CONSERVATION ACTION

News of the December 11, 1998 Conservation Commission meeting

Contact: Jo Radmacher, (573) 751-4115;

E-mail: Jo.Radmacher@mdc.mo.gov

The Conservation Commission met on December 10-11 at Department Headquarters in Jefferson City. Commissioners present were:

Randy Herzog, St. Joseph

Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City

Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre

Ronald J. Stites, Plattsburg

No meeting will be held in January and the next meeting of the Conservation Commission was set for February 3 at Marriott's Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach, in conjunction with the Missouri Natural Resources Conference.

The Commission's single agenda item on December 10 involved review of the current budget statusCspecifically prioritization of Capital Improvements projects and operating budget targets for Fiscal Years 2000 and beyond. On December 11, the following business was conducted:

The Commission presented Service Awards to the following long-term employees: 40-Year Awards to Robert C. Cook, Clarence D. Shilling and Darrell L. Carroll. 35-Year Awards to James F. Johnson, Richard E. Robbins, Donald K. Ross and Lee C. Redmond. 30-Year Awards to William I. Phillips, Thomas E. Toney, Larry K. Graham, Arthur R. Suchland and Wayne R. Porath. 25-Year Awards to Wendell E. Jeffery, Bobby Moncrief, Alanda M. Gothard, Alice S. Kelley, Stan M. Lovan and David B. Young.

The Commission also presented special awards to the following employees for their extraordinary contributions to the Department's Endangered Species ProgramCin recognition of the 25th Anniversary of enactment of the Federal Endangered Species Act: Richard L. Clawson, David E. Pitts, John H. Meyer, Ernest J. Hamilton, Kevin R. Richards, Timothy E. Smith, James D. Wilson, Thomas R. Johnson, John M. Pelton and James E. Rathert.

PRESENTATIONS

Commission meetings are open to the public. Those wishing to be placed on the agenda for a presentation or other business must send a written request to Director, Department of Conservation, P. O. Box 180, Jefferson City MO 65102-0180, or FAX to (573) 751-4467, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The Commission heard presentations by:

· Fisheries Division staff on background information and overview of the Department's Watershed Assessment and Inventory Reports.

· Mayor John D. Marx, City of Town & Country, on various deer management efforts the City would like to implement and fund, with ongoing participation and oversight by Department staff.

· Urban Deer Task Force on recommendations for revising the Department's long-standing Urban Deer Management Guidelines.

· Jon Smith, Board of Trustees, and Betty Mylar, Executive Director, Missouri Forest Heritage Center, on an update on the Center and transfer of real property, as authorized in the cooperative agreement.

· Ms. Nancy Grove, Saint Louis, on the recent passage of AProposition A.@

REGULATIONS

The Commission accepted the Report of the Regulations Committee, and established the 1999 spring turkey hunting season as twenty-one (21) days in length (from April 19 through May 9, 1999). A person possessing the prescribed turkey hunting permit may take two (2) male turkey or turkeys with visible board during the season; provided only one (1) turkey may be taken during the first seven (7) days of the season (from April 19 through April 25) and only one (1) turkey may be taken per day (from April 26 through May 9).

LAND ACQUISITION

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 is appropriate only after closing of real estate transactions, at which time boundaries have been marked and further information is available. The Commission approved proceeding with:

· acceptance as a gift approximately 23 acres in Platte County from Jack A. and Norma A. Logan of Platte City as an addition to Platte Falls Conservation Area.

· acceptance as a gift approximately 4.8 acres in Buchanan County from M. Clareese West of Olatha, Kansas, as an addition to Anthony & Beatrice Kendzora Conservation Area.

ADMINISTRATION:

The Commission also took the following action:

Authorized entering into contracts with the lower bidders onCconstruction of Phase II of August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area Headquarters/Visitor Center project (new parking lots, exterior lighting and building demolition) in Saint Charles County; and construction of three access projects (Chalk Bluff Trail Access in Dunklin County, Aquilla Access in Stoddard County and Dan River Access in Butler County).

Authorized entering into a lease agreement with the Conservation Employees' Credit Union, under which the Credit Union would be authorized to construct an office building on a portion of Department Headquarters in Jefferson City.

Authorized selling a waterline easement on approximately 2.5 acres of Sunbridge Hills Conservation Area, Buchanan County, to the Missouri-American Water Company.

Designation of approximately 182 additional acres of Hughes Mountain Natural Area in Washington County as a Missouri Natural Area.

Authorized the name Pilot Knob Conservation Area for the 1,360-acre tract in Stone County acquired by trade with the U. S. Forest Service.