July 9 Nemaha NRD Board Meeting Dealt Extensively with Projects and Their Impact on the 2010 FY Budget

Tecumseh Nemaha Natural Resources District directors reviewed the draft budget for FY 2010 during their regular meeting Thursday, July 9. The biggest factor in this year's budget is financing land rights costs associated with two flood control projects near Peru. Between the two projects on Buck Creek and Duck Creek, these costs are estimated at over $850,000.


Public recreation is incorporated into the Duck Creek site while the Buck Creek project will remain privately owned. Bob Hilske, NRD Manager, explained some of the options available to help pay for the land rights. However, grant funding may not be available for a couple of years, which would require the District to obtain loans to cover the costs.

In addition to the Buck Creek and Duck Creek projects, renovation of Iron Horse Trail Lake will also impact the District's budget by about $100,000. The work at this public recreation site in Pawnee County is scheduled to commence this fall with completion in about a year. Other major projects on the District’s slate include the Muddy Creek Watershed project and watershed management practices within the Buck and Duck Creek Watersheds. While no action was taken on the draft budget itself, the board did vote to increase the restricted fund allowance an additional one percent for FY 2010.

Because of the size of this year's budget, the board decided to hold a special board meeting on August 27 specifically to review and approve the budget that will then be presented in September. They chose this date because county valuations will not be known until August 21, and their regular August meeting is on the 13th. This will allow the board to compare expenditures with actual revenues and make decisions on how to proceed in developing a balanced budget. The final budget will be presented at a public hearing on September 10 just prior to the board's regular meeting.

In the only other action taken at this meeting, the board approved a project agreement with Randall K. Miller to act as contracting officer for construction of a dam in Gage County. The majority of the funding for the project will come from the federal Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program with the NRD providing 25 percent cost-share not to exceed $10,000.

While the board did go into executive session to discuss land rights for the Buck Creek Watershed project, no action was taken upon return to regular session. A resolution that was on the agenda for some changes to the 457 retirement program was not received in time for this meeting.

Manager Hilske also updated the board on a statewide public relations campaign initiated to address Legislative Resolution 181. The resolution asks for a study to examine the feasibility and benefits of restructuring the natural resources districts.

The next regular meeting of the Nemaha Natural Resources District Board of Directors will be held Thursday, August 13, beginning at 8:00 p.m. at the NRD headquarters in Tecumseh. Committees will meet prior to the regular meeting.