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Notes From the President
August/September 2004
President Activities
I have attended 6 area meetings around the state and have found much to be
proud of. While the natural resource / conservation issues may differ from area
to area it is the commitment of district directors and district employees that I
am most impressed with. I heard discussions about forestry issues in the SE and
SW area, nutrient management in the NW area, critical ground water concerns in
the EC and NE areas and a wonderful presentation on Envirothon in the Central
Area. It was inspiring to hear men and women coming together talking about
common concerns and seeking a solution that was viable and economically
feasible. The Executive Board has no doubt that conservation districts are up to
any task they might encounter in our dynamic environment. You are making
Arkansas a better place to live and you can take pride of your efforts.
I have been meeting with the ASWCC staff on a regular basis to hear what is
going on in the districts and how AACD can help. This interaction has been
highly productive and I am deeply appreciative of Adrian Baber and his staff for
their patience. I also met with NRCS and ASWCC staff to address ongoing problems
with our email system. We know that due to time and costs constraints everything
will eventually be routed to districts via email so we will be working to get
our district offices ready. My activities this week will include:
• Non-Point Source Pollution workshop
• WC AACD meeting in Fort Smith
• AACD Executive Board meeting, Wyndham Hotel, NLR
• attend a seminar on how to be more effective in lobbying for
conservation issues
We are working on the process of updating our website on a regular basis. I
have also asked the Information and Technology Dept. at UALR to look at taking
our website on as classroom project. I believe it would be exciting to see what
those young creative minds could come up with, subject to the approval of the
Executive Board.
Board Member Activities
• Sonny Jones, 1st Vice President recently attended the NACD
Forestry Committee Conference in Maine
• Troy Odom, SW Area President attended the AFC Forestry
Stewardship Committee meeting
• Paul Whittington, WC Area President continues to monitor the
Abandoned Mine Reclamation legislation that is floating around in DC
• Cindy Thornberry, NW Area President assisted in the Youth
Conservation Workshop
• Roy Mahler, Treasurer continues to do a great job with fiscal
oversight of AACD finances
• Several board members will be attending the seminar designed to
help us be a stronger voice for conservation.
AACD Executive Board Changes
We have added two new Area presidents to the Executive Committee. Charles
Glover has been elected as the NE Area President and David Hillman has been
elected as the EC Area President. We want to express our appreciation to Richard
Simmons, Clay County and Ray Moseley, Lawrence County for their service on the
AACD Executive Board. We know that this commitment takes time away from family
and personal business and it is deeply appreciated. We welcome our new board
members and look forward to working with them.
Resolutions
Several resolutions have come forth from the area meetings which have some
implications statewide. As soon as we finish all the area meetings we will
prepare the resolutions for your consideration. AACD needs a policy book to
provide guidance to the Executive Committee from time to time. It is our desire
to start that policy book based on the resolutions which pass at the annual
meeting. Our policies must be drafted directly from input from the districts and
this seems the best way to start that process.
District Funding
By now I am sure that every district has had an opportunity to hear about the
changes we will be encountering regarding district funding. I would encourage
each of you to keep an open mind and look at it objectively. While there are
some changes they are no different than we have dealt with in the past and
districts have always been successful in implementing conservation programs and
projects. There will be challenges learning exactly what work loads qualify and
what is reimbursable, but there are tremendous opportunities for those districts
willing to try. Instead of trying to determine how you can do it alone, look at
the conservation districts around you and see if you can’t partner on staffing
and programs. We have come to realize that due to the budget constraints we must
seek out new and old partners to get the biggest “bang for the buck”. It is time
to set aside territorial boundaries and merge together mentally if not
physically. You can do it and AACD is going to do everything we can to assist
you in those endeavors.
2004 AACD Annual Meeting
The 2004 AACD Annual meeting will be held on December 7-9, 2004 at the
Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs. Hot Springs will be dressed up in its holiday
tinsel and the shops will be bustling. The AACDE will be hosting the Wednesday
evening’s activities and I have no doubts it will be a night to remember. We
will have several training sessions for district directors and district
employees. Continuing education is imperative for district directors and
district employees to ensure a high level of success and productivity. We will
be looking at 10-12 twenty minute workshops on a variety of topics such as
district finances, legal responsibilities and programs on conservation issues.
If you have a topic that you would like to see a workshop on please contact me
as soon as possible so arrangements can be made. The Arlington Hotel has blocked
us a limited number of rooms so make your arrangements in plenty of time. Their
number is (501) 623-7771.
2005 Legislative Session
We have all heard of the budget problems that the state will be facing in the
upcoming session. Randy Young reported at the area meetings that 93% of the
state budget will be dedicated to Education (K-12), Dept of Corrections and
Dept. of Human Services. That will leave the 40+ agencies to struggle for their
piece of the pie. No one can argue that the education of our children is a major
priority and we don’t want to find ourselves pitted against the educational
needs of our children. However, children have other needs. The need for safe and
abundant food, clean drinking water, clothes made from fibers grown by farmers,
housing provided by wood from our private forests are also important. Be proud
of the work that you do and make sure that your elected officials know the value
of your conservation efforts. Invite them to your meetings, send them your
newsletters and host tours. Benton County does a great job with this and I am
sure they would be happy to share their format. Most legislators I have visited
with are very interested and appreciate the information. Remember if we don’t
tell our conservation story, who will?
Backyard Flocks and Poultry Concerns
I recently attended a presentation by the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry
Commission staff on the very real concern that they have regarding backyard
flocks of chickens. My mother always had backyard chickens and I intend to have
some in the future. However, I never thought that my small flock of chickens
could possibly endanger our poultry producers’ livelihood. It seems that
backyard flocks are not routinely tested for some of the diseases, which are
potentially deadly to the thousands of broilers our producers raise. The good
news is that folks can get their backyard flocks tested by the Livestock and
Poultry Commission at no cost and they will pay you for your chickens if they
come up positive. Apparently backyard chickens are sold at flea markets, given
to neighbors and moved around without any oversight. Therein lays the concern.
One of the pleasures of living in a rural area is having chickens and ducks,
hear a rooster crow or watch a child gather eggs for the first time. I still
intend to have my backyard flock but I will make sure they are tested. Check
with the Livestock and Poultry staff if you want more information (501)
907-2400. They will be doing free testing at several of the county fairs.
Warmly,
Debbie Moreland
President
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