A lot of time to chat.	00:21:23
	But I know that she's been working with the team in the office.	00:21:24
	And getting well connected the day before her official start date, she came in with some things just to get set up and get	00:21:27
	acquainted so.	00:21:31
	Anything you want to share about your first couple days please? Sure.	00:21:34
	So like Cameron said, this is day three, the first.	00:21:39
	Two days. We're pretty busy getting to know everybody and get to meet people.	00:21:42
	Meet folks around the county here.	00:21:46
	There, I'm glad there's no quiz.	00:21:50
	And names, because that's going to take me a little while to get to get to put all the names to all the faces. But just a little	00:21:52
	bit about myself. My husband and I are looking at a.	00:21:57
	Purchasing a place in the area, hopefully that's going to be taken care of here in March sometime.	00:22:03
	And.	00:22:09
	I grew up on a dairy farm in Marquette County. We had 30 milking cat. Sorry 30 but 60 milking. Had 60 young stock on 350 acres. We	00:22:11
	did have irrigation on that Marquette County sand.	00:22:17
	So that kind of added a whole different twist to.	00:22:24
	Coming from.	00:22:27
	Dodge County, My father actually came from the Dodge County area, so he was used to a little heavier soils than what?	00:22:29
	He ended up.	00:22:36
	Marrying my my mother and I'm Home Farm there.	00:22:37
	So I was the 5th generation up there.	00:22:41
	I did graduate from the UW Stevens Point.	00:22:44
	And from there.	00:22:47
	I had experiences throughout the state, so from Dodge County to Buffalo County to Price Taylor.	00:22:48
	And.	00:22:56
	Through various agencies. So I've worked with the county and I've worked with the federal service, with the Natural Resources	00:22:56
	Conservation Service.	00:23:00
	And so my conservation years has been.	00:23:04
	30 some years, 20 to 25 to 30 years of conservation experience.	00:23:07
	So I'm I'm really looking forward to working and meeting our partners.	00:23:12
	And getting to know our land owners in the county. A lot of things have changed since the last time I was in Dodge County, so.	00:23:16
	I'm the I'm the first person to to see those changes coming back to Dodge County and and seeing what what has changed and how the	00:23:23
	just the the farming industry has changed in.	00:23:28
	And.	00:23:34
	Working with my coworker or my staff.	00:23:36
	It's then.	00:23:40
	They've been really opening my eyes as to.	00:23:41
	What what great things Dodge County has to offer so.	00:23:44
	Looking forward to continuing that and meeting.	00:23:49
	More folks in.	00:23:52
	And going forward so?	00:23:53
	Thank you.	00:23:56
	OK, well, welcome.	00:23:57
	And I went and talked to her on Friday. So I think we're off to a great start and.	00:23:59
	And I think it's going to go well.	00:24:03
	So just let us know and.	00:24:05
	Keep in touch with me and we've got our figure out how we do our agendas and we're getting things figured out. Yep. So it's all	00:24:07
	good.	00:24:10
	Appreciate the time. Thank you.	00:24:13
	OK. OK. We have fourth quarter REAM.	00:24:15
	Burst meant for wildlife damage.	00:24:19
	What do you have there?	00:24:21
	Cheryl.	00:24:22
	So the total for that final request was 14,000, one 0863.	00:24:24
	And again, that's for the fourth quarter, so that will closeout for 2025.	00:24:29
	Does it have a name of is that for a person or particular? It's for the Leroy meets.	00:24:33
	For the deer processing and for the Pernod Hazy deer processing, OK, so that's the request for both of the deer processing for the	00:24:38
	end of the.	00:24:42
	2025 season.	00:24:47
	OK, does that.	00:24:49
	Number of deer network.	00:24:50
	Provided it is there a number, what does it have on the? I can get that to you.	00:24:51
	There were quite a lot.	00:25:00
	I might have to get back to you on that though. Dale. Dale.	00:25:01
	Are you OK going forward even though we don't have that normally?	00:25:06
	OK, Yeah, packet.	00:25:11
	So if I can get there.	00:25:14
	I don't, I don't think it's critical for what we're doing right now.	00:25:18
	I don't. I don't think so.	00:25:21
	OK, so I need a motion to approve the wildlife reimbursement.	00:25:23
	OK, Dale is a.	00:25:30
	First, second I'll second, then second.	00:25:31
	Any further discussion?	00:25:33
	Hearing none, those in favor signify by saying aye.	00:25:35
	All right, OK.	00:25:38
	OK. We have issuance of cancellation notice for non compliance for farmland preservation.	00:25:40
