Mar 21, 2024 Land Use and Planning Committee Meeting

AND IF WE COULD RISE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND A PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.

TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL STUFF IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

WE HAVE ITEMS, UH, A THROUGH D.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

SECOND.

ICK AND BERG.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, HEARING NONE.

MOVE ON TO OUR EDUCATORS.

OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, A FEW DISCUSSION, OUR PRESENTATIONS.

SO FIRST IS OUR, UH, ANNUAL, UH, REPORT FROM THE UW EXTENSION.

AND I BELIEVE THAT MIGHT

[a. UW Extension Annual Report]

ONE OF THE LONGEST AND DEEPEST TRADITIONS SURROUNDING THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN IS THE WISCONSIN IDEA, WHICH SICKNESS BUYS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE.

THE EDUCATION SHOULD INFLUENCE PEOPLE'S LIVES BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CLASSROOM.

CENTERED TO THE CORE MISSION OF UW MADISON, DIVISION OF EXTENSION IS OUR COMMITMENT TO THE WISCONSIN IDEA, WHICH STATES THAT WHAT WE DO THROUGH OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY SHOULD ENHANCE THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, FARMERS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS AROUND THE STATE.

THE EVIDENCE OF THIS COMMITMENT LIES IN OUR MANY ONGOING PROGRAMS, DIRECT AND TANGIBLE ACTIONS THAT ARE AIMED AT IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESS ADDRESSING MANY OF THE COUNTIES AND THE STATE'S MOST URGENT NEEDS.

AND WE'LL SHARE THAT COMING UP.

OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES REFLECT THE REACH OF THE WISCONSIN IDEA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY WITH THE 94 PARTNERS WE WORK WITH.

AND THE OVER 6,000 CONTACTS, THE TEACHING OF 178 PROGRAMS, AND EXTENDING OUR REACH WITH THE SUPPORT AND HELP OF TWO TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR VOLUNTEERS.

EXTENSION IS FUNDED THREE WAYS.

IT'S FEDERAL, IT'S FUNDED FEDERALLY BY THE STATE AND BY THE COUNTY.

AND I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COUNTY 'CAUSE I, UH, BUDGET.

UH, LINE ITEM, WHICH YOU'RE AWARE OF, THE COUNTY BUDGET FOR EXTENSION, UH, LAST YEAR WAS 387,597.

UH, THAT INCLUDES OUR CONTRACTED AMOUNT, UH, FOR OUR EDUCATORS, OFFICE SPACE SUPPORT STAFF, AND, UH, IT SUPPORT AS WELL AS TRAVEL AND TRAINING.

IT'S A LITTLE SMALL, BUT WE BROKE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

I MENTIONED OUR BUDGET, BUT ONE THING I WANTED TO FOCUS ON IS IN 2023, THE COUNTY PAYS THE PAID A FLAT FEE, AND THEY CONTINUE TO PAY A FLAT FEE FOR EACH EDUCATOR.

LAST YEAR IT WAS 44,900 AND EVERY, UH, YEAR, THERE'S A 10,000 DIS $10,000 DISCOUNT.

FOR THE FIRST EDUCATOR, THE, THE TOTAL CONTRACTED AMOUNT WAS 184,640 SE 7% OF THE, UH, EDUCATOR SALARY IS PAID BY THE COUNTY, AND 53 IS PAID BY THE STATE.

AND WHILE THIS IS KIND OF A LOOK AT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, EXTENSION BUDGET HAS DECREASED IN LEVY DOLLARS OVER THE LAST FIVE PLUS YEARS DUE TO REDUCE IN OUR SUPPORT STAFF.

WE USED TO HAVE TWO FULL-TIME AND TWO PART-TIME.

AND NOW WE HAVE ONE FULL-TIME AND ONE PART-TIME SUPPORT STAFF, AS WELL AS OUR EDUCATOR, FOUR H EDUCATORS NOW CO-FUNDED.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE.

WE GET TO WORK WITH WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS IN FOUR H AS WELL AS HCE.

UM, WE WORK WITH OVER FOUR OR 704 YOUTH AND ADULT VOLUNTEERS THAT DONATE OVER 20,000 HOURS TO WASHINGTON COUNTY.

IF WE HAD TO PAY THEM $20 AN HOUR, IT'D BE OVER $400,000 THAT WE WOULD PAY.

AND THEN WE'RE GONNA

[00:05:01]

CAROL, GOOD MORNING.

UM, MY NAME IS CAROL ROLLICK.

I'M THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATOR.

UM, SO JUST A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE PROGRAMS AND THE REASONING BEHIND THAT.

WASHINGTON COUNTY FAMILIES ARE BEING IMPACTED, EXCUSE ME, ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE HIGHER COST OF LIVING DUE TO THE IMPACT OF INFLATION AND THE NATIONWIDE CHILDCARE, UH, CHILDCARE CRISIS IN 2023.

THE HDR PROGRAM WORKED.

WORK HAS REVOLVED AROUND FINANCIAL CAPABILITY EDUCATION FOR PARTNER ORGANIZATION, CLIENTS AND FAMILIES, AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SOCIAL WORKERS AND OTHER HELPING PROFESSIONALS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

THROUGH THE ENCOURAGING FINANCIAL CONVERSATIONS TRAINING SERIES, SOME BASIC MONEY MANAGEMENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OUTREACH WAS PROVIDED FOR A VARIETY OF AUDIENCES.

UH, FORWARD CAREERS WORK IN WHEELS PROGRAM WAS DONE THROUGH EXTENSIONS, ONLINE MONEY MATTERS, UM, SELF-STUDY LEARNING WITH FINANCIAL COACHING.

AND WE HAD 23 PARTICIPANTS FOR THAT HEAD START FAMILIES THROUGH OFFERING FINANCIAL WORKSHOPS AND MONTHLY FINANCIAL NEWSLETTERS.

THERE'S 120 FAMILIES WITH HEAD START THAT RECEIVED THOSE MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS.

UM, WE ALSO, OR I ALSO PROVIDED, UM, FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND RENT SMART RESOURCES FOR OVER 100 WIC PARTICIPANTS AT THE RESOURCE CONNECTION DRIVETHROUGH DRIVETHROUGH LAST SUMMER HELD AT THE PUBLIC AGENCY CENTER.

AND ALSO, UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PLANNING OF FINANCIAL LITERACY SERIES AT THE WEST BEND LIBRARY FOR 2024.

UM, THEY HAD AN INTEREST IN PROVIDING THAT FOR THE PUBLIC AND THEIR PATRONS.

UM, AND THEN IN, THAT'S IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UH, WORKING WITH THE MONEY SMART WISCONSIN, UM, WEEK FINANCIAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FOR APRIL OF 2024.

SO THAT'S COMING UP, UH, APRIL 10TH WITH SOME, UH, PROGRAMS AT, UM, THE SENIOR CENTER HERE IN WEST BEND, AS WELL AS THE LIBRARY AND PROGRAMS WITH TWO SITES OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

IN ADDITION, UH, TWO IN-PERSON PLANNING AHEAD FOR END OF LIFE SERIES PROGRAMS WERE CONDUCTED IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, ONE IN GERMANTOWN, ONE IN WEST BEND WITH 20 TO 25 ATTENDING EACH SERIES.

A STATEWIDE VIRTUAL SERIES WAS ALSO PROMOTED IN WASHINGTON COUNTY TO MEET THOSE NEEDS OF ONLINE LEARNING.

AND 2024, WE JUST FINISHED THE FIRST SERIES THIS WEEK, IN FACT, YESTERDAY WITH OVER 25 REGISTERED.

AND WE HAD A WAITING LIST OF OVER 20 FOR THE SERIES, AND THEREFORE RESPONDED WITH ADDING ANOTHER SERIES STARTING IN APRIL AT CEDAR RIDGE.

MOVING ON TO SOME OF THE, EXCUSE ME, CHILDCARE, UM, PROGRAMMING PARENTS EXPECT AND DESERVE QUALITY CHILDCARE.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PARTNERS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY SUPPORT OUR EXTENSION EFFORTS TO COORDINATE RELEVANT CHILDCARE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, TEACHERS AND DIRECTORS.

OVER 70 PARTICIPANTS HAVE CONSISTENTLY ATTENDED A CHILDCARE CONFERENCE IN WEST BEND IN BOTH 2023 AND 2024.

JUST FINISHING THAT A WEEK AGO.

UM, THE, THE FOCUS OF THE CONFERENCES HAS BEEN ADDRESSING CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS IN THE CLASSROOM AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.

AND THAT FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY RECEIVING THE, UM, DEAN OF EXTENSION'S INNOVATION GRANT.

IN ADDITION, A CHILDCARE SUMMIT WAS CONVENED IN THE SPRING OF 2023 TO PROVIDE A SPACE FOR CHILDCARE PROVIDERS TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE CHALLENGES IN THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING FUNDING CHANGES AND STAFFING.

AS A RESULT, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS EXPRESS A NEED TO NETWORK WITH EACH OTHER TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER.

HOWEVER, STAFF SHORTAGES HAVE MADE THIS LOGISTICALLY CHALLENGING.

SO MOVING FORWARD, STILL A CHALLENGE.

ONE FOCUS MOVING FORWARD IS CONTINUING TO WORK WITH ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND OTHER 18 TO 24-YEAR-OLD GROUPS TO PROVIDE THE RENT SMART CURRICULUM AND OTHER FINANCIAL LIFE SKILLS.

MOVING ON, WE'LL MOVE TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

OH, YEAH.

CAROL, QUESTION FOR YOU REGARDING THAT, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD, DID, HOW DOES THAT ALIGN WITH, OR DOES IT ALIGN WITH, UM, PUBLIC PAROCHIAL K EIGHT PROGRAMMING? UM, IT BASICALLY, UM, WHAT WE PROVIDE IS, UM, REGISTRY HOURS FOR THE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE 15 HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION EVERY YEAR.

SO PROVIDES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

HOW IT ALIGNS WITH PRE OR DID YOU SAY PRE-K OR K THROUGH, YEAH.

SO SO YOU'RE SAYING IT'S REALLY FOR PRIVATE CHILDCARE CENTERS AND YOUR CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION CAN BE, BUT ALSO, UM, NOT EVERY CHILDCARE CENTER HAS THEIR EMPLOYEES USE THE REGISTRY SYSTEM, AND IT DEPENDS WHAT KIND OF LICENSED CHILDCARE CENTER THEY ARE.

SO A LOT OF THE FAITH-BASED CHILDCARE CENTERS DO NOT NECESSARILY USE THE REGISTRY, BUT AS WE PROVIDE 'EM THAT CERTIFICATE, IT'S STILL DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY HAVE HOURS FOR A SPECIFIC TOPIC THAT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN ASKED TO HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY.

MAINTAINING GOOD QUALITY WATER, AND, UH, DO THAT THROUGH SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES.

[00:10:04]

GOOD MORNING.

THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON COUNTY PRIMARILY WORKS WITH TWO MAIN AUDIENCES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

AND THE FOCUS IS REALLY TO HELP THESE ORGANIZATIONS THINK STRATEGICALLY.

SO OVER THE PAST YEAR, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH FOUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING JUST US OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THE WEST BEND COLUMNS, SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION, THE KIOSKI LIBRARY, AND THE MENTAL HEALTH COALITION.

IN ADDITION TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING, I'VE ALSO PROVIDED, UH, BOARD DEVELOPMENT FOR NONPROFITS IN THIS PAST YEAR.

UM, I PROVIDED THAT TO LOVE IS GREATER THAN HATE PROJECT, UH, WHICH IS WORKING TO END DOMESTIC ABUSE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

UH, AND, UH, IN ADDITION TO THOSE PROGRAMS, WE ALSO DO THE STAFF DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS CALLED REAL COLORS.

UH, AND THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT I CO-TEACH WITH CAROL BROECK, THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATOR.

UH, SIX NONPROFITS BENEFITED FROM THE STAFF DEVELOPMENT REAL COLORS WORKSHOPS, INCLUDING THE ULBRICH FREE CLINIC, BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS, CASA GUADALUPE, GERMANTOWN, COMMUNITY COALITION LEADERSHIP, GERMANTOWN LEADERSHIP WEST BEND, THE WEST BEND, SENIOR CITIZEN ACTIVITY CENTER, AND THE WEST BEND LIBRARY.

UH, MOVING FORWARD, EARLIER THIS YEAR, OR IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, I'VE BEEN DOING STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS.

WE HELD A COMMUNITY VISIONING SESSION IN THE CITY OF HARTFORD THAT WAS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY, THE CHAMBER, THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

OH, UH, THE FOURTH ORGANIZATION WAS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY.

UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING WITHIN INTERFAITH CAREGIVERS, STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH THE VOLUNTEER CENTER, AND THEN WORKING WITH THE WEST BEND COMMUNITY MEMORIAL LIBRARY TO THINK STRATEGICALLY REGARDING THEIR OUTREACH PROGRAMS. SO THAT IS WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO OR WAS UP TO, UH, THIS PAST YEAR.

I'M THE REGIONAL CROPS EDUCATOR FOR WASHINGTON SHEBOYGAN, FLAC AND OZAKI COUNTIES.

AND I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOTH THE DAIRY PROGRAM AND THE CROPS AND SOILS PROGRAM, UM, AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO.

AND, UH, WASHINGTON COUNTY HAS 65 DAIRY FARMS WITH AN AVERAGE SIZE OF ABOUT 355 COWS.

UM, AND TINA COLEMAN WAS OUR REGIONAL DAIRY EDUCATOR UP UNTIL JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.

UM, AND TINA ACTUALLY PROVIDED A LOT OF SUPPORT TO FARMS AS THEY, UH, MADE DECISIONS REGARDING TRANSITION, UH, FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT.

AND ADDITIONALLY TRANSITION FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT AS FAR AS LOOKING AT, UH, DAIRY SUSTAINABILITY AND HOW CAN WE BEST SUPPORT DAIRY FARMS. MOVING INTO, OBVIOUSLY AGRICULTURE'S, UH, CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND LOOKING AT, UM, WHERE THAT INDUSTRY IS GOING.

UM, TINA WOULD PARTNER WITH DAIRY FACULTY AT UW MADISON AS THEY LOOK FOR FIELD SITES FOR A LOT OF, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO DO RESEARCH.

UM, AND THAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE FACULTY AND REGIONAL EDUCATORS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR GETTING REAL WORLD, UM, DATA BACK TO UW MADISON AS WELL AS, UM, GET OUR FARMERS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF UNDERSTANDING HOW THESE TECHNOLOGIES, UM, CAN WORK ON THEIR FARMS. ANOTHER MAJOR PROJECT THAT TINA WAS WORKING ON, UH, WAS A FITNESS FOR TRANSPORT STUDY, AND THAT WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE THEY WERE TRYING TO IDENTIFY HOW, UM, BABY CALVES ARE HANDLED.

WE, WE SHIP A LOT OF, UM, BABY CALVES OUT OF STATE, ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A SURPLUS OF THEM HERE IN WISCONSIN, AND THEY GO TO CALF RAISERS OUT OF STATE.

WELL, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW ARE WE HANDLING THOSE, UH, FROM AN ANIMAL WELFARE STANDPOINT AND UNDERSTANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO DO A BETTER JOB FROM, UH, THAT PERSPECTIVE.

SO TINA WAS INVOLVED WITH THE WORK GROUP ON THAT PROJECT AS WELL, AND THAT IS ONGOING.

UM, AS FAR AS MY WORK HERE WITH EXTENSION, I STARTED LAST MAY, SO, UM, COMING UP ON A YEAR, AND I SPENT A LOT OF MY TIME IN THE FIRST, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS DOING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND TALKING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE AREA AND OUR CS PARTNERS, LAND AND WATER PARTNERS ON NON-PROFITS IN THE AGRICULTURE SPACE.

AND SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IS, UM, IN THIS REGION, DAIRY IS STILL KING, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DAIRY, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT FORAGE PRODUCTION.

SO HAY AND HAYLAGE AS WELL AS CORN SILAGE ACRES ARE HUGE IN THIS AREA.

AND MY BACKGROUND IN ACTUALLY ANIMAL NUTRITION, UM, PUTS ME IN A GREAT POSITION TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN REALLY DEAL WITH, UM, FEED QUALITY IN ORDER TO SUPPORT DAIRY PRODUCTION IN THIS AREA.

UM, ALONG WITH THAT, UM, VERY BIG INTEREST IN THIS REGION AS FAR AS SOIL HEALTH AND WATER QUALITY METRICS AS WELL.

SO THAT'S BEEN AN AREA OF FOCUS FOR ME, IS TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW CAN WE MARRY THOSE TWO THINGS, DAIRY PRODUCTION, UM, AND

[00:15:01]

SO, UM, I'VE ENGAGED IN A LOT OF, UH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TALKING WITH PARTNERS IN THAT SPACE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN DO HERE.

UM, I'VE DEVELOPED A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME OF THE PRODUCER LED WATERSHED GROUPS IN THIS AREA, INCLUDING THE CEDAR CREEK FARMERS HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THEM ON A REGIONAL AG DAY BACK ON FEBRUARY 29TH, WHERE WE HAD ABOUT 70 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.

UM, AND THE FEEDBACK ON THAT EVENT WAS VERY GOOD, UM, WHICH WAS VERY ENCOURAGING.

SO WHAT I'M GOING TO BE WORKING ON MOVING FORWARD IS ONE OF MY MAJOR GOALS IS REALLY TO BE BRINGING SOME OF THE FIELD TRIALS, UH, WHETHER IT'S ON ALFALFA PERSISTENCE.

WE DO HAVE A NITROGEN OPTIMIZATION PILOT, UH, PROJECT SITE HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY THAT'LL START SOON.

UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BRING SOME OF THAT, THAT, UM, PRACTICAL, UH, DATA BACK TO UW MADISON AND SHARE WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY FROM AN AGRICULTURE PERSPECTIVE.

SO, ANY QUESTIONS FOR YEAH, TOO, LIZ.

UH, SO YOU HAD, UH, ALLUDED TO SOME STUDIES AROUND AUTOMATION AND THE MM-HMM.

MILKING INDUSTRY.

OR PARLORS, WHATEVER RIGHT.

TERM, I GUESS.

UM, HOW VIABLE IS THAT FOR THE FARM SIZES IN WISCONSIN, I THINK, OR AT LEAST WISCONSIN OR WASHINGTON COUNTY? YOU SAID THEY WERE WHAT, ABOUT 355 COWS IS THE AVERAGE? YEAH.

SO IF YOU'RE BRINGING IN AUTOMATION, THAT'S A PRETTY HEAVY EXPENSE.

IT REALLY IS.

AND THAT'S WHY IT REALLY DOES TAKE A, AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT YOUR LABOR COSTS ARE AND REALLY WHAT THE KEY IS THERE IS WHAT IS LABOR AVAILABILITY, BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO BE ABLE TO PAY SOMEBODY, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY TO PAY.

AND WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING A LOT OF THE AUTOMATION RIGHT NOW IS JUST THE FACT WE DON'T HAVE RELIABLE, A RELIABLE WORKFORCE IN AGRICULTURE.

UM, YOU NEED ABOUT ONE ROBOT PER 50 TO 60 COWS.

SO EXACTLY.

IF YOU HAVE 300 COWS ON YOUR FARM, 5, 6, 7 ROBOTS AT A QUARTER MILLION A PIECE, THAT ADDS UP PRETTY FAST.

UM, BUT THAT EVEN LEADS TO THE TRANSITION PIECE TOO.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GENERATION THAT'S REALLY WILLING TO COME BACK TO THE FARM AND BE INVOLVED, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE MAKING THAT INVESTMENT, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY TO PICK IT UP IN THE NEXT GENERATION AS WELL.

SO THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT DECISION, UM, WHICH IS WHY I THINK WE DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, TONS OF PEOPLE JUST JUMPING INTO THE ROBOTIC MILKING.

OTHER THAN TRADITIONAL FINANCING FROM A, A LENDER, UM, ARE THERE STATE OR FEDERAL PROGRAMS, GRANTS, WHATEVER YOU CALL IT FOR AUTOMATION? UM, I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

I KNOW FOR A WHILE THERE WERE SOME GRANTS AVAILABLE.

NOW AS WE SEE MORE IMPLEMENTATION, OBVIOUSLY WE START TO SEE SOME OF THAT GO AWAY, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, UH, DAIRY INNOVATION GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE IN THE PAST.

I'M JUST NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THAT SIDE OF THINGS.

ANYTHING ELSE? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION.

, UH, YOU KNOW, LIZ, I WAS READING IN THE, UH, IN THE ANNUAL REPORT ABOUT THE US DAIRY'S NET ZERO INITIATIVE, UH, WITH REGARD TO GREENHOUSE GAS NEUTRALITY.

, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, UM, WHAT IS THE COST, YOU KNOW, TO PRODUCTION AND OUTPUT, UH, DOES THIS HAVE ON A DAIRY FARMER? AND RALPH, IF YOU HAD SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT TOO, I'D BE CURIOUS IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, THAT, WELL, AS FAR AS GRANTS GOES, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY GRANTS THAT I KNOW OF.

I MEAN, WE GOT SIX ROBOTS IN OUR FARM HERE, AND WE MILK 350 COWS.

AND, UH, AS FAR AS YOUR QUESTION GOES, THIS, UH, WHAT WAS THAT? UH, IT WAS ABOUT, UH, THE STER NET ZERO INITIATIVE.

AND I GUESS THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU, RALPH, IS DOES THIS HAVE A COST TO YOU IN PRODUCTION OUTPUT? IS THIS A, A BURDEN TO YOU? WELL, UH, REALLY, I MEAN, THE COST OF PRODUCTION WITH THE MILK PRICE, WHAT IT IS NOW, THERE'S NO PROFIT TO BE MADE 'CAUSE THE MILK PRICE IS SO FAR DOWN AND, UH, FEED COSTS ARE UP AND, AND, UH, IT, IT'S A STRUGGLE TO KEEP GOING, BUT I MEAN, HOPEFULLY IT'LL INCREASE IN THE FUTURE HERE.

AND I THINK, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? UH, I CAN SPEAK TO IT A LITTLE BIT.

I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A SPECIFIC COST TO THE FARM, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF, UH, PRODUCERS ARE LOOKING INTO, UM, INVESTMENTS THAT THEY CAN MAKE IN ORDER TO REDUCE THAT FOOTPRINT, WHETHER IT BE METHANE DIGESTERS.

NOW, WHEN I SAY, I DON'T MEAN, I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THERE A COMPLIANCE COST THAT'S AN UNUSUAL BURDEN FINANCIALLY TO A DAIRY FARMER.

THIS IS ALREADY A TOUGH ROAD TO HOLD.

AND SOME MIGHT SEE THIS AS AN INITIATIVE THAT, THAT, THAT MAKES THAT ROAD EVEN TOUGHER FOR A PROBLEM THAT I'M REALLY NOT SURE IS ACTUALLY A PROBLEM.

I THINK, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A DIRECT COST TO THE FARM, BUT AS WE START TO PUSH THAT DIRECTION, COSTS,

[00:20:01]

I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK THE, THE THING IS THE PRODUCERS THAT DECIDE TO MAKE SOME MORE OF THOSE DECISIONS TO GO WITH, UH, MORE, IF YOU WILL, CLIMATE SMART TYPES OF MOVES.

IT'S JUST THE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.

ARE YOU PLANTING COVER CROPS? ARE YOU, THERE'S NOT, UH, THERE'S NOT A LINE COMPLIANCE BURDEN OR A, I, I DON'T, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.

THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF? YEAH.

ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JACOB, BISON, FOUR H EDUCATOR.

I STARTED IN 20 WHEN I, OH, FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR, SO I WAS 23.

TO PLAN AND INITIATE THAT THIS FALL.

THERE WE GO.

AND, UH, IF I WAS DESCRIBE A FOUR H EDUCATOR, I WOULD SAY THERE'S, UH, SORT OF TWO LANES.

UH, THERE'S MAYBE SOME MINI LANES IN THERE, BUT VOLUNTEERS AND YOUTH ARE THE TWO LANES THAT THE EDUCATOR, UH, GETS ENGAGED IN.

I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE THINK THE FOUR H EDUCATOR IS JUST WITH KIDS AND HAVING FUN, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, BEHIND THE SCENES ACTIVITIES ARE GOING ON WITH VOLUNTEERS.

SO REAL QUICKLY, IN THE LAST YEAR, THERE ARE 16 CLUBS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY WITH ABOUT 20 COUNTYWIDE PROJECTS THAT MEET SEPARATELY FROM THOSE CLUBS.

ABOUT 594 YOUTH ARE REGISTERED AS OF TODAY, 227 VOLUNTEERS.

