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, April 14, 2021 at 4:00 p.m., in the UF/IFAS auditorium, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County, 3695 Lake Drive, Cocoa, FL.
The meeting was called to order by the Chairman, Bud Crisafulli, at 4:00 p.m. COVID-19 personal and environmental protection procedures for public meetings in Brevard County buildings and areas were in effect at the Board of Supervisors meeting. Video and audio of the entire meeting was provided for public viewing through the UF/IFAS Extension ZOOM web-based video conferencing and recording system. The meeting audio was separately recorded for these minutes by the board secretary, Jim Sloan.
Board members present: Bud Crisafulli, Chairman, Supervisor Group 5
Adam Tritt, Supervisor Group 1
Chelsea Partridge, Supervisor Group 3,
Jonathan Schuman, Group 4
James Sloan, Supervisor Group 2
Staff members present: Mike Engelgau, BSWCD Engineering Technician VI
Joe Walter, Agriculture Extension Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard
Brian Zielinski, District Conservationist, USDA NRCS – Cocoa Service Center
Visitors and Presenters: No visitors or presenters attended the meeting.
Presented Documents

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

* MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (Approved) – Between the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Brevard (FL) Soil & Water Conservation District.
* DEP Blue-Green Algal Bloom Weekly Update April 2- April 8, 2021
* SWCD/NRCS Local Working Group Talking Points
* ZOOM Meeting Join Information for LWG meeting and Soil & Water District meetings.
o Phone number,
o Meeting URL,
o Meeting ID,
o Passcode

Reported for Public Records –

* USDA NRCS – Cocoa Service Center, District Conservationist Report – Brevard SWCD Meeting, April 14, 2021.
* Effective Local Working Groups Power Point Slide Presentation
* BSWCD/NRCS MOA
* Local Working Group (LWG) Meeting documents
o Effective Local Working Group PPT
o Discussion/questionnaire
o Master list of stakeholders, partners, etc. Meeting invites/outreach
o Email invitation templates
o Outreach approach/RSVP

Guest Presentations.
Schedule dates for three guest presentations at future BSWCD business meetings were requested by three supervisors working the arrangements for those presentations. A presentation and discussion with Virginia Barker, Director of the Brevard County Natural Resources Management Department had been planned for this April 14th meeting, however Director Barker was not available because of conflicting county business. By consensus following discussion by the Board supervisors, it was decided that she would be invited by Chelsea Partridge to the May 12th meeting. Her presentation will be entered on the May 12th agenda when published. Director Barker will also be invited to stay for the Local Working Group meeting on May 12th at 5:00 – 7:00 pm.
Mr. John Dowd, of Smart Terra Care, LLC, is sponsored by Adam Tritt. Mr. Dowd will be asked to present his company’s technology to convert organics, including biosolids, food waste and biomass into an environmentally nutrient positive soil amendment called Biochar at the August 11th District business meeting.
Mr. Lew Kontnik, of the Indian River Lagoon Project, is sponsored by Jonathan Schuman. Mr. Kontnik and science associate will be asked to present their status review of the IRL project at the June 9th District business meeting.
A motion without amendment was made by Chelsea Partridge to confirm and schedule the Virginia Barker, John Dowd and Lew Kontnik presentations as discussed. The motion was seconded by Jonathan Schuman. The motion was passed by unanimous vote of the supervisors.

Review and Approval of Minutes for prior Board of Supervisors meeting.
The board secretary, James Sloan, provided the meeting minutes for the April 14th business meeting to the supervisors for review and comment. Changes and corrections requested prior to the meeting after reviews by the board of supervisors were noted as incorporated within the meeting minutes version provided for approval.

A motion without amendment to approve meeting minutes for the April 14th, 2021 Board of Supervisors meeting by Chelsea Partridge, was seconded by Jonathan Schuman. The motion was passed by unanimous vote of the supervisors.

The board secretary noted the correspondence received during the previous month for information and/or action by the board of supervisors:
* DEP Algal Bloom Dashboard, Blue-Green Algal Bloom Weekly Update for April 2-April 8, 2021.
* USDA Florida Farm Service Agency Newsletter, Electronic News Service, Initial Subscription.
* Brevard County Planning & Development Department, Scottsmoor Community Planning Analysis Meeting.
o Supervisor Sloan attending for fact finding on Flounder Creek drainage stormwater control.

Review and Approval of the Current Treasurer’s Report.
The board treasurer, Jonathan Schuman, provided the treasurer’s report to the board with comment on the $220.00 draft check payment for shirts with Brevard District logo provided to supervisors and staff technician. He stated that there was a request for donation payment to the National Association of Conservation Districts and needed to know the amount approved by the Board of Supervisors. Chairman Crisafulli advised him to check on past year’s contribution and put that forward for board approval and payment.
A motion without amendment to approve the March 1, 2021 to March 31, 2021 Treasurer’s Report by James Sloan was seconded by Chelsea Partridge. The motion was passed by unanimous vote of the supervisors.

