Baker sees priorities for short session

CURTIS -- Finding funding for many issues will be difficult this year, and the Legislature will have other issues requiring special attention, State Sen. Tom Baker told members of the Middle Republican Natural Resources District board of directors at an annual awards and recognition luncheon.

"Everyone will be coming to the table with important issues they want funded, but everything may not get funded this year." Baker said. "Water, transportation, and child abuse will be among those needing additional funding. Capitol punishment and lethal injections will also be an important topic."

Baker added that the upcoming 2004 session would be a short one, ending on April 15. He sits on the revenue committee, which is one that expects to see a lot of debate this session.

Others in attendance included the 2004 Middle Republican NRD Honor Conservation Award recipients, the John and Donna Sullivan Family of Wallace and the 2004 Outstanding Tree Planter Award recipients LaVern and Carol Friesen, also of Wallace. More information about these award winners is included in a separate article.

During the regular board meeting the district counsel Jon Schroeder updated directors on the status of current district litigation.

NRCS District Conservationist Dave Griffith discussed possible new NRCS programs and current program changes on the horizon. More information will be released from the NRCS on these programs when it is available.

Daniel Smith, MRNRD General Manager updated directors on a recent meeting of the Ground Water Coalition Group, which the district recently joined. The mission of this coalition is to represent NRDs statewide on ground water issues. Presently one-half of Nebraska's NRDs belong to the coalition. Ron Bishop of the Central Platte NRD is currently the chairman of the group.

Smith also reported that the Governor's Water Policy Task Force would give its final report to Governor Johanns on December 18. He discussed probable components of the proposed report. Representatives of various water interests were appointed to this task force 18 months ago with the charge to work through water issues in Nebraska. They had 18 months to develop a plan. More information will be released from the State of Nebraska after Dec. 18.

Assistant Manager Robert Merrigan reported that second notices were sent to district irrigators who had not responded earlier this year to a request to report their irrigated acres to the district.

"Nearly 850 wells still need to be certified. This means that we have certified acres from irrigators on about 75 percent of the wells located in the Middle Republican NRD," he said. More than 3,300 registered irrigation wells are located in the district.

Merrigan added that letters for meter placement would be sent out soon to irrigators who have wells located in the northwest quarters, which have not yet installed flow meters. This is the final year of the seven-year plan to install meters on all wells located in the district.

In other business, an interlocal agreement was signed with USGS for reading nested wells. Other items discussed were the tree program, the cost-share program and the 2004 election. Directors approved the purchase of a Dell laptop and projector.

A hearing was held for requests for variances from the district-wide temporary well drilling suspension on regulated wells. Steve Seeman of Stamford applied for three variances with Les Wood of Maywood applying for one variance. Following the hearing all four variance requests were denied.

The next regular meeting of the Middle Republican NRD will be held January 13, 2004 in McCook at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds meeting room, beginning at 1:30 p.m.