AND SOME QUICK HIGHLIGHTS THAT SORT OF ILLUSTRATE THOSE TWO LANES OF YOUTH AND ADULT IS JUST ME GETTING AROUND TO ALL THE CLUBS AND THE PROJECTS, MEETING THE, UH, ADULT VOLUNTEERS, FINDING OUT WHAT THEY NEED, FINDING OUT HOW THEY'RE DOING, UM, ENGAGING ON A LOT OF MEETINGS SUCH AS ACHIEVEMENT AND RECOGNITION COMMITTEE, UM, TRUST FUND, ADVISORY BOARD LEADERS ASSOCIATION, BOARD RECOGNITION COMMITTEE.

THERE'S A LOT OF COMMITTEES THAT MEET WITH ADULTS FOR FOUR H.

UM, ALSO MAKING SURE THAT ADULTS, UH, HAVE THEIR TRAINING AND ARE SEEN AS SAFE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT WORKING WITH THE DIFFERENT AGES OF YOUTH, UM, IN THEIR CLUBS AND IN THEIR PROJECTS AS FAR AS YOUTH GO.

GETTING AROUND, AGAIN TO THOSE CLUBS, UH, AND AND ENGAGING ACTIVITIES HELPS ME DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM, FINDING OUT WHAT THEY NEED AS WELL.

JUST LAST SATURDAY, WE HAD A TEEN CONNECT ACTIVITY THAT WAS JUST FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH, FUN SOCIAL TIME.

BUT WE ALSO SPENT TIME TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE KEEP HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH ENGAGED IN FOUR H, WHAT DO, UH, CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES, WHAT CAN THEY DO SORT OF TO ENHANCE AND KEEP HIGH SCHOOLERS, UM, UH, ENGAGED, UH, IN FOUR H.

AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER ACTIVITIES, UH, THAT I'VE BEEN IN INVOLVED WITH, WITH YOUTH ARE THINGS LIKE GOING TO THE FAIR WORKSHOP, UM, ACTION AND PROMOTION BOOTH AT THE FAIR.

UM, MONTHLY RADIO INTERVIEWS AT WIBD, WHERE I WOULD BRING IN KIDS AND THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED AND WHAT THEY WANT FOR THE FUTURE.

UM, AND THEN JUST, UH, OUTREACH EFFORTS, UM, INCLUDE SOME OF THE SUMMER PROGRAMMING.

WE DON'T HAVE A SUMMER EDUCATOR BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR.

UM, BUT THOSE SUMMER OUTREACH INCLUDES GOING TO LIBRARIES, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, FARMER'S MARKET, AND REALLY REACHING OUT TO, UM, JUST THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO INVITE THEM TO ENGAGE IN FOUR H.

ALL RIGHT, KELLY, THANK YOU.

MARK.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, THANK.

ALRIGHT.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS KELLY JOHN.

I AM THE COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT EDUCATOR FOR WASHINGTON AND FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

SO I STARTED MY TIME HERE AT EXTENSION JUNE OF 2023, SO JUST ABOUT SIX MONTHS INTO THE YEAR.

SO I BEGAN WITH, UH, NEEDS ASSESSMENT WITH DIFFERENT YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS AROUND WASHINGTON COUNTY, AND CAME UP WITH A FEW THEMES, UM, THAT I WOULD START WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON.

SO THAT'S THE SITUATION.

SO YOUTH NEED LIFE SKILLS, INCLUDING LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY, STRONG WORK ETHIC, INDEPENDENCE, AND PER PERSEVERANCE.

UM, YOUTH NEED TO FEEL INVESTED IN THEIR SURROUNDINGS TO STAY CONNECTED TO THEIR COMMUNITY, AND YOUTH NEED TO FIND THEIR SPARKS FOR LEARNING TO DEVELOP SKILLS AND GIVE BACK TO COMMUNITIES.

I STARTED THESE INITIATIVES, UM, BASED ON THE THEMES THAT I CAME FROM THE INTERVIEWS.

UM, SO EDUCATION TO IMPROVE YOUTH'S, LIFE SKILLS, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

UM, SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WAS DONE BEFORE ME WAS WITH THE WEST BEND, UH, SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

AND SO I CONTINUED THAT WORK WITH, UM, DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS IN THE CLASSROOM AS WELL AS, UH, KINDNESS LEADERSHIP RETREAT, SO HELPING

[00:25:01]

UM, SO THOSE WERE WORKING ON LEADERSHIP SKILLS AS WELL AS TEAMWORK.

UM, AND ALSO WE BROUGHT IN, UM, VOLUNTEER, UM, VOLUNTEERS FROM THE, UH, FROM THE HUB TO TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING AROUND IN THE COMMUNITY TO, UM, TO KIND OF GIVE THE, THE YOUTH AN IDEA OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ARE, UM, AND TO BE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

UM, I ALSO WORK WITH GERMANTOWN YOUTH FUTURES.

SO THE OTHER, THE OTHER PARTS ARE YOUTH ADULT PARTNERSHIPS DEVELOPMENT TO ADDRESS LOCAL ISSUES.

SO WE DO THAT WITH THE YOUTH, UH, GERMANTOWN YOUTH FUTURES, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY OUTREACH COLLABORATION ORGANIZATIONS TO ENHANCE YOUTH FOCUS PROGRAMMING.

SO WITH GERMANTOWN YOUTH FUTURES, WE FOCUS A LOT ON THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AS WELL AS THINKING ABOUT SOCIAL ISSUES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

UH, I LIKE TO BRING YOUTH VOICE INTO THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE OWNERSHIP OF, UM, THEIR PROJECTS.

UM, THE MAIN MISSION IS TO GIVE THE, THEIR PEERS DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES TO DO RATHER THAN DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.

SO WE PLAN A LOT OF FUN ACTIVITIES.

WE HAVE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO BRAINSTORM, UM, ON DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP THEIR PEERS AND, AND LEARN ABOUT THE SOCIAL ISSUES THAT THEY SEE.

SO, ANY QUESTIONS? I DO, KELLY.

UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE LIFE SKILLS.

UH, HAVE YOU TOUCHED ON THE NEEDS FOR, LET'S SAY OLD SCHOOL, CIVICS OLD SCHOOL? CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT? WELL, IT, YOU KNOW, HELPING YOUR NEIGHBOR BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY, I, I KNOW OF, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE MAYBE HAVE HAD LOST SOME CONNECTION TO THAT.

DEFINITELY.

YOU KNOW, PICK UP THE GARBAGE THAT'S LAYING, UH, WHEN YOU'RE WALKING BY, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS THAT I JUST CALL THAT KIND OF CIVIC MINDED AND ORIENTED.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO PART OF THE RETREATS THAT WE DO, UM, THERE'S A BIG PART OF LIKE, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP, UM, YOUR COMMUNITY? AND WE TALK ABOUT THE NEIGHBOR EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THE THE KIDS GET INTO THEIR GROUPS.

THEY ARE ALL SEPARATED INTO GROUPS AND COME UP WITH IDEAS THAT THEY CAN DO FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.

SO THEY COME UP WITH THEIR PROJECTS, AND THEN THEY GET TO PRESENT ON WHAT THEY WOULD DO.

AND THAT'S THE SAME WITH GERMANTOWN YOUTH FUTURES.

THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE, THE KINDNESS, KIND OF THE KINDNESS, YOU KNOW, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, THINGS THAT THEY COULD DO IN THAT ASSESSMENT HAVE, HAVE HAD THE STUDENTS OR THE YOUTH THEMSELVES EXPRESSED THAT, OOH, THIS IS A SHORTCOMING.

WE SEE.

WE HAVE SUCH ACRIMONY, WE HAVE SUCH DIVIDED POLITICAL STUFF.

AND THOSE THINGS ACT ACTUALLY HAVEN'T BEEN REALLY DISCUSSED WITH THE YOUTH.

I'M JUST CURIOUS YEAH.

WHAT THEIR IMPRESSION IS ON WHAT WE'RE GIVING THEM AS A RIGHT.

AND AS I BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, I THINK WE CAN HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS LIKE THAT.

SO, BECAUSE I'M KIND OF A NEW PERSON, I LIKE TO JUST BUILD A RELATIONSHIP FIRST AND, AND GAIN THEIR TRUST.

SO WE CAN HAVE DEEP CONVERSATIONS LIKE THAT.

BUT I, I AGREE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KELLY? I DO, SIR.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UM, OVER THE YEARS, I, FOR ONE, HAVE BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT MS. BRACH HAS DONE ON FINANCIAL LITERACY.

UM, NOT ONLY THE RETIREMENT THINGS, BUT IT BRINGS A QUESTION, AND I THINK WE HAVE A PROBLEM OVERALL WITH FINANCIAL LITERACY.

SO WHAT'S THE AGE WHERE WE START TEACHING THAT TO THE KIDS? AND HAVE YOU PARTNERED WITH CAROL TO WORK SOMETHING LIKE THAT? UM, NOT IN IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, BUT IN FOND DULAC COUNTY.

I'M WORKING ON A PROJECT THAT WORKS WITH FOURTH THROUGH SIXTH GRADERS, AND I'D LIKE TO BRING IT TO WASHINGTON COUNTY AS WELL.

IT'S, UM, IT'S ACTUALLY A KIND OF A FUN, IT'S A LEMONADE STAND THAT THEY, THEY HAVE THIS WHOLE CURRICULUM, UM, AND IT'S A NATIONAL PROGRAM WHERE THEY LEARN ABOUT BUDGETING, THEY LEARN ABOUT BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR, ESSENTIALLY.

BUT, UM, THEY LEARN ALL ABOUT, UM, FINANCIAL LITERACY IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU START A BUSINESS? HOW DO YOU OWN IT? HOW DO YOU, UM, THINK ABOUT YOUR PROFITS, YOUR REVENUE, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST DID THIS WITH MY FOURTH GRADER YESTERDAY, SO IT'S, IT WAS, I THINK FOURTH GRADE IS A GOOD AGE TO START.

BEYOND THAT.

IT MIGHT BE OVER THEIR, THEIR HEADS A LITTLE BIT.

BUT, UM, I ALSO DO, UH, AN INDEPENDENT LIVING, UM, PROGRAM WITH, UH, FOSTER STUDENTS THAT ARE ABOUT TO AGE OUTTA THE SYSTEM.

SO THEY'RE FROM 14 TO 24.

UM, AND THAT GETS MORE INTO LIKE BUDGETING.

AND I COLLABORATE WITH HDR, THE HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT EDUCATOR, UM, HOUSING, UM, CREDIT.

SO ALL OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, BUILDING THEIR ADULTING.

IT'S LIKE AN ADULTING 1 0 1 KIND OF CLASS.

UM, SO EMPLOYMENT, ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO I THINK YOU CAN START LITERACY AT FOURTH GRADE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, BUILD UPON THAT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

EXCUSE ME, I HAVE TO ECHO, UH, A COUNTY CHAIR SCH LIFE'S COMMENT ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY AND, UH, YOUR PROGRAM SOUNDS REALLY NEAT.

[00:30:01]

EXCUSE ME.

IT, SEE THERE ARE, UM, AGE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMING.

UM, I AM SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND, AND, AND ALSO THE, UH, FINANCIAL LITERACY THROUGH THE, UH, UM, BANKERS ASSOCIATION.

THEY GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO KINDERGARTEN.

SO THERE IS CURRICULUM OUT THERE THAT HELPS INTRODUCE CONCEPTS TO, TO STUDENTS AT EVEN AGE OF SIX OR SEVEN.

AMONG THE ADJECTIVES, YOU STARTED OUT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT LIKE YOUR LEMONADE STAND PROGRAM.

, YOU KNOW, I HOPE YOU WOULD LEAN INTO, AND I HAVE A BROTHER, UH, AND HE AND I TALK ABOUT THIS QUITE A BIT, UM, AS I THINK A LOT OF YOUTH DON'T UNDERSTAND, UH, UM, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND CAPITALISM.

CAPITALISM IS NOT A DIRTY WORD.

IT'S THE FOUNDATION OF OUR, OF OUR COUNTRY.

AND IT'S A WORD, UH, THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD USE, UH, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT WHAT CAPITALISM BRINGS.

IT BRINGS THE VERY COUNTRY THAT THEY LIVE UNDER.

AND IT'S THE REALLY ONLY FORM, UH, OF ECONOMIC, UM, UM, UH, MODEL THAT CAN THRIVE UNDER THE US CONSTITUTION.

RIGHT? SO, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MISGIVINGS ABOUT CAPITALISM, AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE COUNTERED.

SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE LEMONADE STAND, THAT'S A FORM OF CAPITALISM.

AND I HOPE YOU'RE NOT AFRAID TO USE THAT WORD.

OH, GOSH, NO , RIGHT? NO, WE ENCOURAGE, THANK YOU.

SO, YOU KNOW, VERY GOOD.

IN YOUR PACKET, UM, SOME OF THE NEW INITIATIVES FOR THE BIENNIUM.

WELL, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

AND, UH, IF YOU HAD ANY MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE OUT OF THE WAY TO THE NEXT PERSON ON YOUR AGENDA.

I THINK THAT'S ALL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.

NEXT UP, WE HAVE OUR EOS, UH, LAND RESOURCES FOR THE REPORT THAT, UH, JAMIE, YEP.

I WILL TAKE THIS ONE.

AND YOU DO SEE

[b. Land Resources Quarterly Report]

THE ONLY COMMENT I REALLY WANNA MAKE ON THIS IS THAT, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DID MENTION THAT FOLLOWING THE ADOPTION OF THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES OF THE COUNTY BOARD, THAT IS A, AN ONGOING CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW AT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COUNTY BOARD.

THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL ONES IN THIS CATEGORY THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY SHOW UP IN YOUR NEXT REPORT, UM, RELATED TO WATER HEALTH.

UM, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ONE LATER ON THE AGENDA.

UM, AND SO AS WE WEAVE THOSE INTO AND THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION, SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ONES THAT YOU SEE IN THIS REPORT.

UM, MY, MY ONLY OBSERVATION IS THERE'S A LOT OF MEATY ITEMS IN HERE AND A LOT THROUGH 2025, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, REASONABLE TIMEFRAME.

AND IS THERE PRIORITIZATION OF, OF THESE MEANING, YOU KNOW, WHAT COMES FIRST, SECOND, THIRD? UM, YES.

SO I THINK THAT THEY ARE, THEY ARE MEATY.

I CAN TELL YOU WITH REGARDS TO PAGE ONE OR PAGE ONE OF THE REPORT REGARDING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES WITH COUNTY REGULATORY FUNCTIONS, THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MOBILE APPLICATION IS PROBABLY THE LOWEST PRIORITY, JUST IN TERMS OF, UM, AS WE GO INTO THE SEASON WITH OUR STAFF TURNOVER, UM, THAT WE ARE STILL WAITING TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT AND WORKING ON HOW THAT LOOKS.

THESE OTHER THREE ALL TO SOME DEGREE GO TOGETHER.

UM, BECAUSE AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE WORKLOADS AND THE, UH, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, UH, THE PERMIT SIGN OFF PROCESS, DEREGULATION IS ACTUALLY ONE.

AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT APPLICATION THAT WE ARE MOVING UP AFTER OUR LAST, UH, SOME TURNOVER WE HAD IN THE ADMIN OFFICE, UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S A HEAVY ADMINISTRATIVE WORKLOAD THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY ALLOWING A SELF-CERTIFICATION.

SO THAT ONE IS, UM, A HIGH PRIORITY FOR ME BECAUSE IT IN THEORY, REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF CUSTOMER TRAFFIC IN OUR OFFICE.

UM, AND THEN, THEN THE FOLLOW UP, THE, ON THE SECOND PAGE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE NOT STARTED THE COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING PROGRAM.

AND THEN THESE ARE, THESE ARE ASSIGNED TO SOME KEY STAFF PLAYERS.

SO I'M NOT AS CONCERNED THAT THEY'RE NOT ACHIEVABLE.

LOGICALLY, AS YOU, YOU MENTIONED SOME OF IT WILL BRING ABOUT EFFICIENCIES, RIGHT? RIGHT.

TO A CERTAIN DEGREE IT WILL DRIVE THE TIMELINE OF THAT.

THE MODERNIZATION OF THE TREE SOFTWARE, THAT ONE WE ARE AT THE WHIM, YOU KNOW,

[00:35:01]

SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT IF THAT, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT.

COUNTY BOARD CHAIR, UM, I WAS GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT.

IT IS, WE'RE SHARING SERVICES, SO THEY'RE PRETTY BUSY THESE DAYS WITH ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS.

YOU'RE NOT GETTING LEFT BY THE WAYSIDE, ARE YOU? WE, THIS IS IN THEIR INITIATIVES AS WELL.

SO HOPEFULLY NOT THAT WE ARE, THEY ARE MAKING A PRIORITY TO MAINTAIN SERVICE LEVELS FOR COUNTY OPERATIONS AS WELL.

AND SO WE ARE AWARE OF THAT, BUT STAFFING ISSUES CAN IMPACT THOSE, THESE TYPES OF INITIATIVES REALLY EASILY.

SO ARE YOU SEEING SOME TRACTION IN THE START DOING THE APP? UM, YES.

FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? OKAY.

HEARING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR, UH, FIRST RESOLUTION.

THAT WOULD BE THE GRANT APPLICATION FOR ENERGY

[c. 2023 Resolution: Grant Application – Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) – Funding for Energy Efficient Equipment Rebates]

EFFICIENCY CONSERVATION BLOCK.

I'D NEED A, A MOTION AND A SECOND.

UH, MOTION BY, BY AND ICK.

UM, SO IS THAT, UH, GONNA BE LOGAN? WE, WE WILL, UH, THERE WAS A RESOLUTION AND A REPORT NEAR PACKET, AND WE ARE BOTH HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN ANSWER ON THIS.

UM, I HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, WALK IN WITH, UH, MR. BLISS AND, AND MY QUESTION TO HIM.

SO I'LL PHRASE IT TO ALL AS, WHAT'S A LIKELIHOOD OF, OF US, UM, RECEIVING THESE? I KNOW THESE ARE SOME CIP UH, ITEMS. I BELIEVE.

I MEAN, IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT.

THE MONEY'S ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED TO WASHINGTON COUNTY.

OH, IT HAS BEEN.

IT'S A, THIS IS FORMALLY ACCEPTING IT.

SO THIS WAS A BLOCK GRANT, SO IT WAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT WAS ALLOCATED TO EACH COMMUNITY, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF APPLYING AND CLAIMING AND THEN TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE PROJECT WILL BE FOR YOUR ALLOCATION.

SO THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE 79 K BASICALLY.

NO, UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COMMENTS, HEARING NONE.

OPPOSED? SO THIS WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE COUNTY BOARD FOR, UH, FINAL APPROVAL.

WE JUST HAVE A PILE OF MONEY THAT, HEY, IF WE HAVE A LANDOWNER THAT'S INTERESTED RATHER THAN APPLYING, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS DUE APRIL AND YOU GET THE MONEY FOR THE NEXT YEAR, THE NEXT TWO YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE MONEY IN HAND IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS GRANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, LET'S, ALRIGHT, YOU'RE INTERESTED.

UH, NEXT IS, UH, ALSO A GRANT APPLICATION FOR TARGETED RUNOFF,

[d. 2023 Resolution: Grant Application – Targeted Runoff Management Grant]

UM, MANAGEMENT.

AND SIMILARLY IT SEEMS TO BE, UM, OKAY.

ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? ACTUALLY BEFORE I GET INTO THAT MOTION TO, UH, IT'S MR. M**K, UH, SUPERVISOR, M**K, SUPERVISOR BY, UM, JAMIE, UM, OR PAUL.

ANY INSIGHT? NO, THERE, THERE WAS A REPORT IN THE PACKET, AND AGAIN, PAUL IS HERE.

I'M HERE.

WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS.

I DID HAVE A, UH, A QUESTION READING THROUGH IT.

IT, IT APPEARS THAT, UH, JACKSON LANDOWNERS PRODUCERS, UM, SEEM TO BE THE PRIMARY RECIPIENTS.

UM, SO IT, IT REFERS TO, UH, LIKELY EXISTING PROGRAMS FOR MANURE AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT.

COULD COULD YOU EXPLAIN SOME OF THOSE? ARE THEY READY IN, IN PLAY OR ARE THEY GONNA BE CONSIDERED WITH THIS GRANT? UM, HISTORICALLY, THE DNR HAS AL ALWAYS OFFERED A TARGETED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GRANT.

UM, AND PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE, 10 YEARS AGO, THEY ACTUALLY SAID, HEY, YOU CAN DO A LARGE SCALE TRIM GRANT WHERE YOU ACTUALLY FOCUS ON, IT'S CALLED THE HUCK 12.

IT'S A SMALLER WATERSHED.

IF YOU KNOW THERE'S ENOUGH RESOURCE CONCERNS IN THAT WATERSHED, YOU CAN KIND OF APPLY FOR LIKE A THREE YEAR GRANT WITH AN EXTENSION OF A FOUR YEAR GRANT.

NOW, WE JUST GOT DONE WITH A LARGE, UH, MANURE PIT ON ONE FARM JUST NORTH OF HARTFORD.

THAT WAS A SPECIFIC SITE, SPECIFIC TRIM GRANT THAT WAS $195,000.

SO ONE PROJECT CAN EASILY EAT UP, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED THOUSAND, $200,000.

SO, UM, THE OFFICE STAFF, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A COUPLE YEARS, SAID, HEY, WE, WE HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCE CONCERNS IN THIS ONE WATERSHED THAT KIND OF CUTS THROUGH THE, THE NORTHERN PART OF THE TOWN OF JACKSON, CENTRAL, PART OF TOWN OF JACKSON, AND LET'S APPLY FOR LARGE SCALE TRIM.

AND WE CAN ALSO TAKE SOME OF THIS MONEY IF WE WANT FOR STAFF, UM, WITH SOME STAFFING CUTS.

AND MAYBE IT'S A WAY TO OFFSET SOME OF THE OTHER GRANT THINGS THAT WERE REDUCED, UM, WITH STAFF CHANGES.

UM, BUT REALLY THIS IS JUST A CONTINUATION OF EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING.

[00:40:01]

LET'S GO AHEAD, START CONSTRUCTION AND, AND GET MOVING.

SO IT HELPS SPEED UP THE PROCESS.

SO WE HAVE BEEN OUT TALKING TO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THIS WATERSHED THAT WE HAVE INTEREST, YOU KNOW, EASILY PROBABLY ABOUT 350, $400,000 RIGHT NOW.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT GOES, ONCE ONE STARTS, IT GAINS AN INTEREST TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND KINDA SNOWBALLS FROM THERE.

UM, SO AS YOU SAID, IT COULD SNOWBALL.

IS THERE, UM, OH, UH, INTAKE PROCESS THEN 600 K AS YOU MENTIONED, IF WE JUST SPENT, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 200 K ON ONE PROJECT ALONE, YOU KNOW, IS THERE, IS THERE A A, A WAY TO MANAGE THAT 600 K? UM, I MEAN, IT'S MANAGED INTERNALLY BY NEED.

I MEAN, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED KIND OF A PRIORITY RANKING LIST.

UM, LET'S SAY HERE, HERE PROBABLY ARE THE WORST SITES COMPARED TO THE, THE LEAST, YOU KNOW, LEAST WATER QUALITY IMPACT SITES.

UM, SO WE'RE GONNA BE TARGETING THAT.

WE ALSO CAN RELY ON ADDITIONAL GRANTS THAT WE GET FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AG OR NRCS GRANTS, UH, THROUGH THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

SO WE CAN EVEN KIND OF PIGGYBACK THIS MONEY OR SHARE RESOURCES.

WE ALWAYS SAY WE HAVE A LARGE TOOLBOX, AND IT'S LIKE WHEN WE HAVE A LANDLORD THAT'S INTERESTED, WE OPEN UP THE TOOLBOX AND SAY, OKAY, HOW CAN WE GET THIS PROJECT DONE? AND IF WE CAN USE THIS GRANT, PERFECT.

IF WE CAN USE EQUIP OR KIND OF SHARE RESOURCES TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TRY TO SPREAD THE WEALTH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

GOT IT.

SO THE, CALL IT RANKING OF AREAS OF IMPORTANCE THAT'S BASED UPON YOU AND YOUR OFFICE ASSESSMENT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, EITHER GROUNDWATER QUALITY OR SOLAR EROSION ACROSS THE COMING.

UM, UH, A LOT OF IT WAS REALLY BASED ON DEPTH OF BEDROCK, THAT AREA IN JACKSON AND GERMANTOWN.

AND EVEN IN NORTHERN PART OF GERMANTOWN, THEY HAVE HIGH BEDROCK AREAS.

SO IT'S DEPTH OF BEDROCK, PROXIMITY OF THE FARM TO A STREAM OR TO A CONCENTRATED FLOW THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE FARM.

UM, SO YEAH, WE, WE TOOK A WHOLE BUNCH OF RESOURCES AND LOOKED AT THAT AND SAID, ALL RIGHT, HERE'S OUR PARTY RANKING LIST AND OBVIOUSLY OF EXISTING PROBLEMS AND THE WAY THE SITE LOOKS, VISUAL INSPECTIONS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MR. SIEGEL? HEARING NONE, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

THIS WOULD ALSO GO TO THE COUNTY BOARD FOR FULL REVIEW AND APPROVAL.

