Environment, Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee - Regular Meeting

We're gonna go ahead and call, Inner to order. Laura, can you go ahead and call the roll?

Supervisor Maren. Maren, here. Supervisor Burushak, Here. Supervisor Downing. Also here, but muted.

Yeah. I think you're I don't know what you're saying, but you were saying you were saying something.

Downing is here somehow because five minutes ago, this link was not working.

Alright. Here. Supervisor Peters, not currently present. We'll keep our eyes open. Youth governance member Pianca, we will also look for Sofia or

Pianca won't be here. She notified me earlier today.

Sounds good. Thank you. And Chair Chawla.

Chawla here. Alright. We have quorum. On to b, consideration of minutes. We have twenty twenty five minutes six seventeen from our February 26 meeting. I'll entertain a motion.

I'll I'll move it.

Alright. Moved by Downing. Questions or discussion? Not seeing any. All those in favor, aye. Aye. Opposed? Extensions? Okay. That passes. C, fund transfer is none. D, referrals, resolutions, ordinance amendments. The first one we have is 2025 res three ninety one authorizing 2026 purchase of service agreement and addendum with operation fresh start for completing conservation work on County Parkland. If it's okay with the committee, I'm gonna go ahead and move this one. And, Laura, can you give us an overview of this?

Yep. This is a continuation of a multiyear relationship that the county has with Operation Fresh Start specific to land and water. We've contracted with for their services going back to 2014. Over time, that relationship has really flourished and I think has benefited both the county and Operation Fresh Start. And the contract or I'm sorry, resolution before you does two things.

It would approve a one year contract for the Conservation Academy and legacy crew, and then it approves an addendum or a contract extension for special federal IRA funding that provides additional opportunities specific to a forestry crew. This portion of the county funding was budgeted for 2026, so there is adequate resources available in the 2026 land and water budget. So we did anticipate this expense. And we are currently working internally, and we'll be starting conversations with Operation Fresh Start on what the relationship might look like for 2027. But again, we do have funding in the 2026 budget and did anticipate that this contract would move forward.

Great. Thanks, Laura. Supervisor Downing?

Oh, well, you've all heard my anecdote about FreshStart before, Beck, but I'll just briefly recap it. Back to in my time as town of Perry chair, we had them come out and help us. They're great workers, and some of the locals were so impressed. The the one who had a bison herd said, hey. Bring him on out. And sure enough, he put him on his Jeep and drove him out into the middle of a a buffalo pasture, and then their eyes were just like this. It was it was so much fun. And and they do great work, and and they're learning lots along the way.

Roger Downing? I just wanna add, really happy to have the headquarters for Freshstar in my district, and grateful that they invited me there to kinda take a look at things and be a part of a community day where we help building up kind of a learning classroom for IT type work. So we got to put together some some chairs and computer equipment and whatnot. So it was a good time. Okay. With that, not seeing anyone else. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed? Abstentions?

Alright. That passes. Up next we have twenty twenty five res three ninety two authorizing acceptance of funds from the foundation for Dane County Parks to support Dane County Parks volunteer program. I'll entertain a motion here.

I'll move it.

K. Moved by Maren. K. Laura, can we get an overview of this?

Yes. So as you might recall, we have a nonprofit fundraising partner, the Foundation for Dane County Parks. They've been in existence for several years now. Erin Mullins is their executive director. The organization was established by Bill Bunney and Judy Pfeiffer, in addition to several other individuals.

And the foundation secured financial support from the Madison Community Foundation to support the Dane County Parks volunteer program. And specifically, this money will be used to host chainsaw safety training and workdays. And that's the proposal in front of you.

Thanks, Laura. Do you have any committee member questions or discussion? Alright. Not seeing any. All those in favor, aye.

Aye.

Opposed? Abstentions? Okay. That passes. And up next, we're on to number three, authorizing donation of funds donation of funds land restoration at Morton Forest. I'll entertain a motion on this one. I'll move it. Moved by supervisor Boruchak. Laura, can you give us an overview of this one?

Yes. Steven Morton donated the land that today is known as Morton County Forest. It's a beautiful property in the town of Mesomania if you have not been there. And in addition to generously donating his family property to the county, he also established an endowment with the Madison Community Foundation for annual maintenance expenses. So we are, through this resolution, accepting the $20.26 endowment proceeds of proceeds of just under $20,000 that will be used for maintenance and restoration expenses at Morton County Forest.

Great. Thanks, Laura. Do we have any committee member questions and discussion? Not seeing any. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Abstentions? Okay, that passes. Items requiring committee action, none. Presentation, none. Reports to committee, none. Future meeting items and dates. Our next meeting is actually during spring break on March 26. So if we have a light agenda, that meeting might be canceled.

And then going forward, just so everyone knows, there's an election. There'll be a new there'll be a new county board chair or then that person will assign supervisors who are on the board to committees. So then there'll be a subsequent organizing meeting following that to reconstitute. The next meeting will is we'll we'll say it's a little fluid now, but we'll know whether or not that spring break meeting will be canceled. We'll probably make a decision on that the next week and a half or so just kinda seeing if there's any pressing business for that.

And then going forward, we say keep an eye on how things sort of unfold as we as we go through that organizing process. K. Alright. Public comment on items not on the agenda. None. Such other business is allowed by law. Alright. I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. So moved. Alright. We're gonna get say everyone moved to adjourn. Okay. Alright. So all in favor of adjournment, say aye.

Aye. Aye.

Alright. We are adjourned. Thanks, everyone.