 I A S W C D B l o g |
The Association has started a blog to share stories, announcements, and ideas relevant to SWCDs and the larger community. Past topics blogged about include the EPA's Smartphone App Development contest (>> click here) and links to a number of agriculture-based scholarships (>> click here).
Do you have any topics, articles, or other ideas you'd like us to look into and blog about? Let us know!
Check out the blog here: www.iaswcd.blogspot.com. Share the link with your friends, leave comments for others to see, and get involved in the blogosphere!
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| W e ' r e S o c i a l! |
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| E v e n t s C a l e n d a r |
Visit our Google Calendar for details about upcoming events!
You can submit events via
New Events:
- Dec. 15: Grant Opportunity: Enhancing the Competitiveness of Specialty Crops
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| Q u i c k L i n k s | |
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| I A S W C D L e a d e r s h i p | |
Officers
President:
Ray McCormick , Knox Co.
Secretary:
Brian Campbell , Elkhart Co.
Treasurer:
Jamie Scott, Kosciusko Co.
Region Directors
Board Roster / Region Map
South-NW:
Mike Starkey , Hendricks Co.
North-NE:
Tom Crowe, Allen Co.
South-NE:
Bobby Hettmansperger, Wabash Co.
North-SW:
Paul Cummings, Owen Co.
South-SW:
Jim Droege, Posey Co.
North-SE:
Mike Schwab, Franklin Co.
South-SE:
Brad Ponsler, Jennings Co
IASWCD Staff
Executive Director:
Jennifer Boyle Warner, 317.692.7519
Project Assistant:
Liz Rice, 317.692.7325
Communications Manager:
DeeDee Sigler, 317.692.7374
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For the week of
November 28 - December 2
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A report from the IASWCD executive director
Conference Early-Bird Registration Extended
The 2012 SWCD Annual Conference Early Bird Registration has been extended until Friday, December 9. After this date, late registration fees will go into effect. Also, please don't forget to make your hotel reservation as soon as possible. All conference information including a link to the registration site can be found >> here. We look forward to seeing everyone in January!
Conference Recruitment Incentive Grants Available
The IASWCD is excited to present the 2012 Conference of Indiana SWCDs on January 9-11. This year we are pleased to be able to offer an award of $750 to the TOP TWO Districts that recruit new or past returning Supervisors, Associate Supervisors, or Staff to Annual Conference.
Any supervisor, associate supervisor or staff is permitted to apply for the award. However, the $750 grant will be gifted to the District, not an individual. The TOP TWO recruiting applicants will receive the award for their District.
Eligible Conference registrants include supervisors, associate supervisors or staff who:
- Have never been to conference before; or
- Have not been to conference since 2008 (have missed it three or more years in a row).
- The registrant must be a Full Conference registrant for the 2012 Annual Conference.
The applicant/District representative must list each person recruited as a Full Conference registrant >> Click here to register. IASWCD will verify with each person recruited that the applicant did indeed recruit them for conference. If this information cannot be verified, then the name will not be counted towards the total number recruited for that applicant.
The recruitment forms must be received by IASWCD by January 4, 2012. Email your forms to Liz Rice at elizabeth-rice@iaswcd.org. Funds to the Top Two recruiting applicants will be dispersed in the first week of February 2012.
Computers for Districts
The two new USDA NRCS contacts for "Computers for Districts" requests will be Gloria Weimern and Tanya Keawe. They can provide the latest catalogs of available products, as well as the preferred ordering form for placing orders from Government Acquisitions, Inc. Please note that you may contact the vendor directly (shown on pages 5 & 6 of the catalog) to place the order. If you are going to attach to the USDA Network, they strongly recommend you work closely with your local ITS support staff in planning and configuring a system that best meets your needs. NACD will update our website with this and other "Computers for Districts" information next week.
