March 2002 Meeting Minutes

PACD Executive Council Meeting
Wednesday, March 13, 2002
Holiday Inn, Grantville, PA

Welcome (Rohall)
PACD President Ron Rohall (Westmoreland) thanked everyone for taking time to come to the meeting.

Roll Call (Miller)
PACD First Vice President Jarrett Miller conducted the roll call. There were 24 conservation district delegates present, which constituted a quorum.

Minutes of Previous Meeting (Miller)
PACD First Vice President Jarrett Miller asked if there were any corrections to the minutes of October 26, 2001.

It was moved by Clark (Montgomery) and seconded by Marbain (Cumberland) that the minutes be approved. Motion approved.

President's Report (Rohall)
The PACD President Ron Rohall (Westmoreland) provided the following report:

• He keeps in touch with the Executive Director. The monthly conference calls with the entire Executive Board and staff continue.
• He attended two conservation district legislative breakfasts since October.
  
• Thanks to everyone who came on Monday to meet with their legislative representatives and provide dialogue about district issues and needs. A group is working together via e-mail to keep everyone informed.
  
• His Leadership Development Committee activities involved three district visits to observe what has been happening.
  
• He thanked the staff for their excellent work.
  
• Rohall offered to visit one district a month to have a dialogue with the district's directors. He will come to a district by invitation.

Executive Director's Report (Fox)
PACD Executive Director, Susan Fox, provided a written report. Her activities include:

• Legislative and Funding Initiatives
  
• Representation on behalf of PACD and attending Region meetings.
  
• Meeting Planning, PACD Training/Outreach and Public Relations, and Administration and Management.

NACD Report (Rohall)
NACD Alternate Delegate Ron Rohall (Westmoreland) provided the following report:

• Both Ron Rohall and Patricia Sueck (NACD Delegate) attended the National meeting in Nevada.
  
• PA is one of the top 10 states for paying dues and meeting quota.
  
• Pat will be in touch regarding Farm Bill activity.
  
• The ATV policy resolution submitted by Pennsylvania didn't go anywhere - it was already included in NACD policy.
  
• The President Elect for NACD is Gary Mast from Ohio.
  Work to continue funding for EPA 319 dollars continues.
  
• NACD legislative activities:
        o First tier: Growing need and interest to work with the EPA and          Department of the Interior on conservation district issues.
         o Second tier involves RAMP and abandoned mine legislative           issues.
  
• The PACD poster contest winner, submitted by Cumberland county, won first place in K-1 in the NACD poster contest. Congratulations!

Treasurer's Report (Duvall)
PACD Treasurer Porter Duvall provided the report for the period of 7/1/01 - 2/28/02. Duvall reviewed the budget update line-by-line. Revenue was $340,297.17 and expenses were $292,945.

It was moved by Crooks (Bucks) and seconded by Slosky (Washington) to file for audit. Motion approved.

Election of PACD Secretary (Rohall)
PACD Secretary Phyllis Hoople resigned due to work schedule.

It was moved by Victor Cappucci (Wyoming) and seconded by Miller (Erie) to allow Porter Duvall to serve as Secretary/Treasurer until the election at the annual meeting in July. Motion approved.

District Operations (Miller)
PACD First Vice President Jarrett Miller (Erie) provided the report of the District Operations Committee. He stated that the committee discussed the 2002 and 2003 Joint Annual Conferences.

The PACD Bylaws do not currently include the structure of the PACD Regions and Region Directors. There was discussion regarding a draft document related to incorporating the PACD Regions/Region Directors structure into the PACD Bylaws. Discussions have involved how to establish regions (along DEP lines, RC&D lines, watersheds, etc.).

It was moved by Dumm (Cambria) and seconded by Book (Dauphin) that the draft bylaws document be accepted as written with the exception that the verbiage be changed to read "Election of Region Directors…[and the election shall be by a simple majority.]"

It was moved by Crooks (Montgomery) and seconded by Dumm (Cambria) and Book (Dauphin) to amend the motion:
Each district in attendance AT THEIR RESPECTIVE PACD REGION MEETING SHALL HAVE ONE VOTE. Motion approved.

Discussion:

• We should keep seven regions for travel convenience. DEP regions are set up by population, which is not necessarily helpful for our purposes.
  
• Districts should be able to convey their desire to be part of a different region.
  
• The question arose, should PACD regions be set up according to DEP Field Reps? After discussion, the answer is agreed to be no.
• DEP can change the number of their Field Reps at any time, and the PACD regions should not be dependant upon this.
  
• We should include in the Bylaws that districts can opt to be active in a different region other than their "assigned" PACD region.
  
• If the purpose of the regions is for information, then structure, may not be critical. If the purpose of the regions is for voting activities, and the regions are limited to one vote, then the number of districts that make up a region might be important and should be analyzed.
  
• It is futile to try to keep up with political changes that could define DEP regions. PACD should keep its seven regions as currently established.

The question was called by Cappucci (Wyoming) and the motion was passed.

Resolutions of District Operations (Miller)

It was moved by Crooks (Bucks) and seconded by Connor (Lebanon) that "PACD should act to coordinate comments and concerns of districts to improve the Growing Greener Program, either for the existing fifth round or future re-authorizations." Motion approved.