	All right. Like last month we had a participant that wants to get back in the program. They were cancelled a couple years ago.	00:25:54
	They only have.	00:26:03
	One parcel in Dodge County, I think it's like 45 acres.	00:26:04
	Most of their farm is in Fond du Lac County.	00:26:09
	And what happens?	00:26:11
	A lot of times is that.	00:26:13
	They allow their agronomists to do all the certification and they certify in one county and assume it's taken care of.	00:26:15
	And then?	00:26:21
	Don't realize after we send them letters.	00:26:23
	Numerous times about.	00:26:26
	Certifying in Dodge County. Then we finally kick them out anyway.	00:26:27
	They've come come around and to to certify now.	00:26:30
	And I.	00:26:34
	And and with a lot of farmers.	00:26:35
	That have landed both counties we are required to check.	00:26:38
	The other county to see if they're still in compliance there and which I did. And so they're they're good to go. So OK, what's the	00:26:41
	name on that? It's under load.	00:26:45
	Crayola Dairy Farm.	00:26:49
	Greg Low dairy Farm.	00:26:51
	OK, so.	00:26:53
	I just need a signature on that, OK?	00:26:55
	I need a Yep. Do you have anyone have any questions?	00:26:57
	We're good to go. Add back in. OK. We need a motion to approve the Craig Lord Dairy Farm back in 45 acres.	00:27:00
	Yeah, something like that. I don't have. Well, whatever it is, make sure that the motion says exactly what it is, though.	00:27:06
	Cheryl, Yeah.	00:27:11
	OK.	00:27:12
	OK, John, first.	00:27:14
	I'll second.	00:27:16
	OK, Dale second.	00:27:18
	Any further discussion?	00:27:20
	Those in favor signify by saying aye.	00:27:21
	Aye, those opposed.	00:27:23
	OK.	00:27:25
	OK. Since we have you up here, update on the farmland preservation program. All right, so.	00:27:27
	I know I've made maps for.	00:27:32
	John, in the past about participants in the program, I'm just going to pass these two round quick.	00:27:34
	Take a look at those.	00:27:39
	One is showing in blue all the parcels that are currently.	00:27:41
	Signed up for farmer preservation.	00:27:45
	And the other was just a zoning map showing the townships that are eligible.	00:27:47
	And the dollar amounts that the credit amount that they're eligible for.	00:27:51
	So as of.	00:27:56
	As of.	00:27:57
	Friday.	00:27:58
	We have 840 certificates issued.	00:27:59
	And this is since.	00:28:03
	2009, 2011 is when they started off requiring that certificate be drafted.	00:28:05
	To claim the credit.	00:28:11
	Of those 840.	00:28:13
	572 are active certificates.	00:28:16
	So the 840 was a.	00:28:19
	Total since day one that we created.	00:28:21
	Because if somebody gets out of the program or or if they change from.	00:28:24
	An individual landowner to a trust we still have to track.	00:28:28
	All the existing certificates from day one, so nothing can be duplicated. So like say right now there's 572.	00:28:32
	Certificates.	00:28:39
	Now of that.	00:28:40
	There are several that.	00:28:42
	Like in Dale's case, he has five certificates.	00:28:44
	Covering all his land.	00:28:46
	So it's not.	00:28:47
	Indicative of.	00:28:48
	Exactly.	00:28:50
	You know, different land owners or farmers it's.	00:28:51
	There's probably there's a lot less.	00:28:54
	Than the 572.	00:28:56
	That roughly covers.	00:29:00
	116,300.	00:29:02
	And 13 acres.	00:29:04
	And and their tax credit amounts vary from the $10 credit amount to 12:50.	00:29:07
	Well, that total acres.	00:29:14
	There's actually more acres covered under neutral management plans.	00:29:16
	Due to the fact that.	00:29:21
	A lot of the the the land is.	00:29:24
	Jumps borders as far as if you look. Notice those maps?	00:29:26
	There are certain townships that aren't eligible for the credit.	00:29:30
	It's not but.	00:29:33
	Due to cross compliance, they have to maintain a neutral management plan and that's why some of those townships.	00:29:35
	Those parcels in there are included.	00:29:40
	The same goes for the county borders to. Obviously I don't have any.	00:29:43
	Stuff that goes over to county lines here.	00:29:47
	But those acres are usually reported.	00:29:49
	In those other counties.	00:29:53
	Let's see.	00:29:56
	We have 47 participants under.	00:29:58
	Egg enterprise area agreements.	00:30:01
	Either part of their land or all their land.	00:30:03
	They don't.	00:30:05
	They don't specifically have the sign up all their land.	00:30:06
	Most of which are.	00:30:09
	Are up for renewal starting.	00:30:11
	Next year.	00:30:13
	So there's going to be quite a workload starting in the next two years. Is resigning these guys up?	00:30:15
