July 2001 Meeting Minutes

PACD Executive Council Meeting
Toftrees Resort
Minutes of Meeting
October 26, 2001

Welcome (Rohall)
PACD President Ron Rohall (Westmoreland) welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Roll Call (Hoople)
PACD Secretary Phyllis Hoople (Crawford) conducted the roll call. There were 28 conservation district delegates present which constituted a quorum.

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

• He attended the meeting of the NACD Forestry Committee in Alaska. He also met with Alaska's state association.
• He attended the District Manager's Summit put on by the Leadership Development Committee.
• The Participation Task Force completed its work and gave a presentation yesterday during the PACD meeting.
• The PACD was asked to send a representative with DEP to the Council of Governments to recognize districts for work on the Growing Greener Program.
• Pat Sueck attended NACD meeting. Pat Sueck and Jarrett Miller attended the NE NACD meeting in August.
• Susan Fox and Bill Bowers of NRCS worked as a team, hiring staff for the technical assistance grant. Rohall expressed special thanks to Bill Bowers for his expertise and assistance.
• Chuck Rohrer has been putting together information related to the new PACD committee structure on the website.
• Lisa Suhr, who is our new Office Manager, has been employed for four months. She has been getting a handle on the office and how it runs and is doing a good job.
• Kathleen Banski has taken the role of running the office during Susan's absence and is also administering the CREP grant to get money to farmers.
• Rohall said that he intends to visit five or six conservation districts during the upcoming year to get a better handle on what's happening locally and how PACD can do a better job serving districts.

Minutes of Previous Meeting (Hoople)
PACD Secretary Phyllis Hoople asked if there were any corrections to the minutes of July 18, 2001.

It was moved by Baker (Mifflin) and seconded by Wedde (Northampton) to approve the minutes of July 18, 2001 by. Motion approved.

Executive Director's Report (Fox)
Susan Fox, PACD Executive Director, provided a written report. She highlighted the following items:

• She stated that she hopes that the members are enjoying the new meeting format that resulted from the recommendations of the Participation Task Force.
  
• Funding requests were completed and sent to DEP, PDA and DCED.
  
• Victor Cappucci (2nd Vice-President) and Susan met face-to-face to discuss the funding request with Secretary Hess who was receptive to the recommendations.
  
• Susan stated that she attended all seven of the fall PACD region meetings.
  
• Meeting planning is a big part of PACD staff activities. Work has already begun on the 2002 Joint Annual Conference scheduled for July 21-24 in Harrisburg.
  
• Staff provided support simultaneous to this meeting for the conservation district Watershed Specialist meeting.
  
• We are beginning work on the Technology Forum (February) and the next Boot Camp (spring).
  
• The conservation profile survey has been complete. To date, 263 responses were received out of 800 surveys mailed.
  
• The work of the Participation Task Force has been a major project during this quarter.
  
• Chesapeake Bay and 319 Educational mini-project grants have been announced.
  
• Staff continues to publish News & Notes monthly.
  
• Eight new PACD employees have been hired for the engineering technical assistance grant.
  
• PACD has received about $3 million dollars from the Growing Greener Grants. These grants involve a lot of administrative activities.
  
• The Workload Advisory Teams for the engineering technical assistance grant have been meeting to review project requests.
  
• The PACD audit is completed. No major problems have been indicated. Please contact the PACD office if you have any questions.
  
• Susan thanked the staff for their efforts.

A question was asked regarding the status of the PACD Building. Staff reported that Jarrett Miller and Porter Duvall conducted a site visit, met with the realtor and current owner. PACD also received a report from the structural engineer and architect. Based on the reports, the Executive Board decided not to pursuit this site further.

NACD Report (Sueck)
NACD Director Patricia Sueck (York) stated that she went to Tulsa as chair of the NACD Education Committee. NACD also sent her to Mississippi where she served as a judge at the National Envirothon. Teams compete anonymously at this event. Sueck also went to Washington D.C. and met with representative Holden regarding the Farm Bill. October 13-15 she went to Salt Lake City for a NACD Board meeting. The speaker was the new Secretary of Agriculture. Sueck reported that in her, we have a friend of conservation in the Department of Agriculture.

