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, October 13, 2021, at 4:00 p.m., in the UF/IFAS auditorium, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County, 3695 Lake Drive, Cocoa, FL.

Co-Chairman, Adam Tritt, 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, as well as on Facebook Live.

Board members present: Adam Tritt, Co-Chairman, Supervisor Group 1
Jim Sloan, Secretary, Supervisor Group 2
Jonathan Schuman, Treasurer, Supervisor Group 4
Chelsea Partridge, Supervisor Group 3

Staff members present: Joe Walter, Agriculture Extension Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard
Brian Zielinski, USDA/NRCS Conservationist – Brevard & Seminole Co.

Visitors and Presenters: No presentations were made by visitors.

Presented Documents.

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

? USDA NRCS – Cocoa Service Center, District Conservationist Report, Brevard SWCD Meeting October 13, 2021. Natural Resources Conservation Service Updates. With: Attachment 1: NRCS Distribution Center catalog for order of agency forms and free publications about conserving our natural resources. Attachment 2 NRCS Communication Support Center, Public Affairs SharePoint catalog of National NRCS Exhibits.
? Open Government Overview of the Florida Sunshine Law, Presentation by Association of Special Districts, September 9, 2021, Patricia R. Gleason, Special Counsel for Open Government for Attorney General Ashley Moody.
? An Overview of Special District Basics and Accountability Requirements, Presentation by Association of Florida Conservation Districts, September 9, 2021, Jack Gaskins Jr., Special District Accountability Program for Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
? Marine Resources Council of East Florida brochure for the Low Impact Development Conference with 2021 Attendee, Exhibitor, & Sponsor Prospectus, Agenda and Registration information. Scheduled for October 21st & 22nd at the Center for Collaboration in Rockledge FL.
? Florida Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Handbook, Authorized by Commissioner Fried, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as updated and revised in 2018 by the AFCD Office of Agriculture Policy and Association of Florida Conservation Districts.
? Brevard Soil & Water Conservation District/USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Local Working Group Meeting Introduction, Meeting Details and Contact Info. Attached: FY 2022 Local Working Group Questionnaire, Letter Format for Stakeholder Communications, and Master List of Stakeholders/Partners for LWG Meeting.
? Rights of Nature.org listing of eleven areas of suggested environmental research and four educational science & engineering research projects. Informal paper submitted for information only by Supervisor Adam Tritt, 10/13/2021.

Reported for Public Records.

Email To: cotton.jennifer@brevardschools.org; stockman.frank@brevardschools.org.
From: Jonathan Schuman.
Subject: $2000 Brevard Eco Impact Grant Money.
Attachments:
1. Soil and Water Supervisors Brevard County – Ecological Impact Grant Fall 2021, Application.
2. Soil and Water Supervisors Brevard County – Ecological Impact Grant Fall 2021, Report Cover.

Guest Presentations.

No presentations were given by guests.

Review and Approval of the Current Treasurer’s Report.

The board treasurer, Jonathan Schuman, provided the treasurer’s report for September 1 to September 30, 2021, to the board, with no comments or changes to be included in the checking account or CD account report balances. He reported that there would be a statement of CD account balance arriving by the end of November 2021.

The motion to approve the September 1 to September 30, 2021, Treasurer’s Report by James Sloan was seconded by Chelsea Partridge. The motion passed without amendment by unanimous vote of the supervisors present.

Jonathan Schuman noted that the total value of our current holdings within the District’s Checking and CD accounts on October 1st exceeds $50,000, which led to the question of whether our district must file a Financial Audit Report with the Florida Auditor General and the Florida Department of Financial Services. A review of the document, DEO Accountability and Transparency – Filings, thresholds on annual revenues and combined expenditures and expenses reported by Florida Special Districts found:

* Our holdings from annual revenues during fiscal years 2020 and 2021 were received through the St Johns WMD from Canaveral Marsh grazing lease holders was less than $7000. That amount does not exceed the financial audit report threshold of $100,000 and therefore does not trigger the annual audit findings and accounting report requirement for Florida Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
* Our combined expenditures and expenses for fiscal years 2020 and 2021 were less than $10,000. That dollar amount does not fall between the thresholds of $50,000 and $100,000, which would have triggered the annual audit findings and accounting report requirement for Florida Soil and Water Conservation Districts. . It was noted that the Brevard District has not had an audit during the previous two fiscal years

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, September 8, 2021. He reported that there were no review changes requested by the supervisors, so the minutes are offered without corrections or changes.

The motion made by Chelsea Partridge, to approve the September 8, 2021, Board of Supervisors’ Business Meeting Minutes, and seconded by Jonathan Schuman. The motion passed without amendment by unanimous vote of the supervisors.