New IDEM Watershed Specialist
IDEM announced this week that Leanne Whitesell has accepted the position of Watershed Specialist for the Watershed Planning and Restoration Section. Leanne has a B.S. in biology from Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, and has served as a 319 grant project manager and outreach specialist in the NPS program during her four and-a-half years with IDEM. She will work in Northwest Indiana (Region 1). >> Click here for a copy of the Watershed Specialist map. Leanne joins these watershed specialists: Region 2, Joe Schmees, Northeast Indiana; Region 3, Josh Brosmer, Southwest Indiana; and Region 4, Kathleen Hagan, Southeast Indiana.
Reminder: Officers Slated for IASWCD
The IASWCD board of directors approved the slate of candidates for officers for the 2012 calendar year. They are: President: Ray McCormick, Knox County; Vice President: Jeff Meinders, Ripley County; Secretary: Paul Cummings, Greene County; and Treasurer: Jamie Scott, Kosciusko County. Remember that candidates may be nominated from the floor at the Business Meeting which will take place on Wednesday, January 11, 2012. >> Click here for the bios on each candidate. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Jennifer.
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Have a good week,
Jennifer
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| Annual Conference News
Session Spotlight: Employee Evaluations: Now What?
It's a well-established fact - supervisors do not like to complete performance appraisals and do not like to conduct formal performance appraisal meetings. Solution? Attend the Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2 to 3 p.m. hands-on training at the 2012 Annual Conference for Indiana SWCDs addressing this topic specifically. Jeff Beck, attorney with Baker and Daniels, will conduct Employee Evaluations: Now What? It is one of the four sessions in the capacity building track.
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Jeff Beck
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In a recent survey, supervisors were asked to identify the worst aspects of their jobs. The worst aspect identified was firing employees. The second worst aspect was conducting formal performance appraisal meetings - even for employees who have good performance! This session is designed to provide you with practical guidance on effectively documenting performance feedback as well as effectively conducting the formal performance appraisal meetings.
Other capacity building sessions scheduled for the Annual Conference include: Managing a Successful Watershed on Monday, Jan. 9 at 4 p.m.; Leveraging Funding Opportunities, Tues., Jan. 10 at 9:30 a.m. and Successful Political Engagement; Are You in the Game or On the Sidelines on Tues., Jan. 10 at 3:30 p.m. >> Click here to review the conference brochure.
>> Click here to register for this great conference!
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Telling the District Story
Free Stormwater Calendars Promote Water Quality
For the third time, the Greater Elkhart County Stormwater Partnership is distributing a free, two-year calendar called "Elkhart County Waters: Ours to Protect." The 2012-2013 calendar uses pictures donated by local photographers, combined with educational information, to increase awareness of our rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands, and how to protect them.
While supplies last, copies of the calendar are available at a number of public location in this northern Indiana community. Staff from the Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District, Elkhart County Parks and Recreation, City of Elkhart's Environmental Division, City of Goshen Parks and Recreation Department, and Middlebury Parks Department all contributed to the project.
Information in the calendar includes:
- Answer to the question: what is a watershed?
- Tips for conserving water at home.
- Information about rain gardens and rain barrels.
- Information about recycling and household hazardous waste disposal.
- Information about topics such as public access sites, water monitoring, floodplains, construction site runoff, and agricultural conservation.
- Phone numbers and web sites to pursue topics in more depth.
For more information on the calendars and how your District or watershed partnership might undertake a similar project, contact Eric Kurtz, Elkhart County SWCD, at 574-533-3630, ext. 3, or e-mail him at Eric.Kurtz@in.nacdnet.net.
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| LARE Policy Updates
IDNR's Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program goals include operating a scientifically-effective program in a cost-efficient manner to protect and enhance aquatic habitat for fish and wildlife; and to insure the continued viability of Indiana's publicly accessible lakes and streams for multiple uses, including recreational opportunities. This is accomplished through grant projects that reduce non-point sediment and nutrient pollution of surface waters to a level that meets or surpasses state water quality standards.
