Brevard Soil and Water Conservation District

Brevard Soil and Water Conservation
District Board of Supervisors

Business Meeting Minutes

The Brevard Soil and Water Conservation District met in regular public session on Wednesday, February 9,
2022, at 4:00 p.m., in the UF/IFAS auditorium, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard Co., 3695 Lake Drive, Cocoa, FL.

Chairman Bud Crisafulli called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Video with audio of the entire meeting
was provided for public viewing through the UF/IFAS Extension ZOOM web-based video conferencing and
recording system.

Board members present: Bud Crisafulli, Chairman, Supervisor Group 5

Adam Tritt, Co-Chairman, Supervisor Group 1

Jim Sloan, Secretary, Supervisor Group 2

Jonathan Schuman, Treasurer, Supervisor Group 4

Chelsea Partridge, Information Officer, Supervisor
Group 3

Staff members present: Joe Walter, Agriculture Extension Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard

Brian Zielinski, USDA/NRCS Conservationist – Brevard & Seminole Co.

Mike Engelgau, Staff Soil & Water Engineering Technician

Visitors and Presenters: Brian Zielinski participated in the meeting via by ZOOM video and
reporting via Facebook Live.

Presented Documents.

Documents as presented by the Staff, Presenters and Supervisors for review, approval and/or information
of the Board:

● Florida Senate Bill 1078 entitled: An act relating to soil and water conservation districts;
amending s. 582.15, F.S; amending s. 582.18, F.S.; amending s. 582.19, F.S. by the
Committee on Environment and Natural Resources; and Senator Hutson.
● Preliminary FY 2022 financial budget as reported by the District Treasurer to the Board of
Supervisors.
● USDA NRCS – Cocoa Service Center, District Conservationist Report, Brevard SWCD Meeting
February 9th, 2022. Natural Resources Conservation Service Updates. With Attachments:
• Canaveral Marshes. Brevard Soil & Water Conservation District
Intergovernmental Agreement with St. Johns River Water Management District
(Jan. 28th, 2013).

• Conservation Plan for L F Bar Inc., 5087 Junedale Dr., Cocoa, Florida 32926.
Canaveral Marshes. Tract 9220.

Reported for Public Records.

There were no documents presented by the Board Supervisors which must be published in the public record.

Guest Presentations.

There were no guest presentations for the February 9th meeting.

Review and Approval of the Current Treasurer’s Report.

The board treasurer, Jonathan Schuman, provided the treasurer’s report for January 1st to January 31st, 2022,
to the board, with a report that included the Bank of America checking account and CD account
summaries. He reported that the term of the CD account matured on January 23, 2022, and the treasurer
did not allow a rollover of funds back into the CD. The $27,145.05 from the mature CD was then directly
deposited to the BS&WCD checking account. The ending balance for the checking account is now
$52,175.38.

The motion by James Sloan to approve the January 1st to January 31st, 2022, Treasurer’s Report was seconded
by Chelsea Partridge. The motion passed without amendment by unanimous vote of the supervisors
present.

Review and Approval of Minutes for prior Board of Supervisors meeting.

The board secretary, James Sloan, presented the business meeting minutes for the previous public
business meeting held on Wednesday, January 12th, 2022.

The motion made by Supervisor Sloan, to approve the January 12thth,2021, Board of Supervisors’ Business
Meeting Minutes, was seconded by Supervisor Partridge. The motion with amendments to incorporate
corrections to the minutes as stated by the Secretary Jim Sloan. Passed by unanimous vote of the
supervisors. Secretary Sloan will provide a corrected Word file copy to Mike Engelgau for publication on
the Brevard District website.

Staff Update

USDA NRCS Cocoa Service Office District Conservationist Report

The Brian Zielinski and Mike Engelgau of the USDA NRCS Cocoa Service Office provided the February 9th, 2022, District
Conservationist Report to this Brevard SWCD Meeting. They updated the NRCS/BSWCD partnership issues within the report
categories of “Old Business & New Business.

• NRCS Old Business:
o Canaveral Marshes:

▪ FY 2022 Deliverables: The NRCS Cocoa Service Center District Conservationist, Brian Zielinski
distributed delivered reports on three areas of partnership in management of the Intergovernmental
Management Agreement with St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) dated January
28th, 2013. A copy of the L F Bar Inc. FY 2022 Conservation Plan was delivered to each BSWCD
supervisors.
• FY 2021 Accomplishment Summary
• FY 2022 Annual Work Plan Summary
• FY 2022 Conservation Plan (L F Bar Inc.)