OPPOSED? HEARING NONE.

MOTION CARRIES.

ALRIGHT.

NEXT UP IS ALSO, UH, A GRANT APPLICATION FOR

[e. 2023 Resolution: Grant Application – Urban Construction Grant]

URBAN CONSTRUCTION.

THIS IS A NON-POINT SOURCE STORMWATER PROGRAM.

I DID A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, SUPERVISOR, BIRD AND SUPERVISOR, ICK.

UM, SO ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY FURTHER INSIGHT WE NEED FROM, UH, STAFF? YEAH, IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.

THERE WAS A REPORT THAT KIND OF DETAILED.

YEAH, SO THIS IS SPECIFIC, UH, YOU TALKED EARLIER ABOUT NEEDS ON THE FARM.

THIS IS OUR, OUR OWN, THIS IS OUR OWN BACKYARD.

THIS IS OUR OWN BACKYARD COUNTY COURT, UH, COURTHOUSE GROUNDS.

AND, UH, PRACTICES.

SO, UH, THIS IS THE 50% COST SHARE.

JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR FOR, FOR ALL, UM, AS THE COUNTY WILL BE COMMITTING.

AND, AND WE DO HAVE IT SOUNDS LIKE ALLOCATION AND 25 26, UH, CIP.

UM, CURIOUS WHO DOES THAT WORK? SO WE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, IN DISCUSSION WITH SCOTT SCH MITT, UM, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.

UM, HE ACTUALLY SAID IT'D BE GREAT IF THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT COULD DO THE WORK.

UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD OFFSET AND PAY BASICALLY THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.

UM, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD PULL FROM THE CIP AS WELL FOR ALL THE ACTIVITY.

OBVIOUSLY THEY NEED FULL REIMBURSEMENT.

UM, IF THEY ARE UNABLE, THEN WE WOULD ACTUALLY HIRE A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR THROUGH A BIDDING PROCEDURE PROCESS.

THE DESIGN WE'RE HOPING TO DO MOSTLY IN-HOUSE.

UM, BUT IF, UH, WE NEED TO, UH, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY RESOURCES IN THE GRANT TO PULL IN A PRIVATE ENGINEER IF NEED BE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MR. SIEGEL? ALL RIGHT.

HEARING NONE AGAIN, WE HAVE, UH, UH, A MOTION, UM, FOR THE GRANT, UH, WHICH WILL REQUIRE COST SHARE, AND WE'LL ALSO GO TO THE FALK COUNTY BOARD FOR, FOR APPROVAL.

UH, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO FUND, UH, WASHINGTON COUNTY'S OWN RURAL COMMUNITIES LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION.

OPPOSED? HEARING NONE.

MOTION CARRIES.

AND NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS A RESOLUTION FOR

[f. 2023 Resolution: General Fund Transfer to fund Rural Communities Land and Water Conservation Grant Program]

[00:45:01]

UH, GRANT, UM, WOULD NEED A, UH, A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION.

MR. MAKE A MOTION, MR. BIRD.

SO, UM, WHILE WE HAVE MATERIAL, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF IT.

UM, MS. LUDOVIC, COULD YOU GIVE US, UM, A 1 0 1 PLEASE? SURE.

SO THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU, AND AT BOTH THE COUNTY BOARD MEETING AS WELL AS THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE LAST NIGHT, AND ALSO AT YOUR FUTURE COUNTY BOARD MEETING, THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION BY THE COUNTY BOARD AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ON THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT BIENNIUM AND INITIATIVE NUMBER FOUR IN THIS DOCUMENT IS REALLY WHAT THIS RESOLUTION IS ALL ABOUT.

SO, LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION, UH, PARENTHESES FARMLAND PRESERVATION.

SO THE, THE, THE CONTEXTUAL, UH, BACKGROUND FOR THIS, ACCORDING TO THAT DOCUMENT, FOR THE PAST QUARTER TO A HALF CENTURY, THE COUNTY COMMUNITY HAS STRUGGLED TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN SUBURBAN AND EXURBAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LAND AND WATER PRESERVATION CONSERVATION, DATING BACK TO THE LATE 19 HUNDREDS.

THE COUNTY ATTEMPTED TO CREATE A FUND TO HELP PROTECT NATURAL AREAS AND FARMLAND.

NOW, GIVEN THE INTENSE DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES ON THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE ACCELERATION OF FAMILIES LEAVING THE FARM INDUSTRY PRIMARILY DUE TO RETIREMENTS, UM, THE COUNTY BOARD DID SEE A PRESENTATION ON THIS A FEW MONTHS BACK.

THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW STILL, THERE'S NOT A MANDATED FUNCTION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THEREFORE THE COUNTY'S ROLE SHOULD BE LIMITED AND WE OUGHT TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

INSTEAD OF DIRECT COUNTY GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT.

WE SHOULD CONSIDER HOW WE CAN FINANCIALLY SUPPORT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ALREADY IN THIS SPACE.

A PILOT PROGRAM SHOULD BE INITIATED TO ESTABLISH A ONE-TIME GRANT, ALONG WITH RULES AND PARAMETERS FOR THE PROGRAM GOALS, COUNTY PARTICIPATION, DETERMINATION, AND SO FORTH.

BASED ON THE SUCCESS AND LEARNING OF THE ONE-TIME GRANT PROGRAM, THE COUNTY BOARD SHOULD CONSIDER THE MERITS OF AN ONGOING REVENUE SOURCE AND PROGRAM FOR THE FUTURE OF WASHINGTON COUNTY UNDER ACCESS TO BASIC PHYSICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIOECONOMIC NEEDS, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND VITALITY IN WELL GOVERNED AND ADMINISTERED COUNTY.

I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE PROPOSED GRANT PROGRAM AND THE ONE-TIME FUNDING WHAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED TO BE A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER FOR THE REASON OF, UH, REALLY WANTING THE COUNT, THE COMMITTEE AND THE COUNTY BOARD TO CONTEMPLATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE AND DISCUSS THE MERITS OF SUCH.

UH, THERE, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE RIGHT NOW DOES SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, CONCERNS REGARDING THE BALANCE THERE.

UM, THERE WAS A LONG CONVER, LENGTHY CONVERSATION YESTERDAY ABOUT THE IDEA OF A PILOT SO THAT YOU COULD REALLY DRILL INTO DETAILS AND WHAT WE WANNA ACCOMPLISH.

UM, WE WOULD THEN REPORT ON THE EXECUTION AND RECOMMEND WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT SOME SORT OF A FULL PROGRAM.

THE, I WILL ALSO JUST NOTE THAT AS IT RELATES TO A PILOT PROGRAM, WHICH THIS WOULD BE, UM, WE WOULD, WE HAVE, UM, HAD SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, AND BACKGROUND DEVELOPED ON A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, HOW THE PROGRAM WOULD LOOK INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET FOR REFERENCE WAS THE FULL HISTORY OF THIS CONVERSATION, UM, THE LAST TIME THE COUNTY BOARD TALKED ABOUT THIS.

AND THAT AGAIN, REALLY EMPHASIZES, I THINK, THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE'VE BEEN TO DETERMINE KIND OF WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO GO AS A COMMUNITY.

JAMIE, SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT TO BE CLEAR, WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS PDR.

WHICH IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT SUBJECT THAN I THINK THIS IS ALLUDED TO.

WE'LL GET TO THAT IN IN A MOMENT, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT PART VERY CLEAR THAT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, OVER A DECADE AGO AND 60 TO 40%, THE WASHINGTON COUNTY VOTERS SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR PDR.

BIENNIUM REALLY DRILLING INTO THIS TOPIC AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY BOARD WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.

CORRECT.

AND THEN ALSO I WANNA POINT OUT, UM, MIKE NAST, DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? YES.

HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION.

HE IS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.

THERE WAS A LETTER ADDED A COUPLE DAYS AGO TO THE BACKSIDE OF YOUR MATERIALS.

HOPEFULLY YOU HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT WITH REGARDS TO THE TIMING OF SUCH PROGRAM AND, AND MOVING FORWARD IN THE NEXT

[00:50:01]

SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY A PUBLIC POLICY DISCUSSION ABOUT IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA DO AS A BOARD, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE, UH, HE IS HERE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT BE RELEVANT FOR CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION.

I AM SORRY YOU SAID MIKE.

YES, THANK YOU.

UH, SO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION.

YOU MEAN SPECIFICALLY FOR MIKE OR ON THIS OBJECTION? WELL, ON THE, YEAH, ON THE, ON THE, ON THE TOPIC.

I KNOW I HAVE SOME, BUT I'M RESERVING FOR, FOR ALL OF YOU TO OPINE.

UM, WELL, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY FOR MIKE.

UH, YOU KNOW, THE LETTER, UH, FROM LINDA WHO WAS INSTRUCTIVE.

SO DO TELL.

TO BE A PARTNER IN HELPING DRILL INTO KIND OF SOME OF SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

UH, SO I'VE STRUGGLED WITH THIS, UM, AND FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

AND, YOU KNOW, JAMIE, YOU, YOU CALLED OUT, IT WAS A PILOT AND USE IT TO REALLY BETTER UNDERSTAND WHETHER WE WANNA CONTINUE SOMETHING.

WELL, THAT'S WHERE I HAVE ISSUE, BECAUSE A PILOT TO NEEDS TO BE WELL THOUGHT OUT AND PREPARED, MEANING IT NEEDS TO HAVE OBJECTIVE, IT NEEDS TO, UH, HAVE, UH, IDENTIFIED WHAT SUCCESS CRITERIA ARE.

'CAUSE HOW CAN YOU MEASURE WHETHER SUCCESS OCCURRED OR NOT IN A PILOT, IF YOU WERE TO CONSIDER IT FOR, UH, FURTHER USE.

AND, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, EXPRESSED RIGHT HERE IN OUR STRATEGY PIECE.

ONE TIME GRANT PROGRAM, COUNTY BOARD SHOULD CONSIDER MERITS OF AN ONGOING REVENUE SOURCE AND PROGRAM.

WELL, IF WE DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA MEASURE SUCCESS WITH THIS INITIAL ONE TIME PILOT, HOW CAN WE GATHER INFORMATION AND MAKE INFORMED DECISION, UH, TO CONTINUE IT IN, IN THE FUTURE? UM, AND WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY MEAN? IS IT PURCHASING FARM LAND? IS IT LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS? THAT'S WHERE I'M STRUGGLING BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE FACE, BASICALLY IT'S, IT'S ALREADY, UH, IDENTIFIED PARTNERS HERE, LAKE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, WHICH I APPLAUD THE EFFORTS.

SO IN ESSENCE, WE WOULD BE GIVING $500,000 TO THEM TO PRESUMABLY PURCHASE FARMLAND, WHICH WOULD BE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS TO PURCHASE FARMLAND.

THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTAND IT.

I, I GUESS I WOULD ARGUE WITH YOU THAT AS WRITTEN IN THIS PROPOSED RESOLUTION, UM, UH, ARGUE IS A STRONG WORD, I SHOULD HAVE USED A DIFFERENT WORD.

UM, I WOULD ADD THAT INCLUDING PR THAT THOSE OBJECTIVES.

NOW DO WE HAVE THIS BOILED DOWN YET WITH THE DISCUSSION WITH OUR GIS TEAM ABOUT SPECIFICS RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, THE BASELINE MAPPING AND THE QUALITY OF BEDROCK AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS? NO.

UM, BUT AT A HIGH LEVEL, WHICH IS WHERE I WOULD ARGUE THIS GROUP SHOULD STAY.

UM, IT SPECIFICALLY IS WRITTEN RIGHT NOW AS, AS OPEN SPACE, HEALTHY WATERSHEDS AND GROUNDWATER SUPPLY, NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION OR FARMLAND PRESERVATION BE PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE PRIOR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM AND EXPENDITURE OF THE FUNDS.

SO THAT IS, THAT IS THE, I GUESS HAVE WE DETERMINED HOW TO MEASURE, UH, GROUNDWATER SUPPLY HEALTHY WATERSHEDS AND OPEN SPACE? NO, YET.

BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT IS A FORTHCOMING CONVERSATION THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IF WE'RE GOING TO REALLY DRILL INTO A SUCCESSFUL PILOT PROGRAM.