	For.	00:30:20
	You know, egg enterprise areas.	00:30:22
	They were initially first signed up on her 15 year agreements.	00:30:24
	And now the new.	00:30:27
	Agreement.	00:30:29
	A time frame is only a 10 year.	00:30:30
	Certification. Uh.	00:30:32
	Other than that, we still have 4 old contracts.	00:30:35
	And these were based years ago.	00:30:39
	Based on how much landowner made.	00:30:43
	Instead of a dollar amount per acre so that that varied for participants.	00:30:45
	But there's still four of them on the books yet.	00:30:50
	And some of those go to 2031 and to 2033. Is the is the final certificate or excuse me, final contract?	00:30:52
	When that expires, a lot of those actually all they were 25 year contracts when they were signed up.	00:31:00
	So.	00:31:06
	And you'll see a few of those on the map 1 And in the town of Rubicon, there's like 3 parcels there that that landowner is still	00:31:08
	signed up under a contract yet until I think 2031.	00:31:12
	That basically.	00:31:18
	Until rosette.	00:31:20
	What is our?	00:31:22
	In our 10 year plan, what's our goal and what was the percentage you guys remember what percentage we wanted to be up?	00:31:23
	That I don't so in our 10 year plan.	00:31:28
	When you in the next several months when you're taking a peek at it.	00:31:31
	Yeah, there is a number and Lisa is not here today, but she always tells us that number. She knows that number.	00:31:34
	But there is, I think there's a goal we're trying to reach yet now this year it sounds like because you and I were talking about	00:31:40
	the workload, so the 15 years, so, so we have to do a lot of contract work this year.	00:31:44
	Starting next year.	00:31:49
	A lot of these land owners in those egg enterprise area want to sign up again. We've had I think 3.	00:31:51
	3 problems in the last.	00:31:56
	Two years with issues with land owners that.	00:31:58
	Didn't understand that they couldn't sell off parcels.	00:32:02
	And one one landowner in particular was quite mad at us because it was $1000 an acre fine.	00:32:04
	Actually, a little more than that.	00:32:10
	So when you say fine, does that mean it he doesn't get the credit? Is that what that no?	00:32:11
	It's a fine.	00:32:16
	To sell it you got to pay $1000 unless.	00:32:17
	The people you sell to would take on the program, will take on the program, but you got benefit. That's why you get it fine,	00:32:20
	because you got.	00:32:23
	Right. Well, so in that case, the landowner sold it to his son. His son bought the buildings.	00:32:26
	And it was initially, he was initially told years ago, yeah, you can. You can sell.	00:32:31
	You know, to family.	00:32:35
	You know, as long as I mean it's still in the farm, but the Department of AG.	00:32:36
	Kind of failed to.	00:32:39
	You know, tell people that.	00:32:42
	They needed to have acres somewhere else to qualify.	00:32:43
	They need to have some parcels somewhere else to qualify as a farm, then they could sign that up.	00:32:46
	Into their farm operations.	00:32:50
	In this case, the his son only had the parcels that he bought up.	00:32:52
	Building parcels.	00:32:56
	And had to pay 1000 plus dollars an acre.	00:32:57
	Back to the state.	00:33:00
	So he was quite upset with us.	00:33:01
	The zoning know about that. When, when?	00:33:04
	Upstairs.	00:33:07
	Yeah, I.	00:33:09
	As far as if they allow.	00:33:12
	I don't think so. I don't think in the past that was really discussed when people are signing up for egg enterprise areas.	00:33:16
	I think, and me too, when I read over the requirements years ago, I thought, OK, it says here that you can be sold.	00:33:21
	You know family members and you're still eligible.	00:33:27
	But there's like, say that fine caveat of they have to have some qualifying acres somewhere else and you just tie it to it.	00:33:30
	So that.	00:33:37
	If guys come in again to sign up, we're going to have a little.	00:33:38
	Quite a little.	00:33:42
	Lengthy discussion again to make sure people understand. I think it's more.	00:33:43
	A commitment you make to keep farm farmland farmland.	00:33:48
	Is what it is, Yeah. It's an incentive.	00:33:50
	Yeah. So you agree that you're gonna keep it farmland?	00:33:53
	You're being held with that, You're being held accountable.	00:33:56
	Yeah, basically they should be told you can't develop it at all.	00:33:58
	Anything, even if you want to sell it to your son.	00:34:02
	I mean.	00:34:05
	But so should we, as a county, come up with a way to.	00:34:06
	Through.	00:34:09
