Commissioners hear from SWCD about AIS prevention campaigns
The Clearwater County Board of Commissioners met on March 15, 2016.
Nathan Nordlund, District Manager of Soil and Water Conservation District brought a discussion about the upcoming employment season for Aquatic Invasive Species inspectors at County lakes. Those returning through the contract with Always There Staffing will receive an additional 25 cents per hour, up from $12 per hour last year.
The Commissioners approved sending $6,240 from the AIS Prevention Aid to Itasca State Park through their gift account to be used for AIS inspection activities. Funds will support approximately 520 hours of inspection activities between May 25 and August 23, 2016.
Nordlund said they were going to decrease the hours of inspection at Long Lost Lake, but there was disappointment in the area. The Board agreed to continue the same amount of inspection as before and this was added to the contract.
They discussed a television ad campaign on Sports TV to assist in prevention of AIS, which targets fishermen and boaters. Approval was given to support the Linder's Angling Buzz AIS ad campaign directed by Becker County with a contribution of $850, with one no vote from Commissioner Dean Newland.
Commissioner Newland asked for clarification as to whether these ads overlap with what Tim Terrell from the Mississippi Headwaters Board is doing in the way of advertising. Nathan said the ads are at a different time of the season.
Environmental Services Director, Dan Hecht discussed the hiring of local contractors for the spraying needs of the county for the coming season. He said that using a boom may bring the best results. He would like to split the spraying of the approximately 150 miles between what they are doing now and someone who would do it with a boom, which sprays lower to the ground and can reach further. They already use a boom for back slope spraying.
"I would like to see the results, and I think the boom would do a better job," he said.
The commissioners said there would need to be a cap on the cost, to which Mr. Hecht agreed. He said this is potentially cheaper, and they would use less chemicals, which is the bigger part of the cost.
"I think that's a good plan," Commissioner Dan Stenseng said.
Mr. Hecht will bring the contracts to the March 29 meeting.
Sheriff Darin Halverson was given approval to look at an STS vehicle and spend up to $4,000 for it.
County Auditor-Treasurer Allen Paulson received authorization to pay the submitted invoices of $38,586 from the County Revenue Fund, and $8,603 from Nursing Service.
Commissioners present at the meeting were Daniel Stenseng, Dean Newland, John Nelson, Neal Illies and Arlen Syverson.