Minutes for April 8th, 1998
(approved May 13, 1998)

Saline County Study Steering Committee in conjunction with the Saline County Study Management Team

Wednesday April 8, 1998 7:00 PM CDT
Spainhower Building Board Room, Habilitation Center, Marshall

Vince Buck, Patti Carr, Kathy Borgman, Wayne McReynolds, Mark Belwood, Richard Clemens (arrived at 7:30), Marc Harris

Corey Lyon, David Perkins, Tim Simmons, LeAnn Haling

Mike Dillon (left at the break), Chris Fulcher, Tom Johnson, Cynthia Crawford, Darin Starr, Gerry Snapp (arrived at 8:20), Dennis DiPietre

Russell Dehn, Richard Pemberton

Chris Barnett, John Lory, Vincent Burke

As decided at the March 11 meeting, Mark Belwood, recorder, will serve as temporary chair (for this meeting only) in the planned absence of Tim Simmons.

The reading of the minutes of the previous meeting was dispensed with as everyone had received a printed copy of the minutes prior to the meeting. Mike Dillon moved and Patti Carr seconded that the minutes be approved as read. The minutes were approved with no audible dissent.

First on the agenda was a report on the progress of research on the top three priorities (water resources, natural areas and the effect of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) on the value of nearby property).

Chris Barnett presented a paper wall map showing the groundwater resources of the county. The map took into account both the quality and quantity of ground water. The map also showed springs as of a 1960 survey. Later, a vulnerability assessment of groundwater resources will be added. Another planned enhancement is to outline the areas from which wells will draw water. But this enhancement will require data on the rate and direction of groundwater flow. Some of this data can be obtained from the Wellhead Protection Monitoring Program of the Department of Natural Resources.

John Lory said that the pieces of the surface water assessment puzzle were currently being assembled. A shaded relief wall map shown at the meeting would be one of the data layers used to help assess surface water resources. Characteristics such as flow direction and energy of a flow can be obtained from the relief data layer. DNR rankings are available for streams in the county, but John said the research team needs county input to determine how valid these rankings are. Additional county input is also likely to be needed to help assess surface waters.

Vincent Burke discussed how he rated public areas and natural sites. The value of the site is rated on a scale of one to four, the vulnerability of a site on a scale of one to three and the ease of restoration on a scale of one to three. The three assessment categories are then added. The higher the total value the more the site merits attention. He presented the Grand Pass Wildlife Area as an example: It would get a four on value, a one on vulnerability (because it is owned by the Conservation Department and not subject to development) and a three on ease of restoration. A paper wall map was presented that showed the public areas and natural areas that have currently been identified.

Chris Fulcher brought up the point that the research team was reaching the point in some issues where they would need input from the citizens of the county. In addition to the needs that John Lory had cited on surface waters, Chris noted the research team's attempt to classify wells as inactive, active and plugged.

The idea of splitting the Steering Committee into specific subcommittees was mentioned. Getting information from some of the older people in the county was also mentioned. An idea proposed by Chris Fulcher was that we first have small workshops for members of the Steering Committee (three or four members at a time at the most) to train members on effective use of the Internet site—especially the overlay capabilities of the GIS section of the site. Once the members of the Steering Committee were familiar with using the site, we would then be better equipped to get the community involved.

It was pointed out the some members of the Steering Committee do not have easy access to the Internet and thus might need a primer course in using the Internet. Cynthia Crawford said that she and Darin Starr are offering a course on Internet basics. The course is three hours long. A morning and an afternoon course are offered each month from now through November. The fee for attending a course is $20 but will be waived for Steering Committee members. Special times for courses can be arranged for groups of five or more.

Kathy Borgman moved and Richard Clemens seconded that three or four workshops be set up by the management team for the purpose of intensely training Steering Committee members in the use of the Study's web site. The motion passed with no audible dissent. No time table was set for these workshops, as scheduling will depend on how soon members attain the basic level of Internet skills.

Chris Fulcher demonstrated the new overlay capability that has recently been added to the web site. He pointed out that this capability now means that Study has reached the point where complex analysis of the data can begin. He said that this site is one of the few sites in the country where interactive overlay of GIS data layers is being used. John Lory also pointed out that this online technology now makes it possible for individuals to do GIS themselves. He said that prior to such technology you would have had to present your problem to a group like CARES and, given time, they would generate a paper wall map for you.

