General Information

Government Type

Special Service District

Entity

Sanpete Conservation District

Public Body

Board of Supervisors

Notice Information

Add Notice to Calendar

Notice Title

Meeting Minutes

Notice Type(s)

Meeting

Event Start Date & Time

May 20, 2026 10:55 AM

Event End Date & Time

May 20, 2026 02:15 PM

Event Deadline Date & Time

05/20/26 02:15 PM

Description/Agenda

Meeting Minutes SANPETE CONSERVATION DISTRICT Wednesday, May 20th, 2026 Time: 11:00 A.M. USDA Service Center LOCATION: 32 East 450 North Ephraim Utah, 84627 NRCS Conference Room ________________________________________ ATTENDANCE: SURPERVISORS: Michael Larson, Bruce Christenson Excused: Scott Mower, Thomas Blackham Called in: Scott Sunderland Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF): JP Contreras (Resource Coordinator) Excused: Breeann Bloomfield (Watershed Planner) Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS): James Longmore (UACD-NRCS) Joanna Justesen (NRCS PSS-Admin Assistant) CD clerk Excuse: Wade Ingram (District Conservationist) 1. Agenda: Welcome and Introductions: a) May 20, 2026, agenda and April 16, 2026, minutes approval. Motion by Mike, seconded by Scott; motion carried. b) March 4, 2026, minutes approved. Motion by Mike and Scott, seconded by Bruce; motion carried. 2. Clerk Report: Joanna reported the following items: a) The board reviewed the final payment for Michael LaRiviere, which includes wages, benefits, and associated expenses from January through March 2026, totaling $18,519.03. Check #245 was issued on April 16, 2026. Updates were provided regarding ongoing work on FY 2026 Q3 UCC SERA and Financial Reports, as well as reports required by the Utah State Auditor. The January-March SERA tracking for reimbursement was presented. With updated attendance information from recent meetings, SERA reimbursement forms will be revised accordingly for the following meeting. JP was asked if he had obtained a voucher from Kristy regarding Soil Health field days in St. George to facilitate reimbursement processing for Bruce; JP confirmed he would contact Kristy to acquire the necessary details. Mike clarified the reimbursement process, emphasizing the importance of spending funds and subsequently requesting reimbursement, with both match and planned portions fully covered. Payroll fees of $60.00 were discussed, noting that districts contribute $40.00 toward this fee. Bruce raised concerns about the challenges involved in obtaining reimbursements for UCC meetings. Scott needed to return a call during the discussion. Explained to the board members that Google map screenshots would now need to be submitted to support mileage reimbursement claims. JP recommended submitting trip reimbursements on a quarterly basis and discussed detailed procedures with Bruce and Mike. He also noted that reimbursement requests are acceptable within a 30-day timeframe, and enforcement of this limit has recently become stricter. b) Discussed two producers who received grant funds and requested clarification on funding sources and balancing the books. Large deposits without NPS grant reimbursements are causing discrepancies. Mike explained one producer's funds were from the Department of Water Quality. JP asked about NPS reimbursement procedures. Transferred check from WS mm to WS checking account; it will be sent to district board members, which should restore balance. Reviewed budget draft and noted some numbers are pending updates due to missing expenses. Still need tree sale invoices and further discussion on NPS grant handling for producer payments. c) Mike explained moving producer funds from WS MM to WS Checking alongside Non-Point source budgets. He covered district reimbursements for CD shared planners' wages, including funding sources and cost allocation. He summarized payout processes for travel and expenses, and discussed budget amounts for education and training for board members, clerks, and CD shared planners. d) The board's projected budget for 2027 is a preliminary estimate, based on updated profit and loss statements and balance sheets from May 2025 to May 2026. Once hotel and registration invoices are received, the SERA tracking will be finalized. A final draft will be sent to board members before the next meeting for approval. JP proposed a joint training session with Katie to review budgets and address upcoming report questions, and Mike suggested involving Julie Weber and emailing the new budget to the board. The no-till drill meter is sun-damaged and unreadable, making it necessary to use a new spreadsheet to track acreage for grant purposes. JP also recommended recording interest in the No-Till drill for data collection. 3.Financial Business: CD Board a) What is the status of the 1993 4WD Truck with Brothers Auto? We previously agreed to sell it once repairs were completed. Has the truck been fixed yet? Additionally, there was a conversation about No Till Drill insurance, and an update on this matter was supposed to be provided at this meeting. b) Mike received $854.00 in deposits for No-Till drill rentals. c) Shared planner and CD Clerk pay were discussed; further discussion on pay and performance evaluations will take place at the next meeting. d) Invoice payments require approval; all will go to Mike. Bruce moved for SERA to cover the next two meeting expenses, including Joanna's attendance and time. Scott seconded, and the motion passed. 