• NRCS New Business:
o FY 2022 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
▪ EQIP Fast Track (High Tunnel Systems)
• 1/21/22 was the obligation deadline.
• 3 applications promoted to contracts ($25K)

▪ EQIP Classic
• 9 applications
• 1/28/22 was the deadline for screening.
• 7 were designated high priority and 2 were medium priority.
• 3/28/22 is the deadline for assessment/ranking/ and cost-estimate.
• 4/1/22 is when the State Office is to inform the field office of pre-approvals.
• 4/8/22 is the deadline for sending intent to proceed letters to applicants.
• 6/3/22 is the obligation deadline.

o FY 2022 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP Classic):
▪ There were 5 applications.
▪ 1/28/22 was the deadline for participants to meet eligibility.
▪ 3/28/22 is the deadline for assessment/ranking/and cost estimates.
▪ 4/1/22 is when the State office is to inform field office of pre-approvals.
▪ 4/8/22 is the deadline to send intent to proceed letters to applicants.
▪ 6/3/22 is the obligation deadline.

o Local Working Group Meeting Survey by AFCD:

▪ AFCD is garnering input to make improvements to LWG meetings.
• Improvements in standardization/consistency in process and presentations.
• The Survey Monkey link to be shared directly with SWCDs.

• District Conservation Detail Opportunity at the State Office:
o Brian Zielinski will temporarily assume duties as assistant State Conservationist for Partnerships and
Initiatives.
o His temporary assignment will be from February 13th to June 12th, 2022.
o The Cocoa Service Center coverage will utilize Mike Engelgau for field duties and during meetings with
Brevard County Government staff and BSWCD supervisors.

Old BSWCD Meeting Business

$2000.00 District grant check for disbursement to those teachers with student science projects.

Jonathan Schuman noted that the designated Brevard County public school officer still had not accepted
the reissued $2000.00 District grant check for deposit and disbursement to those teachers wanting to
participate in the student science projects. The Brevard school district science coordinator has moved onto
a new job and her replacement is currently working as a fulltime classroom teacher and cannot accept the
new position. Supervisor Crisafulli proposed withdrawing the grant proposed for teachers wanting to
participate in the student science projects, and then giving the $2500, authorized for the school
educational grant, to the UF/IFAS Extension in Brevard County. When he called for a motion from the
board, Chelsea Partridge recused herself from voting on the motion since she is a member of the UF/IFAS
Brevard Extension. Adam Tritt offered a motion directing the treasurer to withdraw the $2000 school
grant and then give the full authorization of $2500 grant money to the UF/IFAS Extension, with a
stipulation that the board of supervisors would prefer it be used for support of the 4H program. Jonathan
Schuman seconded the motion. The motion passed without amendment by unanimous vote of the
supervisors present.

District Preparation for the Annual FDACS Audit.

Supervisor Schuman provided copies of the proposed FY Brevard District Budget, that started on October 1st, 2021. A
brief review of the requirement for DACS conduct of an annual audit of the accounts of receipts and disbursements

within each of the active 56 soil and water conservation districts confirmed that an annual fiscal year (October 1st,
2021, through September 30th, 2022) budget was required to prepare for the DACS audit. The board treasurer
requested comment and funding level proposals for the draft budget, so it could be finalized and approved after
incorporation of agreed changes to the FY 2022 budget. The following changes to the budget were approved by
acclimation of all supervisors present:

• Student Research Grant Support in the amount of $2000 was changed to Educational Grant to
UF/IFAS for 4H support in the amount of $2500.
• Total budget figure of $6,400 was changed to Total of $6900.
• Addition of a third column with a running summary of each line-item expenditure made during
the months of October 1st throughout the 2022 business year.

Supervisor Sloan made a motion for the Treasurer to incorporate the changes into the FY 2022 Brevard
District budget and present an updated version to monthly board of supervisors’ business meeting. The
motion was seconded by Supervisor Partridge. The motion passed without amendment by unanimous
vote of the supervisors present.

New Meeting Business

Meeting with Brevard County Government staff on the Storm Water Exemption Program.

Supervisor Partridge, along with other NRCS Cocoa Service Center staff, will attend future meetings at the Viera
government center. They will review procedures and requirements, as well as provide verification of commitments
and accomplishments of participants in the Brevard County Storm Water Fee Exemption Program.

Discussion of “SB 1078/HB 783 – Abolishing Soil and Water Conservation Districts”.

Supervisor Sloan provided the Board of Supervisors with the Senate Bill 1078/House Bill 783 which is now
entitled: An act relating to soil and water conservation districts. Senate Bill 1078/House Bill was changed
by the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, as well as Senator Hutson to amend
Chapter Sections 582.15; 582.18; and 582.19 of the Florida Statutes.

Discussion centered on the imposition of the qualification requirement for supervisors who serve on the governing
body of a soil and water conservation district governing bodies. Candidates must reside in the numbered district
subdivision from which he/she is elected and must be actively engaged in the business of farming or animal
husbandry or retired after 15 years of being engaged in agriculture. If 1 week before the qualifying period (ends?) a
district subdivision does not have a qualified candidate from the subdivision of the district, then any district voter
who meets the stated qualification requirements may seek to be elected in that district subdivision. Supervisor
Sloan will follow the committee legislative progress and report developments at the March 9th business meeting. It
appears that four of the five supervisors now serving on the Brevard district board of supervisors cannot be
candidates for reelection in the 2022 general election.

With consensus of the Board, the Chairman adjourned the meeting at 4:57 PM on 2/9/2022.

Prepared for board review and approval by,

James Sloan

Secretary

Supervisor, Group 2

March 5, 2022