	You know, I mean that they're notified in a friendly way. You know that by the way, just, you know, not not in a negative way, but	00:34:10
	it.	00:34:13
	Went at the transaction to make sure that this this land. I'm not sure how you would do that, but.	00:34:16
	This land is under farmland preservation and you can keep.	00:34:21
	There what?	00:34:24
	Because you have to get a, you have to file.	00:34:25
	Applied for a permit to divide. Why don't Why don't we just add that on the checklist to the?	00:34:29
	For the because they have a list I think when you apply for.	00:34:34
	A permit to divide.	00:34:37
	Right deal.	00:34:38
	That this might be something you might want to look into.	00:34:40
	So, so if it's under zoning, you can split off any parcel, it's not going to affect anything, right. But if it's going to get sold	00:34:43
	to like that interest that you said they still whether it goes to the kid or not, they still got applied for that change.	00:34:49
	Yeah, and.	00:34:55
	And it is recorded on that deed.	00:34:57
	Anything in AG enterprise area is recorded on the deed.	00:34:58
	That's what makes a little.	00:35:01
	You know, difficult time wise to take care of the.	00:35:03
	Oh yeah, yeah. Let's say it's on the DD, Everybody in the county here. I mean, but it the problem is.	00:35:09
	The landowner themselves.	00:35:14
	Either weren't explained that in the beginning.	00:35:16
	Didn't understand but understand or there was enough verbage from Department of AG from the start.	00:35:18
	So for example, I just hold a parcel to that installation next to you.	00:35:23
	But he agreed to take it on the agreement so.	00:35:26
	Otherwise it would have been $1000 an acre at least.	00:35:30
	But there's if they when they apply it all to do the division.	00:35:35
	That could be just like a reminder and a checklist that they get that, you know, if you're in the AG enterprise, you might.	00:35:38
	You need to look into this before.	00:35:43
	That's a good idea. You know, that's I was trying to get at, you know, then that way.	00:35:46
	Takes the onus off for you guys.	00:35:50
	Yeah, puts it back onto the property owner.	00:35:52
	So, Melissa, could you touch base with Bill? Ellen can.	00:35:55
	Mm-hmm. I, I'd rather have the first conversation from accounting friendly instead of you're not, you're not in compliance. That's	00:35:57
	the first time we talk to you. That's not it doesn't happen that often, but like, you know, like in Dale's case, it just came up.	00:36:01
	Somebody wants to.	00:36:05
	Inquire about it.	00:36:09
	OK.	00:36:11
	You have any other questions?	00:36:13
	I'm glad you brought that up. It was good. Good. Good catch. Yeah, real good.	00:36:17
	OK, so.	00:36:22
	OK. I don't, I don't have anything else for you. So thank you, John. I'll have you sign this quick. Sure.	00:36:25
	All right, Sawyer, you guess you can come up.	00:36:31
	So I'll just have you back. Oh, yeah.	00:36:39
	Matt couldn't make it. I don't. He had some prior obligations, so he gave me some notes and I will do my best to try to interpret	00:36:45
	them.	00:36:49
	So Farm Service Agency program report, thanks for coming. Thank you.	00:36:53
	They they announced some different signups, so they got a dairy margin coverage DMC sign up.	00:36:59
	That deadline is the end of this month, 227.	00:37:05
	They have a new Farmers Bridges assistance.	00:37:10
	FBS program.	00:37:13
	That starts 223 and that runs through April 17th.	00:37:15
	They also have a supplemental disaster.	00:37:20
	Recovery program.	00:37:24
	And that sign up deadline is April 30th as well.	00:37:26
	They also kind of big news. They announced the CRP sign up.	00:37:31
	Week or two ago.	00:37:35
	All CRP is being done by batch process, again with priority on water quality practices.	00:37:37
	Continuous and CREP sign up are open now through.	00:37:43
	3:30 so March 30th.	00:37:48
	For batch 1.	00:37:50
	General starts.	00:37:53
	March 9th through April 17th.	00:37:55
	For batch 1.	00:37:58
	And the grasslands portion will be announced in the future.	00:38:00
	There's no guarantee of batch 2.	00:38:03
	We're kind of just happy to have a batch 1 sign up as of now.	00:38:06
	Very limited acres available nationwide.	00:38:10
	It's estimated only 1.9 million acres to be enrolled in it.	00:38:14
	Which I think is.	00:38:19
	Substantially less than normal.	00:38:20
	And then we'll transition some NRCS program stuff.	00:38:24
	March 18th is our Environmental Quality incentive program ranking deadline for our high applications.	00:38:29
