News & Notes December 2000

Executive Council Highlights: Nov. 1, 2000

The Executive Council of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc., held its annual meeting in Valley Forge, on Nov. 1, 2000. Listed below are the highlights from the individual reports presented during the meeting.

• PACD President Frank Long reported 32 counties were present during the Executive Council Meeting.
• President Long also encouraged district chairs and managers to share their ideas and activities with the state association and the other districts.
• DEP Secretary James Seif announced that districts will receive an additional $150,000 for the 105 Program.
• PACD approved its commonwealth funding requests.
• Four years of PACD accomplishments were presented by PACD Executive Director Susan Fox.
• PACD first Vice President Ron Rohall reviewed the new PACD Strategic Planning goals:
  1. Participation: By 2003, 75 percent of conservation district directors will participate in at least one PACD activity per year.
  2. Revenue – Non-dues, Non-traditional: By 2004, PACD will have a minimum balance of $250,000 in the PACD Endowment Fund.
  3. Improve Participation by Revamping PACD Council and Regional Meetings: Improve meeting attendance.
  4. Inreach/outreach: By 2005 a strategy is implemented that effectively engages 80 percent of district directors, staff and cooperating agencies/organizations in PACD activities.
• PACD is restructuring its meeting schedule and 2001 will be a transition year. The annual business meeting will be moved to July, as will the annual PACD Awards Program.
• Conservation did get a slight budget increase in the federal budget, but it was not as much as NACD lobbied for.
• Proceeds from the raffle, silent auction and conservation expo will be placed in the PACD Building Fund.
• PACD Treasurer Keith Eisenhart presented the PACD quarterly budget update.
• Two district directors will be appointed to serve on the Endowment Committee and PACD is looking for volunteers.
• The Finance Committee recommended that, “If dues are paid in full during the previous fiscal year, the county conservation district is eligible to participate in the awards program.”
• Tammy Specht, PACD Auditor, reported that this was the first time that the audit has been completed in time to be presented during the annual business meeting. She attributed this to the teamwork of the PACD staff. She also explained that no major problems appeared during the audit.
• The following slate of officers was presented, and voted on by Executive Council:
  

  Frank Long, President
  Ron Rohall, First Vice President
  Jarret Miller, Second Vice President
  Phyliss Hoople, Secretary
  Porter DuVall, Treasuer

• The National Governor’s Association Conference is March 16, 2001. The focus of the meeting is conservation on private lands.
• Janet Oertly, NRCS State Conservationist, urged the council to closely monitor the 2002 Farm Bill.

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