HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93010_0617 (2)APPOINTMENTS BEFORE THE BOARD
Update on the Cooperative Soil Survey by Representatives of the United States
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Larry
Hendrix, the NRCS District Conservationist, said the county's land owners would be assisted by
the soil survey being conducted. He said the survey currently being used was produced in 1964.
Hendrix said his office worked with agricultural producers, developers, environmental agencies,
real estate agencies, and legal companies when there were questions about the soils in Iredell
County. Mr. Hendrix said the new soil survey was revealing that some soils once considered
nonproductive were now being classified as productive. He said this was due to better farming
practices. Hendrix said the soil erosion rates had significantly dropped.
Robert Ranson, an NRCS Soil Scientist, said the soil survey was a detailed scientific
inventory of all the land resources in the county. He said the survey was based on field
observations and "tens of thousands of soil borings." Ranson said farmers were the primary
users of the survey, but there was a growing interest by nonagricultural groups.
Milton Martinez, an NRCS Soil Scientist, said he was assisting in the field mapping and
data base for the national soil survey information system. He said the information would be
accessible on the Internet. Mr. Martinez said the county soil survey would be published in 2007,
Commissioner Johnson asked if the survey results would assist land owners in locating
areas for possible septic tanks or in -ground wastewater treatment systems. He also asked if the
survey would reveal if there were pollutants on a property.
Martinez said the soils were classified and each classification had an interpretation. He
said the interpretations could give a "general idea." Martinez said the work would not reveal
Pollutants.
Attorney Pope asked aboutthe possibility of interfacing the survey results with the
county's Geographic Information System (GIS).
Martinez said he planned to work with the state on digitizing the soil map.
Pope asked if it would be up to the local funding sources to have the survey results added
to the GIS or mapping departments once digitization occurred.
Ranson said the process was still evolving He said a goal was to have the information in
a digitized format for the GIS offices.
Commissioner Williams asked the percentage of the county that had been surveyed.
Ranson said seven percent.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
OTION by Commissioner Johnson to approve the following 11 consent agenda items.
VOTING: Ayes — 5; Nays — 0.
1 • Request for Approval of a Proposed Model for the Joint Operation of Public
Library Facilities between Iredell County and Municipalities, as Amended (See briefing
minutes for additional information.)
2• Request from the North Iredell Rescue Squad for an Additional Maturity Date
Extension for a Promissory Note: The note, now in the amount of$74,000, will be extended
for another year with an interest rate of three percent.
3• Request from the Iredell County Library for Approval of Budget Amendment #19
in Reference to a Grant for Hispanic Services: During the briefing, Library Director Steve
Messick explained that he planned to use a $10,000 Hispanic Services grant for: (1) videos and
audiotapes designed to assist Spanish speaking persons English (2) non-fiction books to aid in