	These are applications we received in 2025 or before.	00:38:36
	We will probably know within a month or so, that's when our ranking deadline.	00:38:41
	Deadline is on which ones get pre approved for funding.	00:38:46
	April 17th is our Conservation Stewardship Program ranking deadline.	00:38:51
	And then?	00:38:56
	Likewise, soon after that we'll know which applications are selected for funding.	00:38:57
	And then kind of a new program.	00:39:02
	It's not necessarily a program, but it's a new funding opportunity.	00:39:06
	It's called this Regenerative pilot program.	00:39:10
	That the current administration is kind of piloting.	00:39:13
	It's additional money, but instead of.	00:39:17
	It's not, it's not funding in addition to what we were currently going to get.	00:39:21
	It's just a portion of that money is kind of rebranded into.	00:39:25
	This RPP program.	00:39:30
	So basically to be eligible.	00:39:32
	The producer has to meet.	00:39:35
	All resource concerns for soil and health have to be met at the end of the contract.	00:39:38
	So it's a little bit different than.	00:39:44
	In the past, people could apply for a practice just to treat.	00:39:46
	Say I got a gully in a field. I just want to treat that gully.	00:39:50
	Now it's got it looks at like the whole.	00:39:54
	Operation and everything soil and water needs to meet at the end, so if there's any.	00:39:57
	Any type of compaction that's got to be addressed at the end, so.	00:40:04
	You know, if somebody's like mold more plowing, they're not going to meet the.	00:40:09
	Compaction and aggregate stability stuff, so.	00:40:13
	It's it's going to be harder to get into.	00:40:16
	Also with that.	00:40:20
	The participants required to take.	00:40:22
	Soil health tests.	00:40:25
	These are a little bit more advanced than just like your farmland preservation.	00:40:27
	Soil tests that you have to do every 5 acres.	00:40:32
	And as of now, there's only four labs in the nation that can do these tests.	00:40:35
	Umm, hopefully if they're going to need to get some more that are approved, otherwise they're going to have an influx.	00:40:41
	And and if there's only four, we're predicting that prices will be pretty high. So we don't know how that's going to shake out.	00:40:47
	So.	00:40:55
	We're kind of learning as we go with this.	00:40:56
	And I guess we'll see where it leads, but farmer, is that covered by so we have cost share for it.	00:40:59
	And I think it's like.	00:41:06
	It's somewhere in the ballpark, like 500 bucks for the test.	00:41:08
	Is what we're cost sharing.	00:41:11
	We don't know how much the labs going to charge.	00:41:13
	But they're going to know that we.	00:41:16
	Cost share 500 so I would.	00:41:18
	Assume it's going to be more than 500.	00:41:20
	So.	00:41:22
	Any questions related to any of that?	00:41:24
	Kind of threw a lot at you.	00:41:27
	I get an added comment from Sure because I talked to Matt before I came here, that Farmer bridge assistance program which a lot of	00:41:29
	farmers are waiting for.	00:41:33
	Supposed to sign up Start this morning.	00:41:37
	Yeah.	00:41:39
	Did it?	00:41:41
	They went online at 6:00 at the office.	00:41:42
	To find the software and it's it's down already 5 minutes and crashed so.	00:41:45
	They can't sign up.	00:41:50
	Yeah, yeah. There's a lot of different signups open right now in FSA, so.	00:41:54
	I think there.	00:42:00
	They're kind of busy there, at least.	00:42:01
	Thank you.	00:42:06
	OK.	00:42:07
	OK, Cheryl, poster contest.	00:42:12
	So thank you.	00:42:15
	So, umm.	00:42:18
	Our poster did not move on to the next level.	00:42:20
	They were not selected for that. I did include all of the posters in your packet.	00:42:23
	That she had sent to me.	00:42:28
	And I'm thinking you guys are probably going to see them at your March conference as well.	00:42:31
	From my understanding, you're going to see more of the winning contests.	00:42:34
	Poster contest that you have there, when I do receive the poster back, they will be taken back to the schools.	00:42:38
	And along with that, the Dodge County Farmers group gives gift cards to the winners. So they will be at least.	00:42:44
	They'll get a little gift that way as well for participating in the program.	00:42:50
	But yeah, there was some pretty neat posters out there and you put them in the pack.	00:42:55
	For us, ours, So I put them in the packet. Yeah, they're all in there.	00:43:00
	So and I'm working on.	00:43:05
	The I found my invoices for the meat.	00:43:07