BUT AGAIN, THIS RESOLUTION UP HERE IS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO? I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT YOUR COMMENT THAT THE MONEY IS PREDETERMINED TO GO TO CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION FOR THAT AMOUNT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURATE.

I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DRILL IN ON THESE OBJECTIVES, THE METRICS, THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, THE PROCESS, AND THEN ASK THIS ORGANIZATION ALONG WITH OTHERS, IF THEY HAVE PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS THAT THEY WOULD BE SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS FOR.

AND THEN THERE WOULD BE A DETERMINATION MADE.

NOW, DO I LIKE CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION AS AN ORGANIZATION? YES.

DO I THINK THAT THEIR MISSION IS VERY SIMILAR TO A LOT OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO? YES.

DO I THINK THEY WOULD MAKE A GOOD APPLICANT? YES.

UM, SO I, I DO THINK THAT THEY ARE GOING

[00:55:01]

UM, BUT WE HAVE OTHER PARTNERS AS WELL THAT HAVE BEEN VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.

UM, SO I, I GUESS I WOULD A, I WOULD ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION.

UM, AND IF IT FURTHER NEEDS CLARIFICATION IN YOUR MIND ABOUT METRICS AND PROCESS AND HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN, TO, TO ADD IT AND OR IF THOSE OBJECTIVES ARE INCORRECT OR NEED MORE SPECIFICITY IN YOUR MIND BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY THAT THAT IS WORDED.

THIS WOULD BE THE PLACE FOR BOTH THIS COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO THE COUNTY BOARD TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

'CAUSE IT'S THE, IT'S THE FRAMEWORK, RIGHT? RIGHT.

SO I GUESS, AGAIN, THIS IS WHERE I'M STRUGGLING IS WE JUST HAD TWO PREVIOUS, UM, AGENDA ITEMS, WHICH TALKED ABOUT GRANTS AND USING RUNOFF, ET CETERA, AND THAT ALL ALIGNS WITH, UM, HEALTHY WATERSHEDS, GROUND WATER SUPPLY AND SO ON.

SO, I, I'M TRULY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS PROGRAM INTENDED OUTCOME OBJECTIVE IS.

AND THAT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME.

AND IT ISN'T EXPLICIT IN HERE, $500,000 OF TAXPAYERS MONEY OVER TAX TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.

AND WE'RE USING IT FOR PROGRAMMING THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.

WE'RE ALREADY RECEIVING GRANTS FOR, WE, WE JUST, UH, APPROVED THAT WE'RE GONNA APPLY FOR, OR PRESUMABLY THE, THE BOARD WILL AGREE AS WELL AND WE'LL APPLY FOR GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO WITH THIS ADDITIONAL 500,000.

THIS IS, AND, AND I, IT'S NOT CLEAR IN HERE, IT NOWHERE DIRECTLY SAYS THAT THIS IS FOR LAND.

HOWEVER, WE, WE DON'T DO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT OUR LAND AND WATER TEAM DOES IS AROUND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF GROUNDWATER SURFACE WATER AND, UM, PREVENTING RUNOFF AND POLLUTION OF THOSE SOURCES.

THIS IS REALLY DIFFERENT IS, IT'S IN CONTRAST IN THE POLICY AGENDA TO, UM, HOW HOUSING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, MOST IMPORTANT POLICY AGENDAS, UH, THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY IN THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BALANCE BETWEEN LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND LAND THAT HELPS BENEFIT WATER.

SO THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS LAND, WHETHER THAT BE THE FULL OUTRIGHT PURCHASE OF LAND OR EASEMENTS OR HOW THAT LOOKS AND FEELS, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE KNOW YET, BUT THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE.

THIS IS NOT A PROGRAM TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, MANURE STORAGE AREAS ON FARMS. GREAT.

SO IT MAY, MAYBE THIS IS THIS MEETING, BUT YOU KNOW, THE RESOLUTION SAYS GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO FUND RURAL COMMUNITIES, LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM.

IT DOESN'T SAY LAND PURCHASING OR LAND PRESERVATION GRANT PROGRAM.

IT SAYS LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM.

SO IF YOUR GENERAL LISTENER OUT THERE SAYS, OH, LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.

SOIL EROSION, UH, CLEAR WATER, NUTRIENT, UH, RUNOFF, ET CETERA.

BUT REALITY WE'RE SAYING IT IS FOR LAND PRESERVATION, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS BUYING LAND.

AND IF, LET'S JUST BE HONEST.

AND IF THAT'S A WORD CHANGE THAT YOU GUYS THINK IS VALUABLE, I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WOULD SUPPORT.

I HAVEN'T ASKED HIM THAT, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLICY AGENDA, IT ACTUALLY SAYS LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION SLASH PRESERVATION, MR. GEL.

UH, THANK YOU, MR. GOLIN.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, BRIAN, I UNDERSTAND, AND I, UM, AND WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS, I HAD TO, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE PUTTING, UH, A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, OF TAXPAYER, YOU KNOW, MONEY IN THE, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, INTO, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, AND THIS IS A ONE TIME GRANT, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BE EVALUATIVE OF AS

[01:00:01]

IT MOVES FORWARD.

UM, IF YOU LOOKED AT THIS SURVEY, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THAT WAS FROM BASICALLY 2008.

AND THIS IS FROM THE CITY OF HARTFORD, WHICH, UH, SUPERVISOR BERG AND I BOTH REPRESENT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE, YOU KNOW, INTO THE CITY OF HARTFORD, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING A FAMILY HISTORY THERE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, IT'S THE TOWN SIZE IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

AND I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT PEOPLE, UM, THAT THE, THE RESIDENTS THAT I REPRESENT REALLY SEEK, UM, THE RURAL NATURE THAT WE HAVE.

AND THEY'D LIKE TO SEE SOME PRESERVATION OF THAT.

AND I BELIEVE IF YOU TOOK THAT SURVEY TODAY, THAT THAT NUMBER WOULD BE HIGHER BECAUSE THEY SEE NEW THREATS TO THE RURAL NATURE, UH, OF THEIR AREA.

UM, THIS CAN BE SOLAR FARMS, UH, WIND FARMS, PURCHASES OF SWATHS OF LAND FROM OUT OF, UH, COUNTRY, UM, YOU KNOW, OWNERS.

UM, SO I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE MATTERS WHERE IT, IT IS SOMETHING, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE WANT.

WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE, UM, I HAD SAID THAT, UM, I WAS ALWAYS GONNA VIEW EVERYTHING THROUGH HOW DOES THIS IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT? AND I THINK THAT BOTH OUR PARK SYSTEM AND THIS TYPE OF AN INITIATIVE, AT LEAST AT THIS LEVEL, JUST A ONE TIME GRANT, AND, UM, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THAT $500,000 TODAY, UM, GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK WITH SOME GRANT MATCHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT HAS AN INCREASED VALUE.

UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S A WORTHY INVESTMENT AT THIS POINT OF A ONE-TIME GRANT.

AND I THINK IT FITS IN WITH A NUMBER OF, OF WANTS THAT I THINK THE MEMBERS OF MY, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY I THINK, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE ALIGNED WITH.

SO I'D BE VOTING AT THIS POINT YES.

FOR THIS.

KEN.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UM, I, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP.

SO, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS, UM, RESOLUTION AT LEAST CAME FROM A, A FELLOW BOARD MEMBER, BUT DID IT COME FROM THE FARMLAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE? NO.

SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THAT COMMITTEE'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE.

CORRECT.

SO THIS COULD BE IN CONFLICT WITH THAT.

I DON'T IT, IT MAY OR MAY NOT.

HOW DO WE KNOW THIS IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT? RIGHT.

I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT, RIGHT? WHAT'S THE URGENCY? WE HAVE A COMMITTEE STRUCTURE IN PLACE.

WE HAVE THIS FARMLAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO MEET AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO, WHETHER IT BE THIS MM-HMM.

COMMITTEE OR THE FULL BOARD.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME HERE.

THE, AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE URGENCY TODAY, WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, NOT A MOST WELL-DEFINED OBJECTIVES.

SO WE CAN, AS A LAND USE COMMITTEE, SAY WHAT IS IT, IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR.

WE'RE, WE'RE, AS THEY LIKE TO SAY, WE'RE, WE'RE BUILDING THE SCHOOL BUS, UH, WHILE THE WHEELS ARE MOVING KIND OF A THING.

SO I I, I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

'CAUSE WE'RE BEING ASKED, EVENTUALLY COME BACK IF THIS PASSES, UH, FOR THE FULL BOARD, THIS COMMITTEE IS GONNA BE ASKED TO APPROVE THE ALLOCATION OF THE $500,000.

WELL, I WOULD RATHER UNDERSTAND PERSONALLY I'D RATHER UNDERSTAND BEFORE THAT GETS TO US, WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN? WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS? WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES? WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MEASURE FOR SUCCESS? UM, HOW DO WE DETERMINE AND DOLE OUT WHERE THOSE $500,000 GO TO WHICH PROJECTS? SO IF WE HAVE, UH, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE TODAY THAT'S GATHERING INFORMATION, PRESUMABLY THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND.

AND I, I JUST, THERE'S MM-HMM, , THERE'S MISSING COMPONENTS OF IT, IN MY OPINION.

SO I, I'M NOT, WHAT'S THE WORD? I, I WANT TO, DON'T WANNA DO A DOUBLE NEGATIVE.

UM, IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

I JUST, IT, IT'S A BLANK CHECK RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT'S WHERE I'M STRUGGLING WITH, BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE OTHER PROGRAMS, UH, THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROVIDING SOME INSTRUCTION FOR US, IS MY OPINION.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROGRAM.

AND THAT'S WHERE MY STRUGGLE IS.

I I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT STRUGGLE.

AND I THINK THAT THE FARM, JUST TO CLARIFY, THE FARMLAND PRESERVATION PLANNING GROUP IS TALKING ABOUT FARMLAND PRESERVATION.

THAT MAY, TO YOUR QUESTION, THAT MAY COMPLIMENT THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON PARALLEL PATHS, OR IT MAY BE COMPLETELY SEPARATE DEPENDING ON HOW THE LAND USE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE WORK GROUP ULTIMATELY DEFINES

[01:05:01]

I DO NOT SEE IN ANY SCENARIO WHERE THEY, THEY ARE AT ODDS.

UM, I JUST DON'T THINK LOGICALLY SPEAKING THAT THAT'S A REAL THREAT TO THIS, THIS CONCEPT.

UM, IN TERMS OF THE URGENCY, TWO THINGS.

NUMBER ONE, THERE IS MONEY RIGHT NOW THAT WE KNOW CAN BE LEVERAGED IF WE START THIS CONVERSATION, HAVING THE COUNTY BOARD AT A HIGH LEVEL, UM, SUPPORT RIGHT? PUT SOME SKIN IN THE GAME TO SAY THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT AND WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON THIS.

UM, THIS COUNTY BOARD IS IMPORTANT IF, IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

UM, ONE THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THIS IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, SO FAR WE HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS A TOPIC THAT PEOPLE WANNA DRILL INTO AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IN THE BALANCE OF THINGS.

UM, WHICH IS WHY IT'S, IT'S PROPOSED THE WAY THAT YOU SEE IT.

UM, AGAIN, IF THE CONCERN IS, UM, NOT WANTING TO HAVE A BLANK CHECK, UM, I DO FEEL LIKE WE, AND SUPERVISOR CONRAD, IF SHE WAS HERE, ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE APPROPRIATE CHECKS AND BALANCES BEFORE ANY OF THIS MONEY WAS ACTUALLY SPENT, UM, FOR THAT VERY REASON, WHICH IS WHY SHE INSERTED, UM, WELL, THE PART ABOUT THE APPROVALS OF THE COMMITTEE, UM, THAT EASILY COULD BE SOMETHING ELSE.

IF, IF WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, IF THE CONCERN IS KIND OF THE CHECK ON THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA MAKE SURE THIS IS, WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT THEY'VE COME UP WITH BEFORE WE ALLOCATE MONEY.

BUT I THINK, I THINK FOCUSING ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS DISCUSSION AND DRILL INTO THAT OR NOT, UM, IS REALLY THE LEVEL AT WHICH THIS CONVERSATION SHOULD HAPPEN.

SO BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT COUNTY BOARD MEETING, WILL THERE BE MORE DETAIL AROUND THE OBJECTIVE AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES? UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE, UH, MY THOUGHT PROCESS ON HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK.

UM, I DO HAVE IN MY INBOX, UM, A, A FULL REPORT ON THE EXISTING, UM, ESSENTIALLY THE EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT BOTH WASHINGTON COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE.

