Butte County Resource Conservation District
150 Chuck Yeager Way, Suite A
Oroville, CA 95965
(530) 534-0112 ex 116
Butte County Resource Conservation District is leading working landscapes and open space management in
the county through unique and influential partnerships for the benefit of the citizens, the environment, and the
economy.
Our motto is cooperation, not regulation
Minutes of the Butte County Resource Conservation District
Board of Directors Meeting
August 26, 2009
Paradise Town Hall
5555 Skyway
Paradise CA, 95969
1. CALL TO ORDER- 9:00am
Directors present: Paul Moore, DC Jones, Richard Coon, Terrell Storm, Ed Chombeau, Bill
Kellogg
2. INTRODUCTIONS- Rachael Morgan- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS),
Pia Sevelius – BC-RCD, Victoria Tweedie- BC-RCD, Alexis Vertolli – BC-RCD, Paul
Gosselin- Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation, Bryan GravesButte County Public Works, Darrel Wilson- Butte County Fire Safe Council, George
Barber- Paradise Irrigation District, Susan Mason- Broom Eradication Education Program,
Michael McLaughlin- Butte Environmental Council, Timmarie Hamill- Big Chico Creek
Watershed Alliance, RaeAnn Dubay- NRCS, Supervisor Steve Lambert- Butte County,
Supervisor Bill Connelly- Butte County, Bruce Alpert- Butte County Counsel
3. PUBLIC COMMENT- George Barber, PID- Announced that PID will be holding a Ridge
Water Tour on the 24th of September from 8:30-3:00
ACTION ITEMS
4. CONSENT AGENDA
4.1 *Approve July 22, 2009 BC-RCD Board meeting minutes (Objective VI.C)
4.2 *Approve August BC-RCD check registry (Objective VI.C)
4.3 *Approve Contract for Services with Paradise Irrigation District
4.4 *Approve BC-RCD’s County Budget Schedule 16
4.5 *Approve 2009 CARCD Membership Application and Annual Dues
4.6 *Approve End of Frost Dinner Designated Fund Agreement
Ms. Sevelius requested to remove 4.2 and 4.4 from the consent agenda for discussion. Director
Jones made a motion to approve the consent agenda with items 4.1, 4.3, 4.5, 4.6. Director Coon
seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0 (Director Storm was not present at this time).
Ms. Sevelius discussed item 4.2. The check registry was updated because the BC-RCD had
received outstanding payment from DWR. This allowed the BC-RCD to pay the accounts
payable which included several invoices from contractors on the roads project. Director Coon
made a motion to approve item 4.2. Director Jones seconded the motion. The motion passed 40 (Director Storm was not present at this time).
Item 4.4 was discussed. Staff was required by the county to submit the County Budget
Schedule 16, which will be included in the County’s printed budget. The BC-RCD’s budget
has significantly changed since the Schedule 16 was submitted. Ms. Sevelius has requested that
the Schedule 16 be updated but it may not be possible. Director Coon made a motion to
approve item 4.4, the Schedule 16 budget despite its variances.. Director Chombeau seconded
the motion. The motion passed 4-0.
DISTRICT REPORT – Pia Sevelius, District Manager
ACTION ITEM 5.1 *Monthly financial reports and cash flow projections (Objective VI)
Ms. Sevelius discussed the monthly financial reports and cash flow projections. The financial
reports have also changed dramatically due to the payment by DWR. The cash flow sheet was
updated and will be discussed in the Ad Hoc Finance Committee. BC-RCD has not received
the county reports which are needed to reconcile the accounts. The Board decided to table
action item 5.1 until the BC-RCD August financials are able to be reconciled with County
reports.
5.2 OLD BUSINESS –Pia Sevelius, District Manager
- Davis, Hammon & Associates, 2009 annual audit update- Steve Herr has been working
with the BC-RCD as part of the annual audit process. Mr. Herr will be putting together a final
report for the Board of Directors, which will be present to the Board of Directors when
completed.
District Fundraising Campaign Update – donations received- The BC-RCD thanks
Director Moore for his donation to the district. BC-RCD Staff has been compiling addresses to
contact the landowners of the county. Nate Key has suggested that the BC-RCD sponsor a golf
tournament to support the RCD.
Bureau of Reclamation, Llano Seco Siphon Project update- The BOR project is frozen until
DWR decides what it is going to do with the funds for this project.
City of Chico, Environmental Stewardship Program update- The Chico Environmental
Stewardship Program has not made a decision about who will be awarded the funds.
*Annual Stakeholders Meeting results & next steps- The meeting was well attended and
provided the BC-RCD with a lot of input. Ms. Sevelius discussed the need to prioritize the
resource concerns in to areas where the BC-RCD can be most effective.
*Butte Creek Implementation Project update (photos attached – Humbug Summit) - Bryan
Graves will be presenting information on the Rural Roads Project.
Private Contract for Services – erosion control project- Ms. Sevelius had several
conversations with a private landowner and will not be moving forward on this project, as it did
not match with the goals of the BC-RCD.
Alexis Vertolli – Weed Management Area Coordinator
CDFA Weed Management Area Baseline funding approved- CDFA has approved the BCRCD request for baseline funding for the WMA. The project will be targeting outlying populations
of red sesbania that drain into the Lower Feather River.