Sueck stated that there are many national challenges. September 11 changed the world. There are also budget challenges and daily challenges to the environmental ethic. There is no increase in technical support dollars (no money).

NACD regional leaders are adopting a new format for regional meetings. The first one is August 11-14, 2002 in Delaware. The meeting will be for NACD directors and alternates. There will be meetings for state and region partners/leaders and board development meetings.

Sueck thanked those districts that paid their NACD quota. She asked all districts to please pay even a little. She asked people to keep in contact with NACD by checking the NACD web site. Please donate to the conservation fund on www.nacdnet.org. You can obtain an up-to-minute report on the Farm Bill. Things are changing minute to minute.

Meetings are happening everywhere in Washington D.C. due to building closures. It is difficult to identify where people are located. Please e-mail your representatives.

Up-coming NACD annual meetings are:
Reno, NV February 3-7, 2002
Lake Buena Vista, FL in 2003
Hawaii in 2004

Barbara Marbain made the comment as one of the PACD representatives to the Envirothon Board that Pennsylvania is also adding an oral component. She stated that they need more judges at the State Envirothon to help with this.

Treasurer's Report (Miller)
PACD Treasurer, Porter Duvall is in Colorado. Jarrett Miller (Erie), PACD 1st Vice President, provided the Treasurer's Report for the period 7/1/01-9/30/01. Miller reviewed the budget update, line-by-line. Revenue was $111,686.68 and expenses were $82,750.42

It was moved by Miller (Erie) and seconded by Crooks (Bucks) Crooks to accept the Treasurer's report. Motion approved.

Jarrett Miller gave a report of the PACD Building Fund.
Contributions/Interest: $67,692.71
Pledges: $12,750.00
Total Building Fund Value: $80,442.71

He stated that the value of the PACD Endowment Fund is $4,587.10.

District Operations Committee (Miller)
PACD President Ron Rohall (Westmoreland) explained that the role of District Operations Committee is to review resolution/policies for clarity of language and make sure they do not conflict with existing policy.

Jarrett Mill (Erie) provided the report of the District Operations Committee. He stated that the committee discussed the 2002 Joint Annual Conference, Growing Greener Technical Assistance Grants and reviewed resolutions and policy statements.

Tony Quadro (Westmoreland), Chairman of PACD Forests, Recreation and Wildlife Committee stated that his committee approved a motion that PACD support the PA Forest Legacy Program (FLP). PACD encourages individual conservation districts to contact their county commissioners and ask them to also support FLP. PACD encourages districts to identify and work with potential sponsor organizations that will assist individual landowners obtain FLP designation.

It was moved by Mankamyer (Somerset) and seconded by Wedde (Northampton) that PACD support the Forest Legacy Program. Motion approved.

Barbara Marbain, Chairman of the PACD Urban and Rural Land Use Committee discussed the 10, 000 Fiends Organization.

It was moved by Marbain (Cumberland) and seconded by Kulp (Chester) that PACD become an endorser organization of 10,000 Friends. Motion approved.

President Rohall stated that there was one motion remaining from District Operations.

It was moved by Sueck (York) and seconded by Kulp (Chester) that PACD endorses the PEACCE Pilot Program. Motion approved.

President Rohall stated that PACD will apply for several technical assistance grants. There is no guarantee that the grants will be approved. Current staff capacity is at the maximum. The Executive Board will need to determine whether PACD will accept the grants, if PACD receives them.

NRCS Report (Heard)
Robin Heard, State Conservationist, reported that NRCS appreciates the excellent cooperative role PACD has served on the engineering technical assistance grant. The project will enhance future capacity. NRCS commends Susan Fox for her efforts. Robin Heard also acknowledged PACD's role in developing Boot Camp.

She thanked districts for supporting the appropriations bills. The bills have elevated the level of conservation program funding. The Senate acted on the agriculture 2002 appropriation by passing their version.

Districts have responded positively about new computers that are available. NRCS is excited about GIS toolkits. Training will be made available to conservation districts.

The Secretary of Agriculture has released a policy statement which is on the USDA website. It is lengthy but readable. The administration feels that we should move away from price supports to a system that provides supports to all types of farmers, not just commodity farmers. We need to strengthen trade as a way of strengthening commodity growers. Conservation plays a prominent role in policy as well as rural development.

NRCS has received 17 applicants for Winstead Burdette's former position. Pat Cecil will replace Terry Mitchell at head quarters.

NRCS received high marks on the customer service satisfaction survey. NRCS and districts can be proud of the job they are doing. Courtesy and professionalism is provided. Districts scored higher than private assistance providers.

NRCS has its old logo back, "A clear blue raindrop, falling in a green valley."

The AMA cost-share program is available. It is similar to EQIP, but oriented more toward risk management. PA was allocated slightly less than a million dollars. Funding will be available under this program for the next four years.

Crooks (Bucks) expressed concern about the technical assistance provided by NRCS. He asked what is the outlook with the new bills on funding for technical assistance? Heard replied that for 2002 appropriations, while there were increases, it's still going to be a tight year. Some programs have reached their limit. If new farm bill goes into effect, it will help. If it goes in late, it could produce a huge workload at the last minute.

Heard stated that she is working with Pat Sueck and the PACD Legislative Committee. Sueck will send a suggested letter for you to send to Senators Santorum and Specter. It does appear that conservation dollars will be elevated, which will create an increase the workload, but it is critical that technical assistance be included in the Farm Bill. USDA is seeking to remove the Section 11 cap.

Heard also thanked everyone who provided her with recent personal support.

SCC Report (Goodlander)
Doug Goodlander (SCC) congratulated the districts on their activities related to the Nutrient Management Program. Both the districts and the Commission are looking good. This will be communicated to legislators. CAOs have come into compliance under the Nutrient Management Program, thanks to the districts.

The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee has held two hearings on nutrient management to allow the public to comment. The comments, in general, were good. Some areas in the regulations need to be updated. The Committee drafted a letter to the SCC asking them to evaluate its regulations to address certain issues such as the exporting requirements. As the SCC looks to revise these regulations, they will be asking districts for feedback.

The SCC has a revised draft delegation agreement to address the Nutrient Management Act. A workgroup was involved with the delegation agreement and identified the need for increased support for the conservation districts. Comments are requested from conservation districts by mid-December.

Three revised nutrient management brochures will be mailed to districts for the grant program, the Plan Development Incentive Program (PDIP), and the certification program.

A Leadership Development status report was provided to the SCC that included the District Manager's Summit, upcoming staff conference and other activities. District Directors are encouraged to participate in leadership development activities to become even more proficient in your role.

PACD President Ron Rohall (Westmoreland) presented a mug and certificate to Doug Goodlander as a token of appreciation for his role on the Participation Task Force.

PACD Auxiliary Report (Long)
Sarah Long (Blair) presented the report of the PACD Auxiliary. She stated that the auxiliary is continuing its regular projects. The Auxiliary now has its own section on the PACD website. Information related to officers, scholarships, etc. is located there.

Other
PACD President Ron Rohall (Westmoreland) continues to encourage district directors to participate on PACD committees: Directors are still needed to participate on the following committees: Soil and Water Resources, Public Relations, Urban and Rural Land Use, District Employees (to date, no directors have expressed an interest to work on this committee), and Technology. Committees will be "meeting" more and more via electronic means or during times other than the PACD meetings.

There was a question about DCED funding conservation districts. The proposed draft between DCED and districts was presented during the July meeting and DCED has not responded yet, to this draft.

President Rohall was thanked for running the meeting in a timely manner

The next PACD meeting will be held March 11-13, 2002 in Harrisburg. Tuesday, March 12 is Capitol Day.

The meeting was adjourned at 10.45 a.m.