UM, SO IT'S, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, IT'S A LOT OF PAGES, BUT IT TALKS ABOUT FARMLAND, PRESERVATION ERRORS, PDR HISTORY, THE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST, TALL PINES, OZAKI, WASHINGTON LAND TRUST, CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, MMSD, THE TOWN OF DUNN, WISCONSIN, THE TOWN OF TROY, UM, STATEWIDE PROGRAMS, PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, NEW JERSEY.

UM, BECAUSE THERE'S A, A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AROUND WITH A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS, UM, SORT OF WHAT TRULY THE WORDAGE AND THE VERBIAGES OF THESE OBJECTIVES.

AND YOU ALLUDED TO THAT WITH CONSERVATION VERSUS PRESERVATION.

UM, AND TO GET TO THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE LAND USE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE EVENTUALLY OF HERE'S KIND OF THE THOUGHTS AND PROCESSES AROUND WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS BEING RECOMMENDED AS.

UM, IT WAS NOT, IT WAS NOT OUR INTENT TO HAVE THAT DETAILED CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMITTEE AND THE COUNTY BOARD PRIOR TO THEM DECIDING IF THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT THEY WOULD WANNA HAVE.

UM, RATHER TO DELEGATE THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL BACK TO THE COMMITTEE WITH KIND OF A CHARGE.

UM, SO THE NEXT STEPS IN MY MIND WOULD BE, UM, THERE'D BE, THIS WOULD GO TO THE COUNTY BOARD IF THERE'S MORE, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS A REPORT PEOPLE WANNA SEE, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE KIND OF THE THOUGHTS AROUND WHAT PROGRAMS MIGHT LOOK LIKE OR WHAT THE RESEARCH WE'RE DOING IS AS IT RELATES TO HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT DEVELOPING THIS.

UM, ENTERTAIN THOUGHTS ABOUT WHO MIGHT BE ON THAT WORK GROUP OR, OR ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.

UM, WE, WE DO KNOW THAT WE WANT TO MAKE THAT TIE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT THE SAME, BUT WITH THE FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROCESS, UM, IN TERMS OF KIND OF WHERE THEY'RE AT WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CERTAINLY THE LISA ANALYSIS AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT IS RESEARCH BEING UPDATED AND PREPARED RIGHT NOW.

UM, BECAUSE WHAT THAT WORK IS DOING IS INFORMING THE QUALITY OF THE LAND.

UM, AND SO IN SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE

[01:10:01]

DO WE WANNA BE LOOKING AND, AND HOW DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT I DO THINK, DO NOT THINK THAT WE WERE, UH, GOING TO BE KIND OF VETTING PROGRAM DETAILS WITH THE COUNTY BOARD PRIOR TO THIS DECISION.

NO.

NOT VETTING WITH THE COUNTY BOARD, BUT AT LEAST US, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE COULD VERY WELL HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM IN APRIL THAT'S ADDRESSING THIS.

I, I, YOU KNOW, IT'S POTENTIALLY, IT'S UNLIKELY, BUT, SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME, IF, IF THE BOARD DOES APPROVE THIS NEXT APRIL, 'CAUSE I'M ASSUMING WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT ON THE APRIL AGENDA.

APRIL 17TH, YES.

APRIL 17TH AGENDA.

WELL, WE HAVE A LAND USE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING THEREAFTER.

SO IT IS POSSIBLE THAT, UH, WE COULD BE ASKED TO TAKE ACTION ON HOW TO SPEND THE $500,000.

SO I, I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT BEFORE WE HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM TO DOLE OUT SOME OF THIS MONEY, WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE PARAMETERS IN PLAY.

'CAUSE HOW, HOW ELSE CAN WE MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION? MAY, MAY, MAYBE YOU, THE REST OF YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS DON'T NEED TO SEE THAT AS AN ISSUE, BUT, BUT I DO.

AND, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE RESOLUTION IS WORDED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE LAND USE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE FIRST HAS TO APPROVE THE PROGRAM AND THE METRICS THEN PEOPLE COULD APPLY TO THE PROGRAM.

LET'S SAY IT'S FARMLAND PRESERVATION END OF DISCUSSION.

AND ALSO, THERE IS NO COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN APRIL.

SO WE WOULD BE, THERE IS IF THERE'S, WELL, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME UP THERE, GO TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WILL BE THE ONLY COMMITTEE ON THAT WOULD NOT BE THE INTENT OF THIS PROGRAM, THOUGH.

IT WOULD BE TO WORK WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.

SO THE APRIL 16TH MEETING, THE COMMITTEE WON'T BE, IT WON'T BE SET YET.

SO YOU WON'T HAVE YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

LIKELY WON'T BE UNTIL MAY.

SO.

WELL, I, I JUST WANTED, BUT TO ADD ON THAT SUPERVISOR GTS, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.

AND KNOWING THAT THE, THE UNCERTAINTY OF THAT MIGHT CAUSE YOU TO WANNA ADD SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IN HERE, WHICH I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH AS IT RELATES TO HOW YOU FEEL THE COUNTY BOARD IS BEST PROTECTED, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY TO SAY IT, FROM, UH, BECAUSE WE DO TAKE THE RESOLUTION LANGUAGE AS THE BASELINE CHARGE OF THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR THIS TO GET EXECUTED.

SO I'M SPECIFICALLY LOOKING, YOU KNOW, DIRECTING YOU TO CONSIDER LINES.

WHERE IS IT? SO AGAIN, JUST TWO THROUGH FIVE BEING FULLY, I GUESS, TRANSPARENT AND NOT MISLEADING, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE RESOLUTION.

IT, IT SPEAKS TO FARMLAND, ACREAGE LOSS.

IT SPEAKS TO PRESERVING FARMLAND, PRESERVATION, OPEN SPACE, UM, YET, YOU KNOW, THEN IT, IT, IT SPEAKS TO A ONE TIME FOR LANDED WATER CONSERVATION, UH, AND OR FARMLAND PRESERVATION.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE, WELL, THAT'S AT THE VERY END.

AND, AND THE, THE, THE FOCUS IS OPEN SPACE, HEALTHY WATERSHED, GROUNDWATER SUPPLY, NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION, AND THEN OH, AND OR FARMLAND PRESERVATION.

BUT EVERYTHING ABOVE THAT SAYS FARMLAND PRESERVATION IS IMPORTANT.

AND THAT APPEARS TO BE THE DIRECTION OF THIS.

AT LEAST THAT'S HOW I'M READING IT.

SO I, I DON'T KNOW.

SO IF IT'S FARMLAND PRESERVATION, SHOULDN'T THE FOCUS BE ON FARMLAND PRESERVATION? AND JUST BE VERY TRANSPARENT, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY IS WE'RE NOT GONNA USE IT FOR WHAT, UH, OR MAYBE CREEK, UM, EROSION, UH, REARING OR WHATEVER THE, WE'RE NOT GONNA USE IT FOR PROJECTS LIKE THAT.

SO WHY EVEN INCLUDE HEALTHY WATERSHED GROUNDWATER SUPPLY, NATURAL RESOURCE NOW, I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING LASER FOCUSED.

IF IT'S FARMLAND PRESERVATION, THEN MAKE IT CLEAR IT'S FARMLAND PRESERVATION.

AND THAT IS, IS THE CONVERSATION THAT A, WE'RE HOPING YOU GUYS HAVE, AND B WE'RE HOPING THE COUNTY BOARD HAS, BECAUSE MAYBE THERE'S GONNA BE AT LEAST TWO OR THREE OTHER COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS THAT WILL ASK THAT VERY QUESTION, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF, IF THERE'S A DESIRE TO DO ONE OR THE OTHER, OR IF THERE'S A DESIRE TO CONSIDER BOTH IN THE OBJECTIVES AND REALLY DRIVE INTO IT, UM, I THINK THAT IS THE POINT WHERE IT SAYS, AND OR BECAUSE WE AREN'T SURE IF WE WERE SURE IT WOULD SAY, AND FARMLAND PRESERVATION, AGAIN, NOTING THAT SUPERVISOR CONRAD AND THE POLICY AGENDA WRITES IT THIS WAY.

SO WHILE, WHILE MY QUESTIONS MAY AGAIN SEEM LIKE I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTIVE OF IT, I, I AM, IT IS A FULL BOARD REVIEW, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE INTENT IS.

'CAUSE IF, IF I'M READING THIS, AND MAYBE I'M JUST BEING TOO, UH, LITERAL OR WHATEVER, BUT, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE INTENT PURPOSE IS.

AND, AND I'M STILL CONFUSED WHAT THE INTENT PURPOSE, IF IT'S FARMLAND PRESERVATION, THEN

[01:15:01]

OR IF IT COULD ENTAIL ALL OTHER ITEMS SUCH AS GROUNDWATER SUPPLY AND, AND WATERSHED HEALTHY WATERSHED.

WELL, ARE WE REALLY GONNA RECEIVE, UH, REQUESTS TO LAND USE AND PLANNING FOR THOSE TYPE OF ITEMS? OR IS THE ONLY THING THEY'RE GONNA COME THROUGH IS FARMLAND PRESERVATION, AS WE SAID, THAT WOULD HELP TIE INTO FUNDING THAT, UH, CEDAR CREEK IS LOOKING TO OBTAIN, UH, MATCHING GIFTS.

SO AGAIN, LET'S JUST BE VERY TRANSPARENT.

SO ARE YOU SUGGESTING IN LINE 14 REMOVING THE SLASH OR NO? UH, MY SUGGESTION WOULD WOULD BE REMOVE FROM LINE 13.

THESE FUNDS, UH, INCLUDE PROGRAM GOALS FOR FARMLAND PRESERVATION, PERIOD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING.

IT IS.

THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.

JAMIE, YOU SAY THIS IS, UNLESS I'M MISUNDERSTANDING.

SO YOU WOULD STRIKE, UH, PAGE TWO, LINE 13, INCLUDE PROGRAM GOALS.

SO YOU'D REMOVE FOUR OPEN SPACE, HEALTHY WATERSHED, AND GROUND WATER SUPPLY, NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION.

UM, AND OR STRIKE THAT AND JUST SAY, THESE FUNDS INCLUDE PROGRAMMING FOR FARMLAND PRESERVATION TO BE PRESENTED TO LAND USE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAM AND EXPENDITURE OF THE FUNDS.

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.

I, I, I DON'T KNOW, MAY, MAYBE I'M, I'M MISSING THE BOAT HERE, BUT ALL I HEARD IS THAT IT'S FARMLAND PRESERVATION.

THAT'S WHAT THE INTENT IS.

SO, SO MAY MAYBE I, I'M JUST MIS MISUNDERSTANDING.

AND THEN FOR THAT MATTER, THE LINE EIGHT, PAGE TWO GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO FUND RURAL COMMUNITIES, UH, FARMLAND PRESERVATION GRANT PROGRAM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT LET'S JUST BE TRANSPARENT, I THINK, AND I THINK THE QUESTION IS, WOULD THE CONSTITUENTS, AND, AND AGAIN, NOTE THAT I WORK FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WHO, WHO IN THEORY, UM, WOULD BE THE PERSON TO ANSWER THIS ON HIS BEHALF.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HE WOULD SUPPORT OR NOT.

UM, BUT I THINK HE WOULD ASK FOR EACH OF YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS WOULD WOULD SAY TO THIS OR THAT, AND HOW THEY MIGHT, UM, RESPOND TO THAT.

AND IF, AND, AND TO THAT QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, IS THE COUNTY BOARD GOING TO REALLY BE GOING BACK AND FORTH OF YEP.

SHOULD IT SAY OPEN SPACE? SHOULD IT SAY FARMLAND PRESERVATION? IS IT FARMLAND PRESERVATION RIGHT NOW IS A TOOL FOR ACCOMPLISHING OPEN SPACE, RIGHT? SO WHAT IS THE TRUE OBJECTIVE THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS WANT US TO BE TAKING A LOOK AT? AND THAT IS, THAT IS THE QUESTION FOR EACH OF YOU TO CONTEMPLATE.

UM, AND IF THAT'S, I THINK THAT, THAT IF YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU CAN VOTE ON THIS RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED, YOU CAN MAKE AN AMENDMENT, YOU CAN MOVE, JUST MOVE IT TO THE COUNTY BOARD.

I MEAN, THERE'S A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT YOU COULD HANDLE THAT.

IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO BE THINKING THROUGH HOW THAT LANGUAGE SHOULD READ, BECAUSE I, TYING BACK TO THE STRATEGIC 24 25 INITIATIVE FOR FARM LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION SLASH FARMLAND PRESERVATION.