CDFA Weed Management Supplemental funding approved- CDFA has also notified the BCRCD that the supplemental project will be funding through ARRA stimulus funds. The project will
serve to create and or retain jobs as well as benefit the riparian forest land. The project will be a 2
year project starting in January 2010 and will target red sesbania in the Lower Feather River.
CARCD/ BC-RCD subcontract for NRCS Farm Bill implementation, fall 2009- The BCRCD has also been awarded a subcontract from the NRCS which will be to help audit contracts.
Community Wildlife Protection Workshops update- The workshops were very well received
by the communities and provided information on forest stewardship as well as fire safety. The
workshops were an excellent opportunity for the BCFSC and the BC-RCD to work together and
develop the partnership.
*BC-RCD Speak- Off Competition Coordinated with Nick Bertagna, UCCE- The BC-RCD
will be hosting a Speak-Off competition for Butte County. Butte County high school students are
able to apply and compete first locally, then at the regional meeting, and finally the winners from
each region will compete at the CARCD meeting in November.
New Business – Pia Sevelius appointed to DWR’s FloodSAFE Central Valley Flood Management
Plan, Environmental Stewardship Scope Definition Work Group- Ms. Sevelius has been appointed
to the planning group which will evaluate the flood issues throughout the entire Central Valley.
Their first meeting will be Friday August 28.
ACTION ITEM 5.3 *2009-2010 BC-RCD Draft District Budget- The budget will be changing
due to receiving payment from DWR. Ms. Sevelius suggested tabling Item 5.3 until Director
Carter has had a chance to review the budget. The motion was tabled.
6. NRCS REPORTS
6.1 General Report– Rachael Morgan, Soil Conservationist- The NRCS will be reviewing the
contracts as part of the audit. This year the EQIP brought $700,000 into Butte County, which
included the diesel engine replacement program.
6.2 *Honcut Creek Rapid Watershed Assessment – RaeAnn Dubay, Soil ConservationistMs. Dubay came and presented information on the Rapid Watershed Assessment. The NRCS
applied for internal funding to conduct rapid watershed assessments for Shasta, Tehama, Butte,
and Glenn Counties. For Butte County the Honcut Creek Watershed was selected. The
assessment was used to support the California Conservation Rangeland Coalition’s efforts to
support the ranchers in this area. The assessment focused primarily on riparian zone of the
three creeks in the area and will be available on the NRCS website.
7. BUTTE COUNTY REPORTS
7.1 Dept. of Water and Resource Conservation – Paul Gosselin- Paul Gosselin presented
information on the Drought Task Force, which will continue to provide education and outreach to
landowners and well owners. The summer water levels have been recorded and have shown to
hold steady with what was shown in summer 2008. The Department of Water and Resource
Conservation will continue to work with the BC-RCD on the Stewardship Council information.
8. PARTNERS’ REPORT (when applicable, 5 minutes unless agendized)
- Susan Mason, Broom Education and Eradication Project- Ms. Mason discussed the status of
the project which utilized hundreds of volunteer hours removing broom on the property. The
group has primarily worked in Forest Ranch but is looking to extend their work into other
communities in the county.
- Timmaire Hamill, Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance- Ms. Hamill discussed the
monitoring work that has been completed on Big Chico Creek over the last 5 years. The
monitoring has been conducted by volunteers. The Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance would
like to collaborate with the BC-RCD on watershed monitoring if possible.
9. INFORMATIONAL ITEM – no action taken
- Supervisors Lambert and Connelly – Butte County and Oroville FERC Relicensing IssuesSupervisors Lambert and Connelly were joined by Bruce Alpert of the County Counsel to
present information on the county’s position on the FERC Relicensing. Butte County claims
assurances that were made by the DWR when the Oroville Facilities were built were no
completely satisfied. Butte County claims that they are currently subsidizing the State Water
Project and would like equitable relief.
- Bryan Graves- Butte County Public Works- Mr. Graves presented information on the Butte
Creek Implementation Project. Butte County Public Works was extremely pleased with the
work that was completed by all the partners through the grant. Butte County Public Works did
not have to provide spring grading to the Humbug Road that was improved by the partnership.
The project has saved the county significant time and funds which could be concentrated on
other roads throughout the county. The 2009 partnership work included in finishing the last
section of Humboldt road as well as installing permeable fill on Humbug Road. This current
year project was complete with the partners match fund only, no state grant monies were
utilized due to the state grant freeze.
10. *CORRESPONDENCE
11. DIRECTORS’ REPORTS
- Director Chombeau will be attending the California Forest Stewardship field trip in
Tahoe City
- Director Coon announced the environmental film festival at the Sierra Nevada Brewery
on September 17th that will be put on by Friends of Butte Creek.
12. NEXT MEETING DATE: 4th Wednesday – September 23, 2009
Butte County Farm Bureau
2580 Feather River Blvd.
Oroville, CA 95965
13. ADJOURNMENT Director Moore adjourned the meeting.
*Materials Attached
**LAFCO correspondence may be referenced in the BC-RCD Office in the LAFCO binder.
The Butte County Resource Conservation District distributes electronically. If you would like
to be added to or removed from the email list, please notify the Butte County RCD at (530)
534-0112, ext 116 or e-mail: alexis-vertolli@carcd.org.