Badger Oversight Management Commission (BOMC)

Minutes (71 KB)

                              Badger Oversight Management Commission
                                                   Meeting Recap
                                             September 20, 2012

The Badger Oversight Management Commission (BOMC) convened at the Ruth Culver Community Library, Community Room, for a regular meeting on Thursday, September 20, 2012.

Chair Wenzel called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m. Staff affirmed compliance with Open Meetings Law.

Attendance:
Commission Member Commission Representative Present
Wisconsin DNR Steve Schmelzer, Craig Karr
Sauk County Bill Wenzel
Town of Merrimac Richard Grant

Stakeholder Interest Stakeholder Rep
Badger History Group Michael Goc
Citizens for Safe Water around Badger Laura Olah
Bluffview Sanitary District Lisa Rutkowski
City of Baraboo Eugene Robkin
Sauk Prairie Cons. Alliance Dave Tremble
Sauk Prairie School District Teresa Kreutzmann
The Village of Sauk City Bill Stehling

Commission Liaison Liaison Representative
U.S. Army Joan Kenney

Others present: Brian Simmert, Curt Meine, Gail Lamberty, David Sarify-Cox, Mike Carignan, Donna Schmitz, Frank Olah, Diane Brusoe.

Motion by Bill Stehling, seconded by Steve Schmelzer, to adopt the agenda for the September 20, 2012 meeting. Motion Carried.

Motion by Richard Grant, seconded by Steve Schmelzer, to adopt the revised minutes from the August 15, 2012 meeting. Motion Carried.

Dave Tremble suggested that action items be approved by consensus as this has historically been the BOMC’s method of decision making, and not by a vote, including the adoption of agendas and minutes.

Public Comment: None.

Meeting Announcement: Wenzel announced the meeting of the joint public hearing on municipal water for September 25, 2012 at the Hillcrest Restaurant.

New Business – Commissioner Reports:
1. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Steve Schmelzer reported that the DNR is still waiting on the transfer of parcel 207. Once the transfer takes place, utilities will also be transferred and a lease arrangement will occur with the Badger History Group. The fall deer hunt will occur with the cooperation of neighboring land owners (i.e., Army and Dairy Forage). The DNR will develop a map for distribution identifying open and closed areas to hunting. Hunters will be given a map upon arrival and will also sign in. The number of hunters allowed on the property will not be controlled and the DNR is expecting alot of people. Wenzel recognized Curt Meine. Meine suggested that DNR prepare a handout that can be given to every hunter (in addition to a map) highlighting the history of Badger as well as providing for a contact person if they are interested in working toward the preservation of Badger. Schmelzer noted that Devil’s Lake accommodated approximately 2 million visitors this year.

2. Town of Merrimac. No report specific to the Town of Merrimac. Richard Grant reminded the group that this is the IOMC (Interim), and until the MOU is signed by all parties this is an interim group. Grant indicated that he feels the OMC would have more strength once the MOU is signed thereby indicating that the OMC is no longer interim. Wenzel indicated that he has not seen a signed version, but that the County Board approved the establishment of the BOMC. Discussion ensued regarding not being able to find a copy of the signed version. Grant asked if it was time to draft a second original and get it signed. Wenzel will pursue this option. The group agreed that further discussion on the matter will become an agenda item at the next meeting. Tremble stated the MOU is a GSA document and that they first generated it.

3. Town of Sumpter. No report.

4. Bluffview Sanitary District. Rutkowski reported that all three projects are proceeding as planned and are scheduled to be completed by November 1. The Wisconsin Wastewater Operators’ Association featured an article on the Bluffview wastewater treatment plant. Grant asked how many sanitary users there are. Rutkowski estimated about 300. Grant asked what the average rate is. Rutkowski responded that the monthly rate for average residential customer is $21.92 per month for 4000 gallons per month. Sewer rates are based on water usage per user. There is a base meter rate plus usage rate per month. It was noted that most sanitary systems are not self sufficient and require outside funding.

5. Sauk County. No Report.

6. Ho Chunk. No Report.

New Business – Committee Reports:
1. Executive and Finance. No Report.

2. Planning and Land Use. Karr referred to minutes of the last PLU Committee as part of the report. Karr noted that the DNR believes it is important to provide an opportunity for the public to see Badger as part of the master planning process. An open house is scheduled for Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a set tour route with a number of stops. At each stop there will be a person there to share information, answer questions, and hand out info. The PLU committee discussed where stops should be and what potential role stakeholder interest groups may have at stops. Building 207 will be open. Goc asked where a good spot would be to stop and ask questions about the plant. A suggestion was made to have a meeting of interested stakeholders to discuss logistics/details. The group requested that the DNR share a list of stops as stop sites are designated. Karr is assuming Dairy Forage will want to participate which may cause a tour exit route on Hwy 78.