Earlier this year, the Indiana General Assembly passed, and Governor Daniels signed HEA 1343 amending the types of issues that the Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) Program deals with. In addition to previous focus areas including invasive aquatic plant control and sediment removal, the new legislation added logjam removal in rivers as a focus for funding.
This necessitated updating LARE policies to help potential sponsors and contractors better understand eligibility for LARE-funded grant awards. These policies involve some complex tangential issues pertaining to current laws and promulgated rules regarding Indiana's natural, scenic, and recreational rivers as well as the salmonid streams so important to certain species of fish in Indiana.
The deadline for all 2012 LARE applications is January 15, 2012, so this set of interim policies was developed to provide guidance to potential project sponsors and contractors as soon as possible. Since the amount of available funds was not increased, the competition for limited funds will be greater than ever, but this set of interim policies should help everyone to move forward with planning for the upcoming year.
The interim application form for logjam removal projects is available; >>click here to access it (PDF). All other application forms for LARE projects are available on the LARE program manual at this link in the section called "Applying to the LARE Program." All applications can be completed and submitted electronically.
You input, comments, and suggestions can be provided via e-mail to: lare@dnr.IN.gov or mailed to: Lake and River Enhancement Program, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 402 W. Washington Street, W-273, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Additionally, DNR staff will be participating in two open houses in December to allow you to visit with LARE staff about all aspects of the LARE program as well as provide comments regarding the interim policies. The Kosciusko Lakes and Streams Program will host the northern open house in room 216 of the Cooley Science Center on the campus of Grace College on Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. The southern open house will be conducted in the conference room of the Washington County Purdue Cooperative Extension Service Office in Salem on Thursday, Dec. 8 from 1 to 3 p.m. The office is located at 806 Martinsburg Road in Salem.
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Job Openings
Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper, Colorado Youth Corps Association, Denver, CO
The Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) is currently seeking a part time Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper. The position description and application are attached or go to www.CYCA.org. The deadline to apply is December 7, 2011.
Administrative Secretary, Allen County SWCD, IN
Primary duties include assisting the SWCD Director and other SWCD staff, as needed, to ensure that projects, tasks, programs and other activities conducted by the SWCD and the Conservation Partnership are completed on a timely, efficient and professional basis. The Administrative Secretary also serves as Recording Treasurer by issuing checks and maintaining ledgers; preparing invoices, receipts, equipment rental fees and monthly statements; and preparing financial reports, District claims and minutes for the monthly Board meetings.
Minor duties include assisting the SWCD Board of Supervisors, District Director and other staff with organizing and conducting educational activities for youth and adult, including Fort Wayne Farm Show, Fort Wayne Home and Garden Show, summer field days, etc.
For the full job description, >> click here (PDF).
Regional Ecologist, Lake County, IN
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Nature Preserves has a full-time Regional Ecologist position open at this time. This position is an ecological specialist who works as a property manager of nature preserves within the watershed of the Grand Calumet River in northern Lake County, Indiana. The incumbent is also a consultant to public and private landowners regarding preservation and management options, performing technical and administrative functions related to the management of natural areas, the Natural Resource Damages Program, endangered species conservation, and conservation biology. The position is now posted on the Indiana Job Bank. This position will remain open until December 1, 2011. To find the job posting, search ""Regional Ecologist - Oak Ridge Prairie Park" or Job ID #576568 through this webpage. Click on apply now to search. One must first go through the "register" process in order to proceed. Follow directions for submitting an application online.
Water Resource Specialist, Save the Dunes
Non-profit conservation organization in northwest Indiana seeks a motivated, versatile, professional individual for full-time position as a Water Resource Specialist. Candidate must have experience in watershed management and strong organizational and communication skills. The Water Resource Specialist provides support to the Water Program Director and applies scientific expertise and communication skills to achieve Water Program and organizational goals. Minimum qualifications include: Bachelors Degree in biology, chemistry, environmental science, hydrology, natural resource management, or related field; one full year of experience in watershed management, water quality monitoring, or relevant water-related field; valid driver's license. For the full job description please email water@savedunes.org. No phone calls please.
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