4.Board Business: (Board Members) a) Upcoming Projects and Meetings: I. UCC Facility Tour: June 2nd, 2026, at 9AM at 2725 North 100 West, Redmond, UT 84652 (Bruce Christenson stated his intention to attend; please account for travel and time) i. San Pitch Watershed Group Meeting: Thursday June 4, 2026 @ 6:00 PM Located at the Ephraim NRCS Conference Room b) Bruce Christenson, Mike Larsen, Scott Sunderland, Scott Mower, & James Longmore at recent Snow College District Strategy Meeting on May 14th, 2026, from 6-8PM. 5. UDAF Business: (JP Contreras) a) Updates: Breeann Bloomfield will present two non-point source grants for Moroni-area projects at the next board meeting, with documents prepared for approval. JP distributed Conflict of Interest forms to board members; this referenced 'Sevier' county instead of 'Sanpete.' He will send corrected forms, which I'll forward for signatures. b) ARDL: (JP Contreras) JP presented recommendations regarding potential future changes for board members, specifically relating to the selection and approval of projects within each district. Bruce expressed interest in increasing member involvement in project evaluation prior to final approval, enabling those with long-standing community experience to better assess the distribution of grants and project benefits. The discussion also touched on insurance matters, including Utah trust bonding and crime insurance, which JP estimated would cost approximately $200. Regarding vehicle insurance, JP requested relevant information from the insurance agent for members and coordinated with Jace to determine coverage specifics. The policy was forwarded to JP for review. Insurance bonding is budgeted at $200, with an additional $100 allocated for equipment. Mike noted that monthly vehicle insurance costs would be at least $50, recommending a budget mark of $700. Current budget allocations remain at $300 and $3500. 6. NRCS Business: (Zach Farnsworth) a) All screenings are complete. Sent out a request for Additional Judicial funding of $600,000 which would be allocated to EQIP RPP for inclusion in the next funding pool. As well as an extra $350,000 for the San Pitch River SFP which will also support the next two projects with this funding round. The quote was sent to Kristi Westwood as requested and we are waiting to hear back. Six million dollars allocated for the whole Sevier team for 2026, which is spread out between 41 contracts. As of right now the Middle Sevier team has 157 active contracts, spending $14.1 Million dollars 795,000 acres are in active contracts. b) The board reviewed timing for upcoming contract discussions. At the next meeting, NRCS business will be moved to the first part of the agenda to allow planners to address contract questions first. A signature line will be added to contracts for CD board members to confirm presentation. This meeting may take longer due to reviewing each contract individually. 7. CD Employee Business: (James Longmore) a) Updates: The group discussed the spreadsheet used for tracking no-till rental activity, focusing on improving documentation of renters and deposit records for the drill. The issue regarding the repair of the truck was raised again; it was noted that the quoted cost is higher than anticipated, and the truck also requires a new battery. James suggested sending a message to board members for input on whether to proceed with additional repairs, given concerns about maintenance costs potentially exceeding the vehicle's value. Mike moved to approve repairs to the 1993 4WD truck through Brothers Auto, with the intention to sell the vehicle once repairs are completed at a total cost of $2073.00. The original quote was $700 but increased due to transmission issues. Scott made a motion to proceed with the repairs, which Bruce seconded. The motion passed. James further reported that training is nearly complete and expressed interest in presenting to local high schools, specifically targeting FFA classes. The board agreed that engaging in schools would be highly beneficial. b) CD Equipment: James deposited $125.00 for the No-Till Drill and $729.00 for the Range Drill. 8. Other Business: a) The next meeting will finalize the 2027 budget and review contracts for NRCS and two Non-Point source grants. JP and Joanna suggested moving the meeting to June 9th, 2026, to avoid schedule conflicts and ensure compliance with budget deadlines. Mike motioned to approve; Bruce agreed, Scott seconded. Motion passed. b) Meeting Adjournment 2:15 PM

Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during this meeting should notify Michael Larson, Chair

Notice of Electronic or Telephone Participation

NA

Meeting Information

Meeting Location

32 East 450 North
Ephraim, UT 84627
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Contact Name

Joanna Justesen

Contact Email

joanna.justesen@usda.gov

Contact Phone

1-385-505-7032

Notice Posting Details

Notice Posted On

May 28, 2026 10:56 AM

Notice Last Edited On

May 28, 2026 10:56 AM

Deadline Date

May 20, 2026 02:15 PM

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