3. Education and Outreach. Bill Stehling reported that curriculum is being developed for education.

4. Ad Hoc Committees. No Report.

New Business – Stakeholder Reports:

Tremble reported that the SPCA will be hosting the first annual volunteer appreciation banquet on November 17. Following the banquet there will be a presentation for the public at the Tripp Heritage Museum in Prairie du Sac. Workdays are typically held the 2nd Saturday of each month from April through November to do restoration work. Watch for upcoming dates of undergraduate student presentations regarding Badger.

Goc reported that the Badger History Group (BHT) did its usual outreach at the dairy breakfast, steam and gas, and cow chip. BHT requested that he DNR set aside land for a Badger history museum, possibly adjacent to the farmers’ memorial. A question was asked why the museum proposal did not go before the PLU Committee. BHT did not think about it.

New Business – Liaison Reports:

1. Army. Kenney reported that the blast walls of Building 200 are down. Debris removal will occur in the next couple of weeks. Concrete removal and removal of the water filtration plant is nearing completion. The DNR originally talked about keeping landfill but changed mind. Closed and filled cells will be turned over to the DNR and final cells when no longer needed will be closed and transferred. Olah asked where sludges from the wastewater treatment plant have gone in the past and where they go now. Kenney stated in the past sludges were dried and landfilled. In the future, sludges maybe landfilled off-site or land spread.
Discussion ensued regarding the seeding mix on landfills and seeding to prairie instead of using DOT Mix 20; and regarding the status of previous landfills and what was deposited in them and future maintenance needs.

2. USDA. A written report was submitted by Lori Bocher.

Other New Business Items:

The following agenda items were discussed simultaneously:

1. Discuss role of BOMC at WI-DNR SPRA master plan open house.

2. Discuss upcoming tour of Badger.

The open house date/tour of badger is scheduled for October 20. The BOMC asked if there would be an opportunity for the public to tell the DNR what they have learned and to provide comments after the tour. DNR noted that there will be additional public comment periods after the tour; however no specific dates have been identified. Upcoming steps of the master planning process will continue to unfold after the tour.

Brusoe noted that since this is a new property the development of a vision and goals will occur after the public comments are received. The comments will then provide future direction for the use of the property. The comments will also assist with the development of a vision. The suggested vision and goals will be subject to a public hearing, hopefully before the end of the year. Tremble asked why DNR cannot proceed with the development of a vision right away. Tremble expressed concern that the vision will be determined by specific recommendations for the future use of the property and that developing a vision is a first step in any standard planning process. Meine stated that DNR is coming to the planning process because of the work of previous groups and that the DNR has this land because of this previous effort and appealed to the DNR to recognize this previous work and uphold the Reuse Plan. Meine also stated that DNR has been a historical member of the process.

Tremble stated that he did not want DNR to attempt to distance themselves from the Reuse Plan and their prior involvement. DNR needs to acknowledge to the public that they are part of the reuse process and if they don’t, the BOMC will. Robkin reiterated that the DNR has provided very useful representation on the Reuse Committee. Discussion ensued regarding the suggested nontraditional uses in the property analysis document.

Discussion ensued regarding the development of a handout that describes Badger’s history, previous planning efforts, the Reuse Plan, and BOMC. The Reuse Plan should be emphasized as it relates to all future uses at Badger. The BOMC is asking the DNR to make it clear from the beginning that the Reuse Plan is the guiding document from this point forward.

Tremble noted that he was told by a state legislature that they do not believe the MOU and Intergovernmental Agreement have legal standing.

Karr said that if BOMC felt they needed to prepare a handout that the DNR would make it available at the open house. DNR would prefer that BOMC have a separate handout.

Tremble stated that if we are going to make the point that BOMC and DNR are working together that there should only be one handout. Karr noted that there is a risk that decision makers in DNR would edit it. Meine suggested drafting a letter from the BOMC that could be handed out and have all organizations listed in the letter including the DNR. Karr objected.

Grant recalled a meeting with Mark Aquino representing BIG at the time. According to Grant, Aquino made a statement that while the legal status of the documents may be called into question, the political power will still be there. Grant stated that there is a new group in Madison making decisions on the fly and that they do not recognize previous efforts.

The BOMC decided that they will draft a letter to be sent to the DNR to be printed on the same handout provided by the DNR at the open house. The letter will be received by DNR no later than October 4 and will be sent to DNR by Tremble.

3. Next Meeting Date: Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.

4. Public Comment: None

Adjourn by consensus at 9:19 p.m. Motion Carried.


Respectfully submitted, Richard Grant



Recap by Simmert