PEMBINA VALLEY CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD
MEETING 3/09, TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2008
PVCD BOARD ROOM, 8:30 A.M.
PRESENT:
Chairman: Murray Seymour
Board: Don Alexander, Henry Harms, Larry Van Cauwenberghe, Gerry
DeSmet, Walter McTavish, Howard Ganske, Brenda Seward, Ted Ross,
Maurice Butler, Tiger Hills Sub-District – Art Klassen, Deadhorse SubDistrict – Gary Thompson, Barb Nichol
Manager/Administrator: Cliff Greenfield, Kathi Furniss
690/09
Brenda Seward/Gerry DeSmet
RESOLVED THAT we approve the agenda. Carried.
691/09
Walter McTavish/Henry Harms
RESOLVED THAT we approve the minutes from the June 18th, 2008
meeting adopted as circulated; with the change noted that the delegation
from A Rocha was Henry Martens not Henry Harms. Carried.
CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS:
Murray Seymour attended the Manitoba-Israel Water Experts Symposium
on August 14. He mentioned that Manitoba and Israel have many
similarities with water; other than Israel hardly has any water. A topic at
the conference was the role of wetlands and forests in carbon
sequestration in relation to global climate change; so to help the
environment they are planting 15,000 trees to offset flying the 12 water
experts from Israel. Murray mentioned that 72% of Israel’s wastewater is
recycled, and water levels are declining every year. Israel only has one
fresh water lake, one salt-water and only one wetland. Blue green algae
started there in the 90’s, they think that water level fluctuation is causing
the algae by disrupting the eco-systems of the lake. 75% of their useable
water is underground about 500 meters deep to the aquifer. They use
desalinized water from the ocean; it costs about .70¢ U.S per cubic meter,
they remove the brackish water and put the salt back into the ocean.
Christine Melnick announced $250,000 for a University of Manitoba 10
year scholarship fund for Watershed Planning and $100,000 will be
available for research and water development in Manitoba.
FINANCIAL REPORTS:
692/09
Don Alexander/Brenda Seward
RESOLVED THAT the board approves the Income/Expense Sheet for
June 30, 2008 in the amount of $62,621.47 (Ck#9550-9606/9619) and
July 31, 2008 in the amount of $73,006.78 (CK#9607-9618/9620-9659).
Carried.
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Copies of the 2008-09 Budget until August 12 plus the Sub-District and
RM spending summary sheets from 2001 to 2008 where given to the
board.
693/09
Gerry DeSmet/Brenda Seward
RESOLVED THAT the board approves the 2007-08 Audited Financial
Statements as prepared by Jim M. Smith Chartered Accountant Inc.
Carried.
694/09
Walter McTavish/Howard Ganske
RESOLVED THAT the board approves the 2009-10 Draft Budget as
presented. Carried.
CURRENT BUSINESS:
The Water Control System Management (WCSM) within the department of
Water Stewardship is offering technical support for any larger difficult CD
projects. CD boards would have a resolution for the project, with the
project costs estimates included, this would be forwarded to their regional
Watershed Planner and they would forward it onto the WCSM manger for
technical advice and to make sure it meets the required criteria.
The board was informed about funding proposals that the MCDA has had
approved, MRAC and PFRA BMP proposals for $227,000 and they have
applied to the Royal Bank Blue Waters program for $41,000 to make a
DVD on “What is a Watershed”.
695/09
Brenda Seward/Ted Ross
RESOLVED THAT the district pay $1,344 for our yearly AutoCAD
subscription. Carried.
The Pembina Valley Farm Family this year is the Dale & Carolyn Steppler
family from the Miami area.
696/09
Don Alexander/Brenda Seward
RESOLVED THAT the Cartwright Forage Plot budgeted dollars come from
the entire boards budget not from the Badger Creek Sub-District budget.
Carried.
697/09
Brenda Seward/Howard Ganske
RESOLVED THAT the board pay the Red River Basin Commission yearly
membership of $2,074. Carried.
698/09
Maurice Butler/Brenda Seward
RESOLVED THAT the district purchase 200 – 2009 Pocket calendars
from Myron for $2.99 each plus $11.95 set up charge and include an
insert with PVCD contact information. Carried.
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The board looked over the PVCD programs brochure; we will get exact
pricing for the next board meeting.
PVCD received funding from Environmental Youth Corp to pay for 25
Geocaching Kits. The kits can be picked up at the office and used by
schools and the general public within the district for a nominal fee.
699/08
Walter McTavish/Brenda Seward
RESOLVED THAT the district agrees to proceed with Phase I of the Ross
Boulton Dam (Lizard Lake Sub-District) this year and budget and complete
Phase II in the 2009-10 year. However, if extra budget dollars where
available and time permitted the project could be finalized in this budget
year. Carried.
