Finance - Budgets and Audits - Brown's Creek Watershed District

Staff reviews the ten-year Watershed Management Plan Implementation Plan and all completed water resource implementation plans for proposed activities.
Staff contacts all municipalities and agencies to discuss potential cooperative projects and stakeholder priorities.
Board meets as many times as necessary for a budget workshop, generally at least twice, to assess the previous year’s work plan and consider projected projects and programs.
Board holds a public hearing (generally at September regular board meeting) to receive public comment on the proposed draft levy and budget.
Board certifies initial levy to the County in September.
The budget is presented to the County Commissioners in a public workshop.
Between September through December, Board reviews projects and programs. The Board determines if the final budget and levy can be reduced at the regular December Board meeting.
Prior to final certification, the Board of Managers will take any additional public comment on the budget and levy at the December regular meeting.
Final levy must be certified in December.

The following potential projects have been included in the 2025 budget:

Brown’s Creek:
- Brown’s Creek Stream Restoration
  - Finalize restoration of 2,000 linear feet of Brown’s Creek along the Brown’s Creek State Trail to restore habitat, reduce sedimentation, and improve access utilizing a MN Pollution Control 319 grant. Collaborate with MN Department of Natural Resources and city of Stillwater. Construction completed 2024. Native plantings in spring 2025.
  - Determine feasibility for restoration upstream of McKusick Road between Millbrook development and Brown's Creek Cove development.
  - Feasibility for thermal loading reductions to Brown's Creek from McKusick Road direct drainage
- Brown’s Creek Conservation Easement Area - Continue to implement natural resource management plan to restore up to 1,400 linear feet of Brown’s Creek and surrounding 13 acres.
Long Lake:
- Collaborate with Lakeview Hospital for stormwater management opportunities above regulations

Capital Improvement Project Maintenance: The BCWD has a growing list of CIPs requiring long-term maintenance: Kismet Basin, THPP, Countryside Auto, BC Park Rock Crib, Neal Ave Raingardens, Long Lake Raingardens, Norell Ave Pond Retrofit, and the Iron Enhanced Sand Filter. Annual inspections and maintenance activities are necessary to achieve intended water quality improvements.
Permitting Program –Review regularly program and improve permit process as part of the next ten-year watershed management plan.
Flood Risk Reduction Program – Next ten-year management plan to include flood management
East Metro Water Resources Education Program – create programming to educate HOA’s regarding their stormwater management facilities maintenance obligations, what is a healthy buffer for water resources, and water softener and chloride education for residents
Water Monitoring – continue to partner with the Washington Conservation District to conduct baseline monitoring on BCWD lakes and streams, as well as performance monitoring on recent CIPs to determine functioning and maintenance needs/frequency, collect groundwater information to better understand flooding and influence on Brown’s Creek and other groundwater dependent natural resources.

Minnesota Statute 103D.355 requires Watershed Districts to have an annual audit completed of the books and accounts of the watershed district.