It was moved by Slosky (Washington) and seconded by Wedde (Northampton) that "PACD supports the concept that a certain amount of tipping fees should be used to support conservation district activities." Motion approved.

Discussion: PACD to explore what is a reasonable dedicated funding amount.

2002 PACD Awards Program Winners
Thanks to everyone who took part in the PACD Awards Judging. The winners are:

• Ann Rudd Saxman: Robert Arnold (Lebanon)
  
• Conservation Educator: Lynn Aponik (Lebanon)
  
• Conservation Farmer: Para-Dice Farms (Franklin)
  
• Conservation Organization: EPCAMR (Luzerne)
  
• County Commissioner/District Director: John H. Eichelberger, Jr. (Blair)
  
• Legislator Recognition: Edward Staback (Lackawanna)
  
• Erosion and Sedimentation Control: New Enterprise Stone And Lime Inc. (Clinton)
  
• Media Conservation: WHTM-TV (nominated by Cumberland)
  
• Special Conservation Service: Brad Clemensen (Cambria)
  
• Watershed Protection: Quittapahilla Watershed Association (Lebanon)
• William Lange Urban Conservation: William Krupa (Cambria)
  

NRCS Report (Heard)
Robin Heard, State Conservationist, reported that CREP has been and will continue to be a big priority for the NRCS. Currently over 80,000 acres have been offered, 54,000 have been determined eligible, and 42,000 acres are under contract.

She said that sign-up work for the EQIP and AMA programs has been completed early in the event that additional farm bill money comes through. She added as a note that they will have a component for a 4.3 million dollar backlog after the grazing requests have been completed.

A new RC&D area was established in the Capitol Region.

On the Farm Bill, Heard reported the members were getting together for the first discussion that day (March 13, 2002) at 4:00. The staff in the House Senate and Agriculture Committees are trying to come to some preliminary agreement. NACD came to an agreement with the House Committee not to cut out technical funding (i.e. not to dismantle the conservation partnership-as related to Farm Bill). NACD agreed not to contest the House commodities title. As for current discussions, the House side is trying to cut technical assistance and they also are not as supportive, overall, for conservation financial assistance. They weigh heavily on the commodities side.

Heard noted a problem: even if we get financial assistance to put practices on the ground, we can't do it without the technical assistance. While third party vendors can do part of the work, the third party vendors can not walk in and carry out programs the way the conservation partners can.

Another issue noted by Heard is the aging NRCS workforce. Half could retire within the next five years, and a great deal of knowledge could be walking out the door. She said that she would be open to hiring district employees to help with the workload as well.

The Senate version of the Farm Bill has good EQIP provisions. The Senate wants to keep priority areas for EQIP. Both versions of the bill increase commodity titles. Harkin's Conservation Security Program pays producers a set amount for current conservation efforts on their land.

NRCS has sent a survey to the districts asking what your needs are. NRCS asks that you give the survey your attention. NRCS is also providing some guidelines and resource materials on how to move locally lead efforts (for those who do not already have a process in place).

SCC Report (Goodlander)
Doug Goodlander gave the details of the State Conservation Commission's first annual report. It describes some of the major activities and programs including: Nutrient Management, Dirt & Gravel Roads, and Conservation Leadership. Goodlander noted that the programs' successes are due to the partnerships.

Successes:

• PA's Nutrient Management Program: Districts have been responsive to this program. 1002 plans have been submitted. 1000 volunteers came forward.
  
• The new grants program has provided 7.6 million dollars to farmers on 155 farms.
  
• Low interest loan program offers a rate of 4% to farmers, up to a million dollars.
  
• PDIP: About $300,000 has been funded to farmers.
  
• Dirt & Gravel Roads: Major effort to update GIS software has been completed. 672 projects have been completed over a span of 3 years. Over 300 miles of roadwork have been improved.
• Educational efforts have also been beneficial.
  
• ACT program: There are currently 36 agriculture conservation technicians. Boot Camp provided over 4000 hours of training to over 100 participants.
  
• Leadership Development: Team visits have been made to counties throughout the state. Other activities are also taking place.
  
• Ombudsman Program: The PEACCE Program is a spin-off of this program, designed to help provide farmers with the credentials they need.

PACD Auxiliary (Long)
No report provided.

Announcements and Adjourn

• PACD Ron Rohall thanked Joann Nardone for the Leadership Development workforce.
  
• Susan has been interacting with gubernatorial candidates. PACD has offered to meet with Casey, Fisher and Rendell. If you have an opportunity to meet with them while they are on the campaign trail, don't forget to remind them about the districts.
  
• Final thanks to Jack Moulton, who is retiring, for his work with PACD, particularly the Technology Committee.
  
• Lunch will be in the restaurant at noon.
  
• Robin Heard, State Conservationist, won the rain barrel raffle. Proceeds go to the building fund.
  
• The next PACD meeting will be held July 21 - 24, 2002 in Harrisburg.

It was moved by Crooks (Bucks) and seconded by Marbain (Cumberland) that the meeting adjourn. Motion approved.