Staff Assembly Minutes

May 10, 2012

Noon, Blue Creek/Echo Bay Room

 

Call to Order:  Noon

 

Approval of Minutes:  A motion to approve the March, 2012 minutes was made; seconded and passed unanimously.

 

Dike Feasibility Study/Guest Eric Olson

Guest Eric Olson with Ruen-Yeager Engineers reported on the options for structural improvements to the levee on Rosenberry Drive.  The levee is currently accredited to withstand a 100 year flood.  The flood insurance program is administered by FEMA.   All of the levee land, except for the road belongs to NIC.  The City has an encroachment permit for the levee and the road, and the City is the sponsor that maintains the levee. 

 

The Army Corps of Engineers 2010 inspection rated the levee as “minimally acceptable” and the excessive trees and shrubs on the levee embankment were rated “unacceptable”.   Options for trees:

1.      Tree removal and levee restoration (approximate cost of 1.61 million).

2.      Steel sheet pile wall, with the vegetation-free zone only on top of the levee (approximate cost 3.9 million).

 

Our current levee certification expires in 2017, and if the levee can pass recertification we will be able to obtain flood insurance.  One factor in our favor is that the levee is overbuilt—it is seven feet above the 100 year flood elevation.  The certification process involves certification by professional engineers and a detailed analysis, including slope restoration and selective tree removal.  The conclusion reached by the City of Coeur d’Alene is that levee certification is the way to go.  Some trees may need to be cut down, but the bigger trees will be allowed.

 

Introducing Dr. Jim Perez

Jim Perez, Interim Vice President for Instruction and Student Services, was introduced to Staff Assembly.  Dr. Perez is retired from Spokane Community College and will serve as interim Vice President at NIC through August.  Dr. Perez expressed his appreciation of the wonderful staff at NIC.

 

New Staff Assembly Officers for 2012-2013:

Chair:  Garry Stark

Vice Chair:  Nancy Edwards

Secretary:  Carol Jones

Senators:  Sandra Jacquot, Betsy Conery, Adam Mortensen, Jon Totten, Matt Sebby, Chantel Black

Senate Alternates:  Stacy Hudson and Leslie Slinkard

 

Senate Update

The Staff Sabbatical policy passed through two readings at the Senate; it goes to the Board of Trustees for a first reading at the May meeting.  The public comment portion is the first 15 minutes of the meeting, so we would like to encourage people to show up and show their support of this policy to the Trustees. 

 

Shout Out

A shout-out from Betsy Conery to Erin Norvell in appreciation of her dedication and professionalism in serving as the Staff Assembly Chair over the past year.

 

Adjourned:  12:45 pm