Chris Fulcher and Chris Barnett demonstrated how GIS could be used to analyze data. They showed how that by clicking on a stream segment you could find out the percentage of various land covers that drained into that stream segment.

Tom Johnson reported on the progress that had been made on priority number three. He said that Mubarak has been busy in the county collecting data on recent land sales. It is anticipated that the data will help show what people value land for. He then plans to create a layer of potential land values for a particular use. He said his report on the impact of agriculture on the economy of the county will be ready for the next meeting.

A report was given on the Third Annual Missouri GIS Conference by those who attended. Chris Fulcher, who had attended previous conferences, said that one thing that he noticed at this conference was the attendance of many more people from local governments. Another observation was that standardization of GIS data formats is making GIS data more accessible. And advances in hardware have contributed to making GIS practical for small groups or even individuals. Tom Johnson mentioned GIS is becoming a part of his Irish project and that people in Ireland are interested in relating to how areas in Missouri are using GIS—especially in relation to agriculture and tourism.

Cynthia Crawford relayed a message from Dr. Ron Powers that the current evaluation team is being discontinued because Dr. Powers is disappointed with the progress of the evaluation. A new team will be appointed.

A ten minute break was taken beginning at 8:40.

After the break the first item on the agenda was suggestions on the web site. The temporary chair directed that the phrase 'Saline County Project' (which was used on the home page of the web site) be changed to the phrase 'Saline County Study' since the latter was the name officially adopted by the Steering Committee.

The Custodian Resolution drafted by the chair and recorder (which declares that the records of the Steering Committee will be available at the Saline County Extension Office) was the next item of discussion for the web site. The document currently is not displayed on the web site, and before it can be so displayed, it needs to have a photocopy fee attached. Cynthia Crawford said that Extension's customary charge is 25 cents per page. The temporary chair directed the recorder to add this fee to the document and to send the final document to CARES to be placed on the web site. In order to conform to statements made in the Custodian Resolution and the Notice of Open Meetings Template (also drawn up by the chair and recorder), CARES was directed to place notices of future meetings on the web site. Cynthia Crawford was asked to provide CARES with a digital version of the meeting notice that she sends out prior to each meeting.

The temporary chair noted that although the Kettering Report and the Sunshine Law Report are listed on the web site the text of these documents is not accessible. Copies of the two reports were directed to be sent out with the notice of the next meeting, and the issue of whether to make these documents accessible on the web was placed on the agenda for the next meeting.

The temporary chair also pointed out that the six priorities of the Study were not easily accessible on the web and that there was no listing of the priorities in their correct order. Cynthia Crawford noted that such a list had been prepared and was passed out at the March meeting, although the list is not on the web site. The recorder was directed to annotate Cynthia's list with amendments that had been made, and to have such list included with the notice of the next meeting. A vote on approval of the annotated list for placement on the web site was placed on the agenda for the next meeting.

A report was made on HB 1095. This bill makes changes to the Sunshine Law, and it is under consideration in the current session of the legislature. The bill clarifies that an independent advisory committee formed to advise a public governmental body is itself a public governmental body. The bill also requires that roll call votes be taken for non-unanimous votes.

The temporary chair made the Study Team aware of the Small Farm Commission Report that was released earlier this year.

Richard Clemens noted that pork producers were continually testing new technologies and approaches for solving the odor problem and that the Study Team should make sure that it didn't miss these advancements. It was suggested that Richard look into making pork producer literature on these new ideas available for the group.

The temporary chair noted that the communication subcommittee had not yet been appointed and suggested that such be done prior to the next meeting. Reconsideration of the tentative mission statement and approval of a final mission statement was placed on the agenda for the next meeting. Tom Johnson's report on the economic impact of agriculture on Saline County's economy was placed on the agenda for the next meeting.

Before the meeting began, during break and after the meeting, Vincent Burke took photographs of Study Team members for inclusion on the web site.

The next meeting was set for May 13 at 7 PM CDT with the place to be announced later.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:15 PM CDT.