Old Business

An amount of $3,000 had been set aside by acclimation, during the September 8th District board meeting, for award of twelve (12) $250.00 grants to science teachers of Brevard public and private schools in support of classroom environmental projects. A motion of approval and vote by the supervisors had been tabled by the Chair until the October board meeting when Supervisor Schuman was to report on his criteria for qualification and award of the twelve grants of $3000 and coordination with Jennifer Cotton of Brevard Schools Secondary Programs and Kathy Whittle of Brevard Schools Secondary Leading and Learning.

His current report to the board of supervisors outlined the criteria for application, reporting and award of the ten grants of $200 to local school science teachers to use during year 2021 classroom projects in the environmental areas of Brevard Ecological Impact. Two forms were also provided to facilitate the qualification, reporting, and award of the ten grants. The attachments were:
1. Soil and Water Supervisors Brevard County – Ecological Impact Grant Fall 2021, Application.
2. Soil and Water Supervisors Brevard County – Ecological Impact Grant Fall 2021, Report Cover.

Supervisor Schuman then requested that the board authorize an expenditure of $2000, for ten grants of $200 each, with an additional $1000 budgeted for associated project administrative expenses as they are incurred during the process of qualifying, reporting, and awarding the grants. Supervisor Schuman will manage the process of qualifying, receiving reports and making awards of Brevard Eco Impact Project grants, with review, direction and financial processing of grant money by the Brevard School grant management staff. Supervisor Sloan made the motion to approve the project plan for awarding ten grants of $200 each, with an additional $1000 authorized for associated project administrative expenses. The motion was seconded by Chairman Tritt, then passed without amendment by unanimous vote of the supervisors present.

The Brian Zielinski of the USDA NRCS Cocoa Service Office provided the October 13, 2021, District Conservationist Report to this Brevard SWCD Meeting. He updated the NRCS/BSWCD partnership issues within his report categories of “Old Business & New Business.
* NRCS Old Business:
o USDA NRCS PR materials available to Brevard Soil & Water Conservation District supervisors:
* NRCS Distribution Center. A catalog listing a variety of agency forms and free publications about conserving our natural resources was attached to the report. The list of available items is available at nrcsdistributioncenter@ia.usda.gov and should be ordered for download directly through the Cocoa Service Center District Conservationist.

* National NRCS Exhibits are available for viewing and/or reserve from their Public Affairs SharePoint by internal customers and partners of NRCS. NRCS will store, repairs, schedule, and loan the exhibits from the NRCS distribution center directly through the Cocoa Service Center District Conservationist.

o Canaveral Marshes:
* The Brevard SWC District Interagency Agreement. The NRCS Cocoa Service Center District Conservationist, Brian Zielinski, met with the current cattle lease holder and another cattle agency who will be added to the lease with St Johns Water Management District in February 2022. Discussion highlighted the Brevard S&WC District’s Intergovernmental Agreement with the St Johns Water Management District to receive compensation from the grazing lease agreement on the Canaveral Marshes. The terms of the agreement require the Board Supervisors to update the Canaveral Marsh conservation plan and activity plan by November 2021. An extension of the current five-year lease term to 10 years or longer for the Canaveral Marshes grazing lease will be considered during the upcoming lease revision cycle. Supervisor Schuman asked that the financial terms of the year 2022 lease also be renegotiated.

* The Cocoa Service Center District Conservationist is also updating the Conservation Plan for Canaveral Marshes 4,000-acre property in accordance with The Brevard SWC District Interagency Agreement. The revised conservation plan will be presented at an upcoming multiple agency board meeting consisting of the lease holders, St Johns Water Management District, NRCS District Conservationist, and the Brevard Soil and Water Conservation District representative. James Sloan made a motion to appoint Chelsea Partridge as the Brevard SWCD representative to the interagency board and Jonathan Schuman seconded the motion. Supervisor Partridge accepted the appointment after the motion passed without amendment by unanimous vote of the supervisors.

* NRCS New Business:

o FY 2022 Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Thirteen EQP applications received as of October 1st demonstrates that the program is growing and moving in the right direction.

o FY 2022 Brevard SWCD / Seminole SWCD Field Trip.

* The USDA/NRCS District Conservationist, Brian Zielinski restated his proposal for a field trip with Brevard S&WC District supervisors to view NRCS projects in the Brevard County region. He is continuing to work with the Seminole S&WC District supervisors on arrangements to make it a joint field trip of supervisors from both districts. Scheduling such a field trip poses problems about quorum compliance with the Florida Sunshine Law on public meetings of special district supervisors, as well as continuing COVID pandemic mandates and Brevard County government restrictions on our assembly during field trips.