	The deer processing, so I'll have that for you guys by the end of the meeting.	00:43:10
	How much?	00:43:14
	Dear pounds of processing were in there but.	00:43:15
	Yeah, OK.	00:43:19
	On a committee, reports Lakes in Mississippi. I did not attend the regular meeting I was at.	00:43:21
	The Legislative conference for WCA.	00:43:27
	But we are going to have a special meeting tomorrow night.	00:43:31
	To review and approve.	00:43:33
	With our expert hay and associates.	00:43:36
	Of of work to engage with a letter of interest to the US Army Corps of Engineers. What's that means is.	00:43:40
	After we hired these experts.	00:43:47
	I had a.	00:43:50
	A real, honest conversation with our.	00:43:52
	Because Bill, you know how grants work. Had a real, honest conversation with our board.	00:43:55
	We need instead of because we're going to get into a lot of money here with taxpayer money. I think this this preparation is like	00:44:01
	100 grand or something just to prepare the to get the grants.	00:44:05
	You know, it's a lot of money.	00:44:10
	And so how far do we go if we're not going to get them? So I I told them.	00:44:11
	My experience with getting grants is you need to talk to the right person at.	00:44:16
	The Engineers, the Army Corps of Engineers and the DNR.	00:44:20
	And are they really going to give us consideration, give us a grant?	00:44:24
	Have the conversation.	00:44:27
	I we really even that's a good approach, you know, I mean, I mean.	00:44:30
	We've already got like 100 grand of this and then we're going to go more money, more money.	00:44:33
	In these the.	00:44:37
	The people we hire, the experts.	00:44:39
	They want you to keep going.	00:44:41
	You're gonna get it. You're gonna get it.	00:44:43
	And so.	00:44:45
	So that's what this meetings about. I think we just need an honest conversation. I think Bill, you probably know this at the Army	00:44:47
	Corps in general has not interested investing much money in Dodge County. It was my understanding.	00:44:52
	We saw that with the flood.	00:44:58
	But if, if, if they are, then fine, we should do that. But and at the same time though, I don't think they should make government.	00:45:00
	Spend a whole bunch of money when they're not even going to really help us. So that was that was the thought. I think that's why	00:45:06
	we're having the meeting tomorrow night so.	00:45:10
	That's all I have to report.	00:45:13
	So.	00:45:15
	Beaver Dam.	00:45:15
	I met with the representative Meadow.	00:45:17
	And my search was defined if they had the local specialist for watershed management.	00:45:19
	And in and out they managed the consultants. So they have consultants they hire.	00:45:25
	And there are people.	00:45:30
	Oversee what their work product is.	00:45:31
	What they do have is in the fall.	00:45:34
	Conservation Grants.	00:45:36
	So you have to be hydraulically connected to their.	00:45:38
	Property.	00:45:41
	Which includes Fox Lake and Beaver Dam Lake.	00:45:42
	So in the fall we have to look and see what projects we have in the offering.	00:45:45
	And ask them for funding.	00:45:49
	So again, they do not have on site expertise. They use consultants, they use Stantec.	00:45:52
	Out of Milwaukee for this site here in Beaver Dam.	00:45:59
	And I have talked to Stantec and.	00:46:02
	Checked out their qualifications.	00:46:07
	Met with the Mayor of Beaver Dam, Mayor Markey and the new administrator but Mr. Burke.	00:46:11
	And they're both new to the city.	00:46:17
	So I provided a background history for the watershed and our rough fish issues that have.	00:46:19
	Propped up over the past number of years.	00:46:24
	They are very interested. We would like to be part of any future activity with the DNR.	00:46:27
	So that's a very positive mood.	00:46:32
	Have submitted to the DNR a revised fishery plan.	00:46:36
	This is the third year of their plan.	00:46:40
	And it really hasn't worked out as well as anticipated.	00:46:42
	So this new plan will.	00:46:45
	Follow US Fish and Wildlife guidelines of how they've approached the rough fish programs.	00:46:47
	After putting that together.	00:46:54
	I tried the Microsoft Copilot AI.	00:46:57
	It's interesting that the more information put in there.	00:47:00
	The more it asks.	00:47:03
	So after I put in enough information, it says, oh, you're talking about be like.	00:47:04
	I put in the acreage, the depth.	00:47:09
	In different parameters.	00:47:11
	And it came back and told me was.	00:47:12
	The liquors talking.	00:47:14
	And they said for that lake.	00:47:16
	Here's what you want to do.	00:47:18
