Attendance

• Robert Robison
• Charles Semborski
• Kathleen Ochsenbein
• Craig Nelson
• Stephen Church
• Ronald Bruhn
• Tom Faddies

Excused:

• Geoffrey Bedell

Staff:

• Richard Allis
• Kimm Harty
• John Kingsley
• Jo Lynn Campbell
• Grant Willis

Guests:

• Sherman Hoskins

Chair Robert Robison welcomed everyone to the January 9, 2004 Utah Geological Survey Board meeting.

APPOINTMENT OF BOARD CHAIR
Steve made a motion to nominate Chuck as the Chair for the Board. Ron seconded the motion. All approved and the motion carried unanimously.

Chuck made a motion to nominate Steve as Vice Chair. Kathleen made a second. All approved and the motion carried unanimously.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Craig motioned to approve the minutes with a correction noted by Chuck. Chuck a made second. All approved and the motion carried unanimously.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Financial Position
Director Allis stated that the UGS is now 40% through this fiscal year. The end of the year position is still uncertain, but with the Mineral Lease payments being on the strong side due to higher natural gas prices, the budget is looking good.

Update of Upcoming Legislation
Director Allis said that the Governor has released her budget, recommending a 4½ % increase for state employees, with 2½% going toward benefits and the other 2% recommended as a cost of living adjustment. There will probably be no cuts this year, so the budget should stay as it is. Deputy Director Harty stated that the legislative session begins on January 19, 2004. There is a bill called “Mineral Lease Accountability” on the schedule, but there is no text for it yet and should not impact the UGS.

Personnel
Director Allis mentioned the shift in the geologist pay scales, moving those below the bottom end of the new pay scales up to the new bottom step. He said that the new DHRM director agreed that the pay scales needed to be adjusted to help alleviate the inequities with market wages. The seven-step shift amounts to a 19% increase in the pay scale. This will give the UGS the opportunity to bring in new hires at better salaries. This change will also allow the UGS to start decompressing the salary equities created by the pay scale shift in which only about half the geologist staff received any pay raise. Director Allis stated that the UGS gave out ASI’s and incentive awards to deserving staff members in December. Craig asked about the process for giving increases. Director Allis explained they are given through employee performance with ASIs or incentive awards. Sherm mentioned that the legislature gives approval for departments’ to give employee raises, but there are limitations. Director Allis stated the UGS would like to correct the inequities within the next four to five years, and it is a priority for next year. The Board recommended a motion to support the process of relieving the inequities. Craig then made a motion that: The UGS Board appreciates the decision by DHRM to shift geology pay scales by seven steps (after many years of large inequities with the outside job market). However, the Board is concerned about the resulting compression of actual salaries in the UGS and the inability of the Division to move salaries more in line with the new pay scales. The Board requests that the movement of mid-and upper-level geologist salaries be a priority for the coming year. Chuck made a second. All approved and the motion carried unanimously.

Director Allis announced the retirement of Hellmut Doelling. Hellmut is still working with the UGS as a volunteer finishing up his Salina project. He will be paid per diem when in the field and UGS will provide a state vehicle. There will be a new geologist hired to fill Hellmut’s position. This position will be announced as a Project Geologist with the starting salary at the low end of the scale.

Director Allis introduced Vicky Clarke as the Division’s newly named Employee of the Year recipient. The Board gave their congratulations.

Director Allis explained there is a GIS issue similar to the geologist issue regarding salaries. The UGS has always hired them in at the bottom end of the pay scale. Gary Christenson mentioned to Director Allis that he would like to fill his GIS position as a temporary person this time because of the short tenure of past appointments, and the unduly long process to appoint a permanent person. If the person is still with the program after a year, he would then go through the process to convert the person to a permanent position. This would require advertising the position. Director Allis suggested that ideally new GIS appointments should be hired at a higher level so they will not be so apt to leave once they get a little experience behind them. However there are internal relativities with existing GIS staff that prevent that at the moment.

The Hintze Award process was explained and Director Allis announced that Lehi Hintze was the first recipient. The award will be presented each year during Earth Science Week. The recipient will be selected by a panel consisting of UGS, UGA, and other members.

Neil Burke was introduced as the newest employee in the Environmental Sciences Program. He will be working on the wetlands project in the Tooele County area.

Contracts and Grants
The Environmental Sciences Program (ESP) is submitting a proposal to work with Utah State University and others on Groundwater Quality in Morgan County. The ESP project will study the effects of changes of vegetation, with the consideration of converting Conifer to Aspen. This contract is for $170,000.

The Geological Hazards Program (GHP) received funding for earthquake studies during 2004 from the USGS. As part of the project, the GHP will be putting together a workshop for earthquake scientists that will be held in February.

The Mapping Program continues to work on STATEMAP and EDMAP projects. The program does not receive the funding until the previous year’s projects are completed. The UGS recently heard that it will receive about $275,000 for next year’s (FY ‘05) STATEMAP projects.

Administration has just completed a CO2 project and has been funded for another year. The UGS’ portion is $62,000 to be spread over two years.

DISCUSSION ITEMS
Program Update
Grant gave a power point presentation on the Geological Mapping Program, highlighting areas of the state that have been mapped and are currently being mapped.

ACTION ITEMS
Set Board Meeting Schedule for Year
Chuck motioned to accept the following dates for the year 2004: April 16, 2004, June 18-20, 2004 (board tour), September 24, 2004, and January 7, 2005. Kathleen made a second. All were in favor and the motion carried unanimously.

Approval of Institutional Memberships
The Board reviewed the list of professional memberships for the coming year. Steve motioned to accept list as written. Ron made a second. All were in favor and the motion carried unanimously. The list is appended to these minutes

ADJOURNMENT
At 11:40 a.m., Kathleen motioned to adjourn the meeting of the Board of the Utah Geological Survey. Steve made a second. All were in favor and the motion carried unanimously.