A copy of the Pembina River Integrated Watershed Management Plan
terms of reference was given to the board and the minutes from the
August 6th meeting where received.
700/09
Brenda Seward/Howard Ganske
RESOLVED THAT the board approves the Pembina River Integrated
Watershed Plan (IWMP) terms of reference as prepared by the Project
Management Team (PMT). The board gives the PMT permission to follow
through with the IWMP process spending the grant funding as budgeted.
Carried.
PEMBINA RIVER BASIN ADVISORY BOARD:
Murray Seymour and Keith Wallcraft attending a meeting on July 15/08 at
Pembina, ND. Jonathan Wiens gave an update on PVCD’s watershed
plan and Ginette Caillier from Water Stewardship will be working with the
committee on the plan. The 26th annual Red River Basin Commission
conference will be in Winnipeg on January 20-22, 2009. The board toured
the area with different engineers who are working on the data for the lower
Pembina River; this will assist them with their assessment in the lower end
of the watershed.
PROVINCIAL APPOINTEE:
Ted presented and discussed his report (attached are Water
Stewardship’s department organizational charts); the copies shall be kept
on file with the minutes. Ted mentioned that PVCD’s projects should
demonstrate base line data which will result in measurable improvements
to water quality. Workshops have started with AMM, MCDA, and MWS to
work on the Framework Document; they have hired an unbiased facilitator
to coordinate a consensus for the next draft.
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MANAGER’S REMARKS – TECHNICIAN REPORT:
Cliff presented and discussed his activity report; it shall be kept on file with
the minutes.
MCDA REMARKS:
Murray Seymour mentioned that at the MCDA meeting on August 5th
Sarah Coughlin discussed the problems that they are having with the
Watershed Plans and they are hoping to address the problems. MCDA
needs more dollars for the BMP proposals, East Interlake CD has
purchased composters; they are available for $30 each or EICD will take
orders for other CDs. The West Interlake CD has been formed.
SUB-DISTRICT REPORTS:
Badger Creek – Howard Ganske
• McElroy dam complete, Randy Dyck backflood project gate being
installed on culvert
•
Boundary Area – Brenda Seward
• La Riviere riverbank stabilization to proceed once licensing is approved
Lizard Lake – Walter McTavish
• Sub-district had a tour, Wiebe dam done, Miami Colony project
surveyed, Boulton Dam to go ahead
Pembina Escarpment – Don Alexander
• They had a sub-district meeting and tour on August 18, they toured the
Dale Steppler WEB’s project, Don suggested a board tour after our
October board meeting, discussed repairing Mabon dam – need a
license so they won’t be able to do it until next year, planning to do the
project west of Miami Golf Course, it is a 3 way project split between
PVCD/RM/Golf Course, they are using the old railway to make a dam
Swan Lake – Larry Van Cauwenberghe
• Desrochers gully is being looked at today, tenders should be in by the
end of the week, well filling to proceed soon
Deadhorse – Maurice Butler
• Titchkosky and Bookers dams complete, survey work started on the
Deadhorse Creek, tree planting stabilization done at Lake Minnewasta,
beavers damage along the trails are a concern
Crystal/Cypress – Henry Harms
• RM of Roblin/Guilford road dam complete, Crystal City has beaver
problems too
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CORRESPONDENCE:
- 20th Anniversary stickers 1989-2009, interested?
- Little Saskatchewan River CD Newsletter
- The Western Canadian article “Lizard Lake – A place for Wildlife and Hay
Production!”
- Rail Line Update – June 27, 2008
- Manitoba Co-Operator article “Farming Fish in Manitoba“
- Binney Team Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2008
- Co-Operator article “ Explore the Trans Canada Trail”
- Co-Operator article “Canada’s Farmland is in jeopardy”
- “Thank you” from Ev Janzen to PVCD and the keepers of Binney
- The Morden Times article “Saving the Shore”
- “Thank you” to PVCD for sponsorship for the Pembina 4-H Outstanding Awards
- 2nd ¼ Grant received $200,000 – July 2, 2008
- Nellie McClung Collegiate – 2008 School Evaluation June 17, 2008
Maurice Butler mentioned at the Morden council meeting Vicki Burns
wanted to know if they would be interested in assisting with restoring the
health of Lake Winnipeg. If was suggested that by doing more or different
water sampling they could determine what type of water is going into Lake
Winnipeg. He mentioned he would be interested in going on the Namao
research boat, Walter McTavish and Brenda Seward would be interested
to.
701/09
Adjourned by Gerry DeSmet
RESOLVED THAT we adjourn the meeting at 11:45 a.m. The next
board meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 at 9:30
a.m. at the RM of Thompson chambers, with the Lizard Lake subdistrict members invited to attend.
______Murray Seymour___
CHAIRMAN
_____Kathi Furniss_________
ADMINISTRATOR
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