	Most of his cracks on it was.	00:47:21
	The the attachments, the references.	00:47:23
	Most were very good.	00:47:26
	Some were not.	00:47:28
	You have to go to the references and understand what they're asking you to.	00:47:29
	Provide for the watershed.	00:47:33
	But it's very interesting.	00:47:35
	Dale is very nice to allow us to use his shop to have two of our.	00:47:38
	Grad students visit with him.	00:47:42
	Matt Link and Robert Byrd to talk about.	00:47:44
	Agriculture in our county.	00:47:48
	The UW folks have done a community survey for the riparian people.	00:47:50
	They've done a shoreline survey across the lake.	00:47:55
	And they're comparing the water quality from 2015.	00:47:58
	To 2025.	00:48:02
	So I thought this was very.	00:48:03
	Key part.	00:48:05
	Of what they're.	00:48:06
	Presentation.	00:48:08
	Should have in it.	00:48:09
	So on March 14th, they'll have a presentation at the Beaver Dam High School.	00:48:10
	Of what they've learned over the past two years. So that's the March 14th at 10 AM at the high school.	00:48:15
	So if you have the time, stop in.	00:48:21
	It's a partial of.	00:48:23
	All the pieces that go into the watershed study.	00:48:25
	That will be complemented by other work performed last year.	00:48:28
	By other organizations. Other groups. Biobit.	00:48:31
	Biomass studies and other shoreline studies.	00:48:35
	But at the end of the day, we have a pretty good picture.	00:48:38
	Of the watershed.	00:48:41
	From the upland through the.	00:48:43
	Shoreline and into the lake.	00:48:45
	So we'll have the first time.	00:48:47
	Complete look at our watershed.	00:48:49
	It's all for today.	00:48:53
	So actually.	00:48:57
	Our temporary meeting has been pushed off to Thursday of this week.	00:48:59
	So we haven't met since our last meeting.	00:49:03
	However, some things have come up that have been emailing back.	00:49:06
	MCO, which is the company that.	00:49:11
	The district hired to oversee and maintain the sewer system all the way along Fox Lake.	00:49:14
	Has gone through there, I think the 4th employee in the last two years.	00:49:20
	And so they want to terminate the contract with the.	00:49:24
	They just.	00:49:26
	Because they just can't seem to.	00:49:28
	Keep an employee in place.	00:49:30
	So now.	00:49:32
	Tim is.	00:49:34
	Who's the?	00:49:35
	Our committee chairman is.	00:49:37
	Looking for alternatives.	00:49:39
	Whether they might not be able to have the city of Fox Lake hire an additional person.	00:49:42
	To oversee.	00:49:46
	The sewer system along the lake.	00:49:48
	They don't seem too fond of that idea.	00:49:50
	Another solution would be to have the city.	00:49:53
	Annex that into the city, the whole area around the lake, which the town of Fox Lake would not.	00:49:56
	Be in favor of that because they've been losing all that.	00:50:02
	Yes, that's real. Sure, sure.	00:50:06
	And they're looking at maybe hiring a private firm like PG E Other Randolph to oversee it. So everything's kind of up in here.	00:50:09
	OK, what the district doesn't really want to do is hire somebody on their own.	00:50:19
	Yeah, that's hard.	00:50:24
	OK, moving on, we've got the the Land and Water conference coming up March 4th and 6th I believe.	00:50:33
	Sure. Who do we have signed up this?	00:50:41
	I know I'm going.	00:50:43
	Bill.	00:50:45
	Bill is going.	00:50:46
	Melissa will be there.	00:50:48
	Jarrett and.	00:50:51
	Day OK anyone else going?	00:50:53
	No, OK.	00:50:56
	All right, so.	00:50:57
	I'm going to be late later that day. I've got a we got to go to Iron Ridge.	00:50:58
	In community development that day.	00:51:02
	So I'll be an Iron Ridge.	00:51:06
	We are giving our counties given a grant and so then I'll be there about 3:00 or 3:30. So don't think I'm not coming. I'm coming.	00:51:07
	And then just deal with the credit card Cameron to make sure because it's under Cheryl's name and just make sure that.	00:51:14
	We're all taken care of.	00:51:20
	So, OK, all right. And then those of us are there. Well, they've got a Melissa, they've got like a.	00:51:22
	You'll find it's free beer.	00:51:29
	That's true. Will be.	00:51:31
	That's where you'll find us and then we'll go from there, OK?	00:51:35
	After the thing, they're going to say that and you'll find us there, OK?	00:51:38
	All right, senior.	00:51:42
	Next thing, select Representative for OK.	00:51:46
	So we talked about that last month a little bit and so the committee, so when the committee.	00:51:48
	When we reorganize in April.	00:51:55
	Then we'll see if we get a volunteer to be on the Southern Area Committee.	00:51:58