Old Business

Mike Engelgau, BS&WCD Engineering Technician, reported his workload accomplishments for March. Mike noted that the $99.00 billing for website fees was just a courtesy copy, and the bill would be paid by AFCD. He had expected to see the ADA District website service up and online by March 19th in support of our Brevard District website requirement, however, it did not come on -line as scheduled. An April 8th message verified that implementation was delayed until several issues were resolved at the first one or two sites to be launched. Mike will notify the supervisors as soon as the service is launched for Brevard District, and it can successfully accomplish an update of records and other tasks such as advertising the upcoming Local Working Group meeting.
Brian Zielinski reported that the Memorandum of Agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Brevard Soil and Water Conservation District with comments as previously provided during a meeting of the two agencies was approved by the Florida USDA/NRCS office, numbered, signed, and returned for signature by the Board of Supervisors. The MOA was presented for signature at the April 14, 2021 Brevard District Supervisor’s Monthly Board Meeting and signed by Chairman Bud Crisafulli. Brian will now return the MOA to the Florida NRCS office to execute all of the cooperative agreements and partnership services contained therein, which can then be implemented by both parties forward.
New Business

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Updates from the Cocoa Service Center were reported to the Board of Supervisors by the District Conservationist, Brian Zielinski. The following data was provided, and some areas were questioned by supervisors. Of note was a discussion of Herbicide Weed Control approved contracts for Brevard & Seminole counties that resulted from questions as to the type of herbicide approved for treatment. Brian Zielinski and Joe Walter summarized the contract specified herbicide types as targeted to the vegetation being controlled, of short half-life to decomposition, standardized preparation and application methods, with personnel training in safety, mixing solution, as well as control of application rates. The district conservationist verifies contract compliance and results of the herbicide weed control.

FY 2021 Environmental quality incentives program (EQIP)

Pre-Approvals
Brevard (5)
Seminole (1)
** Funding Pools Utilized – Brush Mgmt. and Herb. Weed Treatment, Grazing and Seasonal High Tunnel

*4/6/21: Deadline to send Intent to Proceed Preapproval Letter
*5/25/21: Round 1 obligation deadline
*6/29/21: Round 2 obligation deadline (if slippage available)

** Total funding for Area 3 funding pools – $2,998,524 for the following (subject to change):
Area 3: Brush Mgmt. & Herb. Weed Control – 32% of dedicated funding ($950,474 – 8 apps)
Area 3: Cropland – 5% of dedicated funding ($150, 093 – 4 apps)
Area 3: Grazing – 58% of dedicated funding ($1,744,357 – 35 apps)
Area 3: High Tunnels – 5% of dedicated funding ($153,600 – 12 apps)

** 9/1/21 – Deadline for EQIP Classic FY 2022 application submission.

FY 2021 Conservation Stewardship Program Classic (CSP)
*3/26/21: Application deadline.
*3/31/21: FY2022 CSP renewals application deadline.
*4/2/21: Eligibility letter & checklist sent to applicant.
*4/30/21: Eligibility deadline.
*5/28/21: Assessment / ranking / cost estimate deadline.
*7/16/21: Obligation deadline.
The Local Working Group (LWG) meeting will be hosted by the Brevard Soil & Water Conservation District with USDA/NRCS District Conservationist, Brian Zielinski conducting the presentation. The following was reviewed and discussed as agenda items from documents presented by Brian Zielinski. Additional attendees listings from supervisors should be submitted by COB Friday April 16th. Brian will finalize the master list of stakeholders, partners and producers, then divide the list among the supervisors for outreach to invitees and ZOOMers. Brian will draft a standard email invite narrative using the invitation templates. The flow of the upcoming LWG meeting was discussed as the slide presentation was reviewed.
Local Working Group (LWG) Meeting:
– May 12th / 5:00 – 7:00 pm
– Effective Local Working Group PPT
o Follow up discussion / questions.
– Overview of meeting flow / questionnaire
– Meeting invites / outreach
o Master list of stakeholders, partners, etc.
o Email invitation templates
o Outreach approach / RSVP
Chairman Crisafulli suggested $200 be budgeted for food, snacks and drinks in support of the in house meeting of the Local Working Group meeting on May 12th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. A motion without amendment to approve the budgeting of $200 for the LWG meeting by James Sloan was seconded by Jonathan Schuman. The motion was passed by unanimous vote of the supervisors.

Brian Zielinski said he has a USDA/NRCS presentation of 35 minutes that he would like to give as a presentation when scheduled during a future board of supervisors meeting. A presentation by Brian at select Brevard schools is under investigation by Supervisors Partridge and Schuman.
Chelsea Partridge announced a call for volunteer workers to cleanup the Parkway on April 24th, Earth Day.
Joe Walters and Chelsea Partridge provided the following connection information on how to join a scheduled ZOOM meeting of the Brevard Soil & Water Conservation District and/or the Local Working Group meeting when held at the UF/IFAS auditorium, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County, 3695 Lake Drive, Cocoa, FL.
JOIN ZOOM MEETING:
Phone one-tap: US: +13126266799..98873678858# or +16465588656..98873678858#
Meeting URL : https://ufl.zoom.us/j/98873678858?pwd=QVd5ZjhtVjFIMUw5y3ZOeGFZSlJzUT09
Meeting ID: 988 7367 8858
Passcode: soil+water

Upon consensus of the Board, the meeting was adjourned by the Chairman at 5:56 PM.

Prepared for board review and approval by ,
Secretary, Board of Supervisors
James E. Sloan
5/4/2021