Secretary's Reports:

2) Membership Report: Current as of December 21, 2009 (Not yet complete).

3) Awards Report: No suggested nominees for any GMDA award were provided through the established awards process.

NWRA Report: Ron Bishop reported that NWRA is still in the defensive mode relative to ESA efforts as reported during the last Board Meeting. He also reported that NWRA is still addressing SB 787 that proposes to remove the word “navigable” from the scope of the Clean Water Act (CWA), meaning that CWA jurisdiction would apply to all waters of the U.S.  Dean Pennington reported that The National Cotton Council has filed a suit seeking a reversal of the Sixth Circuit Court decision which requires any entity that disposes pollutants into navigational waters to first obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.  Prior to the 6th Circuit court’s decision in National Cotton Council vs. EPA, the EPA released a rule to clarify that certain aquatic application of pesticides would not require a NPDES permit as pesticide applicators were already subject to Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) requirements that were put in place by Congress to govern the applications of pesticides. The court, however, found that the disposal of pesticides into, over or near water would require an NPDES permit. The court stated that if a pesticide leaves any excess or residual particles behind after completing its intended purpose, it is a pollutant as defined in the Clean Water Act.  The EPA has requested that the Court give the authorized permitting authorities two years to develop and issue the permits. Mr. Pennington suggested that each Board Member check their Farm Bureau website for more information and suggested the issue be followed on Twitter by Wayne Bossert.

State Caucus Reports:

Texas: C.E. Williams reported that the Texas Caucus would defer their report until later in the meeting.

Nebraska: Nebraska Caucus reported that Larry Angle had been re-elected for the 3-year Board Member. The Caucus recommended that the 2011 Winter Conference be held in San Antonio, TX or in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mississippi: Mississippi Caucus reported that Dean Pennington had been re-elected for the 3-year Board Member. The Caucus recommended San Antonio, TX, Alaska, or Hawaii for the 2011 Winter Conference site.

Kansas: Kansas Caucus reported that Sharon Falk had been re-elected for the 3-year Board Member. The Caucus recommended South Padre Island or the Florida Keys as possible sites for the 2011 Winter Conference.

Colorado: Colorado Caucus reported that Jim Reasoner was re-elected for the 3-year Board Member. The Caucus recommended Southern Texas or somewhere on the beach for the 2011 Winter Conference site. They also recommended that the 2011 Summer Meeting be held in the northwest, possibly near the Columbia River.

35^th Annual (2009) Conference Discussions:

Notes provided by Secretary/Treasurer Wayne Bossert who was unable to attend this Conference, recommended that the issue of which Annual Meeting is being held, should be discussed. Mr. Bossert noted that according to the GMDA History page this meeting would be the 35^th Annual Meeting not the 37^th Annual Meeting as the program specifies. It was the general consensus of the Board to make the adjustment at the next Annual Meeting which would then be referred to as the 36^th Annual Meeting.

Change of Officers:

Dean Pennington (MS) moved to have Vice President Tom Cech (CO) advance to the GMDA Presidency. Ron Bishop (NE) seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

Tom Cech requested that Jan King continue presiding over the meeting and not pass the gavel until the end of the Board Meeting.

Jan King opened the floor for nominations.

Sharon Falk (KS) moved that Wayne Bossert (KS) be nominated as Secretary/Treasurer, Ron Bishop (NE) and Dean Pennington (MS) be nominated as NWRA Directors and that the nominations cease and that a unanimous ballot be cast for Wayne Bossert as Secretary/Treasurer and Ron Bishop and Dean Pennington as NWRA Directors. Tom Cech (CO) seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

C.E. Williams was given the floor to present the Texas Caucus: He reported that Jim Conkwright is unable to continue serving as a Board Member for Texas. He reported that Texas has elected Mike Mahoney to the 3-year Board position, has moved C.E. Williams to the 1^st year Board position and would like to recommend Sherry Stephens be elected to serve in Jim Conkwright’s vacated 2^nd year Board position.

C.E. Williams (TX) moved that Mike Mahoney (TX) be nominated as Vice President and that the nominations cease and a unanimous ballot be cast for Mike Mahoney. Ron Bishop (NE) seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

C.E. Williams moved that Sherry Stephens be elected to serve in the 2^nd year Board position replacing Jim Conkwright who is unable to continue serving on the Board. Sharon Falk seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

Committee Appointments: Incoming President Tom Cech reported that he would be reappointing all committee chairs for another year after the transfer of the gavel.

Unfinished / Other Business:

2011 Winter Conference

Places for the next Winter Conference were discussed. It was suggested that the Conference be held along a beach or the River Walk. It was noted that San Antonio annually shuts down the River Walk for cleaning, so the dates of that event should be checked to make sure they do not coincide with the Winter Conference if San Antonio is chosen as the site for the 2011 Winter Conference.

Dean Pennington reported that the 2010 Summer Meeting would be held in Little Rock, Arkansas at the Capital Hotel on June 6 – 8.

Information / Access to FSA Records

A general discussion was held on various subjects including Texas Legislative issues, the effort to secure FSA records, and the USGS modeling endeavors which would make an interesting topic for upcoming meetings.

C.E. Williams reported that the Texas Legislature is trying to give greater groundwater management authority to the State through new regulatory initiatives. This has caused contention since Texas has the “Rule of Capture” which means the landowners own the water beneath the surface of their land. Since the population in Texas is expected to increase significantly the importance of all water sources has also increased. The population shift has created a new category called “Rural Urban” which will need to be further defined.

Ron Bishop reported that Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) has filed suit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) in order to secure access to the FSA’s digitally stored geographic information system (GIS) records. The data would help CPNRD provide guidance on irrigation practices, mapping of cropland and district decisions. CPNRD has tried numerous times to have access to the information over the last 4 years. After having filed a Freedom of Information Act request they had been informed that they would be able to have the information but then the New Farm Bill changed the privacy language and their request was denied. Mr. Bishop reported that the trial would be held this coming Spring and that he could use support from other entities including the GMDA. Several options of support were considered by the Board.

C.E. Williams moved to authorize the GMDA Board Officers to check with Attorney Ben Griffith for a cost estimate for an amicus brief and to allow the GMDA’s name to be placed on an amicus brief once funds to pay for it have been pledged. Ron Bishop seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

New Logo Consideration:

A copy of the new draft-2 logo set was reviewed.

Ron Bishop moved to approve a new GMDA logo which will have one well with a wide uniform stream. C.E. Williams seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

As a result of the caucus actions, the new 2010 GMDA Board Members are: