News & Notes February 2006

Winter Meeting Attendees Update PACD Policies

Representatives from Pennsylvania's conservation district community descended on State College January 17 through 20 when the conservation district staff conference and PACD Winter Meeting were held. Attendees of the PACD Winter Meeting were busy updating PACD policies to reflect the changes that were made to PACD's bylaws last year and learning about current issues.

Motions were passed at the Executive Council Meeting on January 20, 2006 to:

• Amend the PACD Articles of Incorporation to keep PACD's tax-exempt status;
  
• Change the PACD awards program (see article on page 2);
  
• Accept the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Committee Letter of Understanding, with the addition of the paragraph stating "The PACD Executive Board will appoint the PACD representative to the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Committee. PACD recommends that the State Conservation Commission be asked to appoint the other four conservation district representatives (two district directors and two district staff)."
  

The following policy statements were passed by the Executive Council:
District Employees Committee

• PACD recommends that conservation districts offer a competitive wage and benefits package in order to obtain and retain quality employees.
  
• The District Employees Committee supports the efforts of PACD to encourage a curriculum for conservation planning certification for district staff.
  

Legislative Committee

• PACD proposes amendments to Act 217 and will work with the PA General Assembly with the guidance of our Position Paper
• Conservation District Law" to preserve and strengthen the conservation district system. The goal is to streamline the processes that districts use to develop and administer local, state and federal programs. PACD recommends enhancing the existing structure of the SCC to include consistent leadership, expanded membership, and a more formal assignment of necessary staff from the associated state departments. Finally, PACD supports a special non-lapsing fund for conservation district support. This fund should allow for future changes in funding and programs and provide a framework for utilization of any dedicated funding should that become available; and
  
• PACD supports an increase in the threshold of the prevailing wage law. Because of the limited amount of funding available for conservation projects on farms, this increase will allow districts to work more effectively with the agricultural community.
  

Conservation Committee

• PACD supports portions of the "Preserving the Pennsylvania Farmer" package that have a positive impact on programs relating to conservation districts. Specifically, we support a program that would take new revenue generated from the dedicated funding proposed from the realty transfer tax and direct that those funds be returned to the counties in which they originated to be used for farmland preservation and open space preservation. We believe that funds should be available for the administration of farmland protection programs, including conservation planning and inspections. We also support legislation that would permit private non-profit entities to join the Commonwealth in preserving agricultural lands, meaning new funding could be made available and a combination of public/private monies can be leveraged to preserve more farmland. Finally, we encourage the creation of a Board or Council whose mission is to review and evaluate advancing technologies for alternate manure uses;
  
• PACD supports the Manure Hauler and Broker Certification process. While we support the testing procedures, we are concerned about the costs involved in administering the program. Districts need to be adequately compensated for their responsibilities in this endeavor;
  
• PACD supports the general concept of nutrient and sediment trading to achieve environmental benefits. Conservation districts are interested in assisting DEP and other interested parties to determine the criteria and regulations governing the trading program with the understanding that conservation districts will be compensated for their time and efforts throughout the process. Because of the complexity of this new idea to improve the environment, we suggest that DEP consider conducting a pilot program with PACD assistance to demonstrate the positive benefits of nutrient and sediment trading. A pilot approach will help to identify strengths and weaknesses of the program and address specific issues that may arise as the pilot is conducted. In addition, a pilot project will help to identify the role that conservation districts can play in the nutrient and sediment trading process; and
  
• That PACD write a letter to the No-Till Alliance indicating support for No-Till practices.
  

Education and Outreach

• Funding
  1. PACD seeks funding for educational grant programs to support conservation districts.
  2. PACD supports increased funding for the conservation district track of the DEP EE Grants Program.
  3. PACD supports dedicated funding for Watershed Specialists and Environmental Education Coordinators.
  
• Education and Training
  4. PACD supports the use of conservation education tools and the development of Pennsylvania-specific materials that target both youth and adult audiences.
  5. PACD supports educational workshops and other training opportunities for conservation districts.
  
• Marketing and Communications
  6. PACD supports activities that expand the public's understanding of local conservation districts.
  7. PACD maintains an educational website for conservation districts.
  8. PACD supports conservation district networking through listserves.
  9. PACD recognizes conservation district directors, associate directors and/or staff whose efforts have furthered the activities and accomplishments of conservation districts on a statewide basis.
  
• Relationships
  10. PACD maintains a current MOU with the PA Department of Education.
  11. PACD maintains a current MOU with the PA State Envirothon.
  12. PACD remains active on the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education's Executive Board.
  13. PACD remains active on the Pennsylvania Environmental Education Advisory Board.
  14. PACD supports fostering partnerships to achieve common goals.
  

Operations Committee

• Strike the following existing PACD policy: PACD encourages conservation district nominating organizations to consider minority and female candidates for vacant director positions.
  
• Strike the following existing PACD policy: All sectors of society are encouraged to serve on district governing boards, because all people share in the responsibilities and benefits of resource conservation.
  
• Change the PACD policy "We support the creation of a conservation district in Philadelphia County" to read: "We support the creation of a conservation district in Philadelphia."
  
• Strike the following existing PACD policy: Be it resolved that the State Conservation Commission allow additional deadline extensions for conservation audits if the conservation district is part of the county's single audit and the audit will not be completed by December 31, and that in addition to the recent SCC audit requirements for a GAS audit by a CPA that the SCC accept a county's single audit as fulfilling the SCC audit requirements. (2000)
  
• Adopt the following policy: PACD encourages districts and counties to submit the required annual audits by the established deadlines of the State Conservation Commission.
  
• Adopt the following position statement: We support the continuation of an annual memorial service to honor deceased members of the Pennsylvania conservation district community.
  
• Strike the following existing policy: Conservation districts are urged to participate annually in the Conservation Awards Program sponsored by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.

Continued on page 3.

Register Today for PACD Capitol Day

Come one, come all to the PACD Capitol Day Event at the Crowne Plaza in Harrisburg on March 13, 2006! We will provide legislative training, a review of key PACD legislative issues, and a luncheon with your elected leaders. Counties will sit together at the luncheon, which will allow you to talk with your legislators and their staff. Many legislators have already accepted their luncheon invitation. Please take a moment to personally contact your legislators and let them know that you are looking forward to meeting with them at this event. The keynote speaker will be Attorney General Tom Corbett, who will address the new ACRE law. Visit the PACD website, www.pacd.org, for the registration form and further information.

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