EVERYTHING IN THERE TALKS ABOUT COUNTY GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT, CONSIDER FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATION.

UM, AND, AND, AND IT ALL SPEAKS TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND WHAT THEY'RE TYPICALLY, WHAT THEIR PURPOSE IS.

WELL, THEIR PURPOSE IS FARMLAND PRESERVATION, RIGHT? IT'S NOT WATER CONTROL, IT'S NOT EROSION CONTROL.

I JUST, AGAIN, I WANNA BE VERY TRANSPARENT.

WHAT IS IT? 'CAUSE I KNOW ALL HAVE CONSTITUENTS THAT ASK ME, WELL, WHAT ARE WE USING THAT FOR? DON'T WE HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS AND GRANTS FOR, YOU KNOW, SOIL, UH, EROSION CONTROL, NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, ET CETERA.

SO WHAT'S THE $500,000 IS? AND I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, I DO KNOW BECAUSE HE TOLD ME BEFORE THE MEETING THAT CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION IN SETTING THEIR OBJECTIVES HAD THIS EXACT CONVERSATION, UM, AND ULTIMATELY ENDED.

IS IT OKAY IF HE COMMENTS ON THAT? I'M JUST, JUST AS IT RELATES TO THAT DIALOGUE.

YEAH, I GUESS, UM, UH, WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO WAS, UM, THE FACT THAT CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION HAD A KIND OF AN INTERNAL CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, PRESERVING, UM, HIGH QUALITY, YOU KNOW, UH, LAND THAT HAS GOOD, UH, HIGH QUALITY CONSERVATION VALUE AND MOVING TOWARD, UM, THE RATIONALE FOR A CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION TO PRESERVE FARMLAND.

AND THAT WAS A CONVERSATION WE HAD TO HAVE INTERNALLY.

BUT WE FELT THAT, UM, BY CONSERVING

[01:20:01]

BY, AND IN MOST CASES, PURCHASING DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS FROM A FARMER SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO FARM.

UM, BUT THAT, IN DOING SO, THAT, UM, RESULTED IN, UH, ACHIEVEMENT OF CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION'S MISSION OF PROTECTING THE WATER AND THE WATERSHED, THE CEDAR CREEK WATERSHED, UH, BY PREVENTING DEVELOPMENT, UH, WHICH HAS SURFACE, UH, STORMWATER RUNOFF ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

UM, UM, ALLOWING, UH, MAINTAINING THE LAND'S ABILITY TO ABSORB WATER RATHER THAN RUNOFF TO OUR SURFACE, UH, UM, STORAGE AND, AND, AND TRANSPORT IT TO THE MILWAUKEE AREA.

UM, SO WE FELT THAT THE, UH, IT, THAT PRESERVING FARMLAND FIT THE MISSION OF CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION BECAUSE OF THE ANCILLARY BENEFITS, UH, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CONSERVING FARMLAND.

UH, IN SOME CASES, THOSE, THE TOOLS WE'VE USED IT, THE FUNDING WE'VE USED FROM NRCS REQUIRES THAT THERE BE SOME CHANGES TO FARMING PRACTICES THAT NRCS, UH, REQUIRES FOR THAT TYPE OF EASEMENT.

UM, SO YEAH, THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE HAD, BUT WE, UH, UH, UNANIMOUSLY OUR BOARD HAS SUPPORTED MOVING FORWARD WITH CONSERVATION OF FARMLAND AS, AS A TOOL TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION, CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION'S MISSION.

SO, THANK YOU.

, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MIKE? I, I, I, UH, UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT.

YEAH, GOOD.

AND YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT PARTNER, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE A PARTNER.

AND AGAIN, THAT, THAT'S NOT MY CONCERNS OR RESERVATIONS HERE.

NO, I UNDERSTAND.

THE CONVERSATION YOU GUYS ARE HAVING IS SEPARATE FROM WHAT I'M, I'M SAYING, BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS, HOW THIS FITS IN THE, IN THE OVERALL APPRECIATE, WELL, I, ME A FOLLOW UP.

SO WHEN YOU SAY BROUGHT IN YOUR MISSION, UM, PROTECTING AND, UH, RUNOFF, ET CETERA, SO WHAT EFFORTS WOULD YOU ENVISION, UH, CEDAR LAKES IN, IN THAT ARENA IN TERMS IN, IN, IN THAT ARENA OF YOUR RUNOFF, NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, ET CETERA? 'CAUSE IF THAT'S EVENTUALLY, UH, PRESERVING, YOU KNOW, LAND.

WELL, WE FEEL THAT BY PREVENTING DEVELOPMENT, 'CAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE TO FARMING IS, YOU KNOW, IN MOST CASES IT'S DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING IS, UM, AND SO WITH THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ROADS AND, AND, AND THE PAVEMENT AND THE ROOFS AND ALL, AND ALL OF THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE THAT COMES WITH THAT, UM, WE FEEL THAT, UH, JUST BY MAINTAINING THE LAND AS OPEN SPACE IS, UH, IS HOW WE ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE.

WE DON'T GO IN AND SAY, WE, WE WANNA PUT A RETENTION POND IN HERE.

WE NEED TO DO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

WE DON'T DO THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS, OR WE DON'T REQUIRE THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS IN THE TRANSACTIONS WE DO, IN MOST CASES, WE ARE PURCHASING THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS THAT IS RECORDED, YOU KNOW, ON THE DEED, THE FARMER HAS TO MEET, IF IT'S AN NRCS PROGRAM, THEY MAY HAVE TO, UM, CHANGE A PRACTICE OR AFFIRM A PRACTICE THAT THEY'RE DOING.

BUT IN THAT, BUT AFTER THAT TRANSACTION IS DONE, LIFE GOES ON THAT FARMER'S ALLOWED TO JUST CONTINUE FARMING.

WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN, UH, AND THAT OTHER THAN MONITORING THAT THE LAND IS NOT, UH, IS, IS, UH, ADHERING TO ANY RESTRICTIONS THAT THERE MAY BE IN THE EASEMENT, MEANING STRUCTURES, THINGS LIKE THE ENCROACHMENTS.

THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS WE'RE, WE'RE MONITORING FOR.

BUT IN OUR OPINION, AND OUR, OUR FEELING IS THAT JUST BY, UH, MAINTAINING THE LAND AS FARMLAND WE'RE ACHIEVING, WE'RE WE'RE DOING THAT, UM, THERE'S A BENEFIT IN TERMS OF MANAGING STORMWATER RUNOFF AND ALL THOSE OTHER ISSUES, BUT WE'RE NOT IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS ON THAT LAND TO DO SO.

THEY SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE.

IT'S A BYPRODUCT OF THAT.

GOT IT.

YOU, THANK YOU, MIKE.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR, FOR, UH, UH, MIKE? THANK YOU, MIKE.

YEAH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

THAT CONCERN AT ALL? OR IS IT, IS IT NOT THE LAND USE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION? OR WHAT IS YOUR CONCERN WITH PROCEDURALLY HOW THAT WORKS? BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU SUPPORT THE BIG PICTURE OF THIS TOPIC, AND YOUR CONCERN IS IN THE DETAILS.

SO I GUESS IT, UH, IS DOWN TO PRIMARILY ME.

AM I COMFORTABLE WITH WITH THE RESOLUTION? AND, AND AS I DESCRIBED, I'M NOT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU ARE, UH, HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS OR, OR NOT.

AGAIN, IF IT'S, I THREW OUT A RECOMMENDATION OF, OF CHANGING OUT THE LANGUAGE TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO FARMLAND PRESERVATION AS THAT'S THE INTENT.

UM, UH, FULL TRANSPARENCY.

I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT SHOULD BE.

UM, SUPERVISOR GALLS.

I, I MEAN, I THINK THAT IF, IF WE CAN SEND THIS RESOLUTION TO THE BOARD AND IT BEEF UP THE PROVISION TO BRING THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM BACK, WHICH AT, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO CONSENT OF SPENDING THE MONEY, THAT LANGUAGE IS IN HERE, BUT DOES THAT HELP APPEASE

[01:25:01]

AM I MISREADING THAT? WELL, I WANT TO, AGAIN, TRANSPARENTLY, AT LEAST THE WAY I READ THIS, IS FARMLAND PRESERVATION, $500,000 WILL BE DEDICATED TO THAT.

SO THE FACT THAT WE CALL IT LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION GRANT, THE FACT THAT WE SPEAK TO WATERSHED, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, LET'S JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS.

WELL, AND I THINK THE REASON THAT WE DID THAT WAS BECAUSE WE AREN'T SURE, AND THE THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS, BECAUSE, BUT THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO I THINK, THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD ABOUT WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE.

FARMLAND PRESERVATION MIGHT BE THE TOOL TO GET THERE, BUT THE OBJECTIVE IS THAT IS WHAT WE REALLY, WHAT OUR, WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS REALLY, TRULY WANT.

WELL, AND THAT'S WHAT'S UNCLEAR TO ME, WHAT IS THE TRUE OBJECTIVE THAT AT THAT'S FAIR.

AND I MEAN, I THINK AT THIS POINT, I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO THE FULL BOARD TO ALLOCATE $500,000, IN MY OPINION, WITHOUT A CLEAR OBJECTIVE AS IT READS, THE OBJECTIVE IS OPEN SPACE, HEALTHY WATERSHEDS, AND GROUNDWATER SUPPLY, NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION, AND OR FARMLAND PRESERVATION TO BE PRESENTED TO THE LAND USE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE PRIOR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION AND EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS.

AT THIS POINT, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST MAYBE AGREEING TO DISAGREE, SENDING THE RESOLUTION TO THE BOARD.

UM, I, I, I AGREE IT NEEDS TO GO TO THE, TO THE BOARD AND, UM, WELL, LET'S JUST LET, LET THE BOARD DECIDE, UH, HOW IT WANTS TO PROCEED.

AND IF IT'S CLEAR ENOUGH, THEN, UH, I'M JUST, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT COMMITTEE'S SUPPOSED TO DO, RIGHT? COMMITTEE'S SUPPOSED TO TALK THIS, THESE ITEMS THROUGH MM-HMM.

AND IF, IF, IF I AM, HAVE SOME CONCERNS, I SUSPECT OTHERS MIGHT, MAYBE NOT, MAYBE I STAND ALONE.

BUT, UH, I AT LEAST WANTED TO, TO VOICE THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, UH, FOR, FOR MY ROLE AS A SUPERVISOR AS WELL AS REPRESENTING, UH, TAXPAYERS AND IN THE INTERIM SUPERVISOR GATS, IF YOU WANNA WORK WITH, UH, MIKE ON HOW YOU WOULD, SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOUR CHANGES MIGHT BE, RIGHT.

SO THAT THEN YOU COULD PROPOSE THAT, AND THE COUNTY BOARD COULD BE PREPARED TO RESPOND IF THEY SUPPORT YOUR CHANGES OR NOT.

I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE THE TYPE OF LEGISLATIVE MA BODY MAKING THAT SHOULD BE DONE AND ENCOURAGED.

SAUSAGE JAMAICAN IS DONE IN COMMITTEE MEETING.

SO I THANK YOU COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR, UH, ALLOWING ME TO EXPRESS SOME, SOME THOUGHTS AND IDEAS.

HOPEFULLY IT, UH, IT RESONATED WITH YOU.

UM, AGAIN, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT WITH OURSELVES AS, AS WELL AS WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS.

SO, CHAIRMAN GALL, IF I CAN ADD ONE THING.

UM, IN LINE 43, IT SAYS, PROTECTION OF NATURAL AREAS AND FARMLAND.

AND TO, TO ME, THAT'S CRITICAL.

UM, TALKING A LITTLE BIT WITH, UH, MR. SIBO, THERE ARE AREAS WE KNOW WE HAVE BEDROCK UP CLOSE TO THE SURFACE, AND SOME OF THOSE AREAS ARE BETTER OFF NOT FARMED.

AND IF THIS PROVIDES LEVERAGE TO MAKE SOME OF THAT NATURAL AREAS, THAT'S A BENEFIT TOO.

SO, UH, THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT ARGUMENT.

AND IF YOU LOOK BACK IN 2006, THE WHOLE BOARD WENT BACK AND FORTH ON IT.

SO IT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT MERITS DISCUSSION IN THE FULL BOARD.

AND IF HE WANTS SOME WORDING CHANGE, IT'S GOOD.

UH, CHAIR, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SO THE MOTION IS TO, TO APPROVE, UH, THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO FUND RURAL COMMITTEE'S LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM IS SENT TO, UH, THE, THE, UH, THE FULL BOARD FOR REVIEW.