Report of news and decisions of the

Missouri Conservation Commission

Contact: Jim Low or Arleasha Mays, (573) 751-4115;

E-mail: Arleasha.Mays@mdc.mo.gov

General news

The Conservation Commission met at 2:30 p.m. on November 6 and at 10:15 a.m. on November 7 in the Harry S Truman Visitor Center near Warsaw. All Commissioners were present for the November 6 meeting; Commissioner Gorman was absent for the November 7 meeting. Commissioners are:

Ronald J. Stites, Plattsburg

Randy Herzog, St. Joseph

Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City

Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre

The Commission discussed prioritization of existing and proposed capital improvement projects and approved a recommendation to reduce the Department's FY '98 operating budget to accommodate accelerated capital developments and to maintain a special account for anticipated refunds under Article X of the Missouri Constitution (Hancock Amendment).

The next meeting was set for December 18 in Jefferson City.

Land Acquisitions

The Commission acquires land only from willing sellers, and makes annual payments to compensate local governments and schools for lost tax revenues at assessment levels current when acquired. Public access to acquisitions will be appropriate only after closing of real estate transactions, at which time boundaries will be marked and further information will be available. Approval was given to proceed with the following:

· accept fee title conveyance of approximately 281 acres in Benton County from the Farm Services Agency, U. S. Department of Agriculture, as an addition to Mora Prairie Conservation Area.

· purchase approximately 38 acres in Butler County as an addition to Wilhelmina Conservation Area. (Purchase authorized from previous owners in December 1996.)

· sell approximately 3.95 acres of Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area in Christian County to the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission for highway improvement.

· convey approximately 0.67 acres of Cape Woods Conservation Area in Cape Girardeau County to the City of Cape Girardeau for adjacent street improvement.

Presentations

Commission meetings are open to the public. Those wishing to be placed on the agenda for a presentation or other business must write to Director, Missouri Department of Conservation, P. O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The Commission:

· presented an award to Mary Phillips of Springfield for 2,000 hours of volunteer service at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center.

· heard a presentation by Kim L. Gentry, Deepwater, of his views about the no-fishing zone on the Osage River and Lake of the Ozarks immediately below Truman Dam.

· heard a presentation by Nancy H. Grove, St. Louis, about the Missourians Against Cockfighting Campaign Committee's initiative petition effort to prohibit the practices of cockfighting and other animal fighting in the state.

· heard a summary briefing by Martin MacDonald of Bass Pro Shops, Springfield, about the Wonders of the Outdoor World educational program jointly-sponsored last summer by Bass Pro Shops and the Department.

· heard three separate presentations of views about continuation of the 1997-98 river otter trapping season by Thomas Newmark of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, St. Louis; Leo Dowden, Mountain Grove; and Donald McKinney, Houston.

Approved

· the 1996-97 Annual Report for the Department of Conservation, and authorized its publication and distribution.

· a new policy related to use of Commission lands by developers as possible mitigation sites to fulfill their state and federal permit requirements.

· the name Mitschele Access for a 1-acre tract on the Gasconade River in Pulaski County leased from the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission.

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