Mauna Kea Soil & Water Conservation District

Mauna Kea Soil & Water Conservation District

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Mauna Kea Soil & Water Conservation District

February 9, 2012

Prepared by Margaret Fowler, Admin. Assist. Accepted on 3/8/12

Jim Thain, Chair

Chris Robb, Treasurer Monty Richards, Director

Brad Lau, Director Spencer Nagata, HACD

Matt Wung, NRCS

Meeting Called to Order at- 4:10 pm

Quorum Present

Agenda/ approved

Minutes/ 1/12/12 approved

Treasurer’s Report/ approved

Chairman’s Report/

The next Hawaii Island SWCD Chair’s meeting will be 2/10/12 in Kau. Since Chair has been Hawaii Island V-P for HACD Chair has been trying to hold quarterly meetings, but they have been semi annually instead. The next meeting will have the new NRCS Chief, Angel Figueroa in attendance. HACD President Wes Nohara has submitted his letter of resignation, Chair would like to request all Hawaii Island SWCD’s chip in and get Wes a mahalo gift for his service to the Districts.

HACD Annual Meeting for 2012 is June 20-22, 2012 on Maui. Chair encourages Director’s to attend. Chair feels it is important for MKSWCD to have representation at the Executive session. Chair is planning on attending the meeting.

Makai Fencing Project- Chair has gone through the minutes and found that the BOD agreed to go forward with the project. Many issues have come up with this project. Fencing needed to be changed from barb to smooth wire due to presence of endangered Hawaiian Hoary bat sightings in Waiulaula watershed. MKSWCD recently found out there are many documented cultural sites on project site and planned route of fence, troughs and gates need to be changed to avoid sites. Chair had a meeting with NRCS Cultural specialists and they want a more comprehensive survey done to determine which sites potentially may be registered on the historic registry. Burden of dong survey and avoidance plan would be on MKSWCD or the landowners. Mauna Kea Properties has done a full survey on their property and Chair can ask them for a copy of the survey. Chair not sure how intensive survey on Queen Emma land was, but knows on was done. Freddy Rice has pulled out of project due to all the Federal restrictions. He is still interested in grazing land and will work with landowners himself to see if it can be done. All restrictions are avoided if no Federal dollars are used. There are many other projects in the Waiulaula Management Plan the District can pursue. Chair feels MKSWCD should withdraw from project & return advance to DOH leaving the door open to try to work out a new contract that can address issues. Approved by BOD to cancel Makai Fencing Project contract with DOH and return advance to DOH. Chair will draft letter and send to BOD for their approval and then send with check to DOH.

AECOM report is finished, there is a copy at the office for Director’s to review. Waipio community has requested that area representatives State & County, Civil Defense representatives and Water Commission representatives be invited to the meeting in which report is presented. Approved to pay AECOM outstanding invoices of $19,229.53 as well as final invoices.

Office move was week of 2/6/12. No mites in new space.

Waiulaula MOU was signed by Chair and returned to NRCS

Cooperator of the Year- nominations are: Robb Farm, Kozen Farm, Lionel Camara Enterprises LLC, KL Cross Ranch, & Herman Holland, BOD will tour nominee’s farms/ranches on 3/3/12 and decide on winners at 3/8/12 meeting

Sign for new office was approved for $123.96 as well as installation costs of $100

New Business/

Office welcome party- approved $300 for new office party on 3/16/12

Stamps- approved $45 for stamps

MKSWCD monthly meetings- monthly meetings of MKSWCD will be at the new NRCS Waimea Filed Office from 3/12 until further notice