	And I'm not sure in the past, I know Lisa's been involved and goes and I don't know if John went.	00:52:04
	Do you know Cheryl, if John went to that? I don't know.	00:52:09
	He did go, OK. So Melissa, I guess I'd be something that you'd go to and.	00:52:14
	And so she, Lisa emailed me.	00:52:21
	A very detailed.	00:52:24
	Very detailed information about.	00:52:26
	The meeting.	00:52:28
	And I went over some of it with Melissa on on.	00:52:29
	On on Friday. But you know, like the committee, the structure, how it works.	00:52:34
	The contests and I believe there's 11 counties in it.	00:52:39
	And she explained it all. And then, like right now, there's a grant from Nestle's corporation for $1.7 million.	00:52:42
	So counties are available to get they're interested in regenerative agriculture.	00:52:50
	As a farming approach that restores rather than sustained.	00:52:55
	So those are. I guess that's an.	00:52:58
	That's a place that we would get information, so I guess we probably should if we can get a committee member. Lisa has done it.	00:53:00
	So those funds are available on the county level?	00:53:06
	Apparently I will give you can take a look at this. I can give you know it's apparently.	00:53:08
	So.	00:53:13
	Double dip them with Interesting.	00:53:15
	You can.	00:53:18
	I can show you this after and then you can take a look at it.	00:53:21
	I Because we don't. Lisa. Lisa.	00:53:24
	Is not going to be able to be here next month so.	00:53:27
	We're not going to have anybody on that.	00:53:30
	I don't know, Melissa. Maybe he could check.	00:53:32
	I don't know if you'd want to go in between just to.	00:53:35
	Get updated. I'm not sure that's up to you because you get a lot of stuff going on when you start, but it down the road that's	00:53:37
	something we want to be part of though, I would say.	00:53:41
	Umm, Lisa said to be sure to tell you about the.	00:53:46
	This is one thing she said. If you don't send me, here's your instruction.	00:53:49
	If you read one thing, this is the one I spoke. Then at the end, if you read one thing, this is the thing you read.	00:53:52
	OK.	00:53:56
	I don't know why she wrote me the rest but OK input on the 590.	00:53:57
	Updating small farmers.	00:54:01
	So, she said, only Dane County gave feedback to the updates. First was about the February March prohibition.	00:54:04
	What do you do when over 200 parts per million on fields? So this obviously is the.	00:54:11
	The putting of the.	00:54:17
	Placement and timing of plant nutrient the.	00:54:20
	Manure, you know.	00:54:23
	This is other questions regarding the storage.	00:54:25
	What if you don't hit the weather right?	00:54:28
	Roof storage requirements are really hard to meet.	00:54:31
	Can a county allow two to three months storage normally?	00:54:34
	Normally required for whole year. I know this year I talked to Melissa on Friday to up let her know that we are going to be	00:54:38
	updating our storage.	00:54:41
	Ordinance this next year and so she's aware of that and is aware of the process.	00:54:45
	So I don't know.	00:54:50
	Exactly what what this means for our people, but I know it's something we're going to dive into pretty soon, so I think it.	00:54:52
	I think will be OK so.	00:54:58
	But anyway that Lisa wanted me to mention that and I know Lisa would have said about the ordinance too, so.	00:55:00
	So that's all I have.	00:55:05
	Future.	00:55:07
	Items, agenda items probably update us on the tree sale. I believe we do that in.	00:55:08
	April.	00:55:13
	Right, April's our tree sale.	00:55:14
	Umm oh, next meeting date.	00:55:17
	March 23rd. It'll be the last meeting date for the session.	00:55:19
	So.	00:55:23
	Anyone a conflict? March 23rd OK.	00:55:25
	My kids and wife are on spring break so.	00:55:28
	You probably won't be there then.	00:55:31
	It's up in there. We'll see what I just let me know. I'll let you know at least a week in advance.	00:55:32
	OK, let me know.	00:55:38
	If we lose another one and I'll be a.	00:55:39
	Hard to get a quorum then.	00:55:41
	So just just I'll let you know all week.	00:55:43
	Yeah, Lisa cannot come.	00:55:45
	She told us ahead of time she's a.	00:55:47
	OK, so.	00:55:50
	OK, I'm.	00:55:53
	Make them. I need a motion to adjourn.	00:55:55
	Bill.	00:55:58
	2nd.	00:55:59
	Ben OK. Those in favor signify by saying aye.	00:56:00
	All right, in all the media is concluded. Cheryl, do you want to see something?	00:56:03
	I do have an announcement to make.	00:56:09
	Yeah, you can stop the recording.	00:56:13