* Chelsea Partridge continues to manage the field trip project arrangements. The board members reached a consensus on scheduling the field trip for either January 22nd or 29th of year 2022. Brian Zielinski will take those dates to the Seminole S&WC District Supervisory board and complete the joint field trip arrangements. Supervisor Partridge asked if there would be a consensus on having a second field trip planned for June of 2022. Discussion favored a second field trip to the Canaveral Marshes for viewing of the conservation plan measures that will be implemented by the interagency agreement and multiple agency board.

o FY 2022 Local Working Group Meeting.

* Brian Zielinski reviewed the handout titled Brevard Soil & Water Conservation District/USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Local Working Group Meeting Introduction, Meeting Details and Contact Information.
* He then briefed the support responsibilities of the district supervisors in conjunction with the FY 2022 Local Working Group Questionnaire, Letter Format for Stakeholder Communications, and Master List of LWG Stakeholders/Partners. Support by the BSWCD will closely parallel the procedures and practices used during the first meeting of the Local Working Group. Brian Zielinski will notify each supervisor by email, while we will be asked to contact regional contacts from the Master List of LWG Stakeholders & Partners.
* Jim Sloan made a motion to authorize Chelsea Partridge’s $200 budget for purchasing Subway boxed meals that will be offered to those stakeholders and partners attending the LWG meeting in the UF IFAS Extension auditorium. The motion was seconded by Jonathan Schuman, then passed without amendment by unanimous vote of the supervisors present.
* Large USDA/NRCS posters with a Conservation Local Work Group Meeting announcement and contact information were distributed to each supervisor for placement at local stores – such as Tractor Supply, feed and hay outlets and farmers markets.
* Jim Sloan will develop a media release article on the Local Work Group meeting for the Florida Today newspaper and the Hometown News. He will try to get it published in both papers before the November 10th LWG meeting date.

New Business

Supervisor Sloan introduced the agenda for the Marine Resource Council’s 2021 Low Impact Development Conference to be held on October 21st and 22nd within the Center for Collaboration in Rockledge Florida. He has purchased a General Conference Admission ticket for $200.00 and will attend both days as a representative of the Brevard S&WC District. Chelsea Partridge announced that she cannot attend the conference due to work conflicts. Jim Sloan was reimbursed for the admission ticket by the treasurer, as authorized by motion and vote of the board of supervisors on September 8, 2021.

A copy of the AFCD conference presentation, “Open Government Overview” (FL Sunshine Law) by Patricia R. Gleason, Special Counsel for Open Government to Attorney General Ashley Moody was distributed to each District Supervisor. When each supervisor has verified that he has read and reviewed the document, it will be considered the Brevard Soil & Water Conservation District’s annual review of the FL Sunshine Law for year 2021. Individual supervisor verification will be recorded in the minutes of the appropriate business meeting.

Adam Tritt introduced a listing of environmental issues, which were developed with student input by the “Rights of Nature” organization. He provided an introduction of his proposed project for local school environmental education and research projects. Supervisor Tritt wants to initially obtain media, such as pamphlets and literature to inform students through classroom instruction. He will review the NRCS Distribution Center catalog of agency forms and free publications about conserving our natural resources, to identify pamphlets that can be ordered from the USDA/NRCS and provided to local schools and their teachers. The Chair tabled his proposal to allow for further presentation documentation and discussion of media needs, project planning, and budget requirements with direction that the proposal be set up as an Old Business agenda item for the November 10th business meeting.

Supervisor Partridge proposed that the Brevard District set up an information tent and table at the Indian River Lagoon Day Event on November13th hosted by Brevard County Natural Resources Management Dept. on Front Street Park, Melbourne FL. Our participation at the event was confirmed by acclimation of the supervisors present. To avoid a Sunshine Law violation only two supervisors will work at information tent. Chelsea Partridge will reserve a tent site, then set-up the tent and table with assistance by Jonathan Schuman for half of the day with Adam Tritt volunteering assistance for the other half day. Supervisor Sloan made a motion to authorize a budget of up to $200 for expenses of obtaining the promotional materials, such as brochures, printing, banners, and handouts. Chelsea Partridge seconded the motion and the motion passed without amendment by unanimous vote of the supervisors.

Chelsea Partridge proposed that the Brevard Soil & Water Conservation District sponsor a year 2022 event titled “Community Conservation Day”. She would like board approval for a project to plan the scope of the event and explore the options for involving all Brevard County citizens, who participate in governmental functions, local schools, commercial business and residential areas, into a Community Conservation Day program. The event would not be tied or scheduled concurrently with other events such as Earth Day, Agriculture Day etc. All supervisors present concurred with her proposal and requested that she present her plan to the board of supervisors when the investigation of options is completed.

With consensus of the Board, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 5:50 PM on 10/13/2021.
Prepared for board review and approval by,

James Sloan
Secretary
Supervisor, Group 2
October 16, 2021