News & Notes November 2005

Districts' Relationships with Municipalities Are Vital
by Shelly Dehoff and Amanda Ritchey
PA Agricultural Ombudsman Program

As many Districts are aware, the PA Agricultural Ombudsman Program strives to offer educational opportunities for District, NRCS and Extension staff throughout the year. We are working on creating a session that would focus on the relationships that Conservation Districts and NRCS have with municipalities, how to develop better working relationships with local municipalities, and the importance of Conservation District and NRCS personnel helping producers understand regulations.

We need your input!

• Please tell us about your experiences with municipalities…good, bad or otherwise.
  
• What frustrations do you have, if any, when working with municipalities?
  
• What makes your District's working relationship with local municipalities so great?
  
• What do you wish more municipalities understood about Districts?
  
• What do Districts need to understand about municipalities, and the Municipalities Planning Code?
  
• What would help E&S technicians, Ag Technicians and Watershed Specialists develop better working relationships with local municipalities?
  
• Would knowing more about municipalities help your District be more user-friendly and helpful to our clients?
  
• Does your District understand the basics of Zoning; Subdivision and Land Development Plans; and Comprehensive Plans?
  
• How is your relationship with municipalities regarding stormwater management issues?

As regulations become more specific and more widespread, it can be confusing for farmers, engineering firms, municipal officials, and District staff to keep track of what is required, and who is requiring it. It would be helpful for our clients if they received information from the District and NRCS offices that didn't conflict with information they receive from the municipalities. Developing working relationships and communication with municipalities is vital.

Your input will help us create a session that is worthwhile to District and NRCS Ag staff, District E&S staff and District Watershed Specialists, as well as Managers or Ag Preservation Staff.

Please provide your feedback to Shelly at 717-880-0848, shelly.dehoff@verizon.net or Amanda at 814-696-0877, ext. 113, aritchey@blairconservationdistrict.org by December 2.

Are You Feeling Up For a Visit?
by Joanne Nardone

Has anyone ever asked you what your conservation district does? Are you confident about the image that your district has with other agencies, your county government and the public? If you asked every director, associate director and staff member "Who are we?" and "What is the most important thing we do?" would you get fairly similar answers? The "District Visits Project" might be able to help you answer those questions and more.

The "District Visits Project," sponsored by the Conservation Partnership's Leadership Development Committee, is designed to look at how an individual conservation district operates in four areas that are essential to the success of every district. They are: (1.) effective board functioning, (2.) effective interoffice functioning, (3.) cooperative relationships - both internal and external, and (4.) effective client/community outreach.

A team of district directors, district managers, and/or specialists from DEP conducts each District Visit. Team members meet one-on-one with district directors, associate directors, staff and cooperating agency personnel to discuss district operational matters. A strict code of confidentiality ensures participants that they can speak freely to team visit members about what's happening within the conservation district.
The team visit members also attend a regular district board meeting to observe how meetings are conducted and how district business is handled.

All of the information from the individual meetings and the district board meeting are combined into a written report that is presented to the district board and staff before the team leaves the county. This report is the property of the conservation district and the team visit members do not share its contents with any other individuals or agencies. The report is a compilation of what the team members have seen and heard during their visit. The report is not an evaluation. It contains the good and the not so good. It points out consistencies and inconsistencies. It is left with the district as a tool to assist with the district's development efforts. It's just a snapshot based on a 2-day visit, and a place to start for improving the district.

If you would like more information about the District Team Visits Project, contact Mike Lovegreen, Bradford Conservation District Manager.

Keep an eye open, too, for the Team's new "White Papers" for conservation districts. The papers address subjects that have been, or are being, addressed by many of conservation districts. The papers gather experiences from conservation district directors and staff who have already dealt with these issues and include steps that your district can use to address the subject in your district. The three issues covered by the first set of White Papers are: Building a Building; Developing Middle Management Positions: and Becoming an Independent Conservation District. A copy of each has been provided to every conservation district office and is available on the PACD website at http://www.pacd.org/districts/district_interests.htm.

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