Virginia Association of Conservation District Employees
VASWCD September Board Meeting Report
VACDE Quarterly Meeting
The VACDE is scheduled to hold its next Quarterly board meeting in October in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The agenda includes a review of Graves Mountain training and planning for the upcoming meeting in
December.
VASWCD Annual Meeting
The VACDE is planning for its upcoming VACDE winter business meeting that will be held during the
VACDE Tuesday luncheon at the VASWCD Annual Meeting in December. Elections for several Area
representatives will take place. The VACDE is also preparing to assist with the Educational Foundation
auction and to hold a fundraiser for the VACDE Benevolence fund which is a resource that can be used by
district employees in times of hardship from a natural disaster, fire or other situations.
The VACDE will also recognize an employee who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and
professionalism in their job duties. All nominees must have been employed for three (3) years and be a
member of the Virginia Association of Conservation District Employees. The VACDE Employee Award
recipient will be recognized during the Annual Meeting in December and receive a plaque and a check for
$300. The deadline for nominations is Friday, October 16th and nomination applications should be sent to
Carl Thiel-Goin, VACDE Vice-President at cthiel-goin@tidewaterswcd.org.
Summer Training at Graves Mtn. Lodge
The VACDE hosted its Annual Training at Graves Mtn. Lodge on Tuesday, August 25-Thursday, August
27. Attendance breakdown information:
Staff
Directors
VASWCD
DCR
DEQ
VDACS
SECDEA
TOTAL
100
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1
5
1
3
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119registered; 113 attendees
34 SWCDs represented
6 VASWCD Areas Represented
(Attendance Breakdown by Area: I –7; II –29; III –17 ; IV –6; V –24 ; VI –14)
Loudoun – 1; Chowan – 1
The Scholarship Committee received 7 scholarship applications from 4 districts. All applications were
reviewed & ranked by the committee and three $250.00 scholarships were awarded to the following: Sara
Cravath, Appomattox River SWCD; Andrew Gilmer, Clinch Valley SWCD; and Pam Pleasants, Monacan
SWCD. Two employees had been employed less than 5 years and one employee had never attended
Graves training. These scholarships were issued as a reimbursement after the Graves Mountain Training.
A VACDE expense voucher was used by districts to receive funding. A total of $653.22 was actually paid
out to scholarship recipients. Scholarship recipients must have attended training sessions in order to be
eligible for reimbursement.
The survey results (attached) indicated that most attendees found the training sessions to be excellent.
The VACDE would again like to thank the VASWCD Education Foundation for their generous contribution
to our training. A thank you letter was sent to Anne Beals on behalf of the VACDE acknowledging and
showing appreciation of these funds.
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Graves Training Financial Report
Income:
Registrations
$3,460**
(Registration was $15 for VACDE members and $25 for non-members of which $10 went towards
membership for a total of $390 towards membership dues; CPR session was an additional $50/person)
Support from George Beals Fund
$1,500
(3 scholarships provided to Graves training with the balance to fund scholarships for VASWCD Annual
meeting)
Expenses:
Scholarships (3)
Speaker meals & lodging
CPR Instructor & Red Cross Fee
Projector screens
Wednesday social (appetizers)
Taxes – State & Madison County
$ 653.22
$ 471.00
$1,612.50
$ 45.00
$ 320.65
$ 57.86
Excess Income over Expense
Annual Meeting Scholarships ($846.78)
Registration attributed to membership dues ($390)
$1,799.77
Balance of Graves training to be applied to next year
$ 562.99
**NOTE: Registrations were set based on CPR/First Aid training expenses from prior years. Negotiations
with new CPR/First Aid presenters resulted in a lower cost to secure presenters. Excess funds
(approximately $563) will be applied towards next year’s training.
MANY THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS, DIRECTORS, ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS AND DISTRICT
EMPLOYEES WHO PROVIDED TRAINING DURING SEVERAL OF THE SESSIONS.
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Virginia Association of Conservation District Employees
September 8, 2015
Anne Beals
1000 Corbin Lane
Spotsylvania, Virginia 22553
Dear Mrs. Beals,
The Virginia Association of Conservation Districts Employees (VACDE) would like to extend our gratitude
to you for your generous contribution toward our annual training at Graves’ Mountain in Syria, Virginia.
The funding provided by the George Beals Conservation Fund /VASWCD Educational Foundation
contributed to the resources needed to offer the educational, administrative, and technical sessions. A
portion of the funds provided were used to fund three scholarship recipients attending this year’s training.
All were very appreciative. Two were employees who have been employed at the district less than 5 years
and one employee had never attended Graves training.
The total expenses for this training were $3,160. Income for this training, including the contribution by the
George Beals Conservation Fund, was $4,570. This annual opportunity provided training to 113
participants this year, one of the highest attended trainings on record. Training sessions included several
technical topics: Principles of grazing system assessment and plan development; Technical program and
agency updates; and Raingardens which included a hands-on component where the participants installed a
rain garden at the Graves Mountain Lodge. Administrative topics included Personnel file management,
Website maintenance and design, and QuickBooks/Attachment E financial reporting. Our education
sessions included Envirothon planning and Education program reporting and analysis. Finally we had
another opportunity to offer CPR and First Aid, which is valuable in any situation. We received evaluation
forms with mainly excellent ratings. Comments expressed appreciation to gather to network and share ideas
that will improve work efficiency as well as the information received from the trainings that will improve
job performance and efficiency. We also received information that will help in planning future trainings.
We will offer scholarships to SWCD employees for training that is being offered at the VASWCD Annual
Meeting in December. Through your generosity the VACDE was able to provide this valuable training and
offer additional training opportunities in December. Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Deanna Fehrer
President, Virginia Association of Conservation District Employees
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Virginia Association of Conservation District Employees
Summary of Annual Training 2015 Evaluations
The VACDE extends their gratitude to the George Beals Conservation Fund/VASWCD Educational
Foundation for providing support for scholarship funds and employee training. As a part of the VACDE
agreement with the George Beals Conservation Fund/VASWCD Educational Foundation we solicit
your comments.
Excellent Adequate Poor
Technical Panel Session (Ag Stewardship Act; CREP; Conservation
Planning Cert)
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Presenters: Darrell Marshall, VDACS; Gary Moore, DCR & Charlie
Wootton, Piedmont SWCD; Ken Carter, DCR.
Envirothon Planning – Presenter Beth Sokolik, VASWCD
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2
Personnel File Management – Presenter Terri Higgins, Associate Director
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Henricopolis & Loudoun SWCD & HR Specialist Henrico County
Principles of Grazing System Assessment & Plan Development –
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Presenters J.B. Daniel & Bill Patterson, NRCS Forage Specialists
Rain Gardens – Presenters Richard Jacobs, Culpeper SWCD and Asad
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Rouhi, Northern VA SWCD
Website Maintenance & Design – Presenter Chad Denby, owner of
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Measuring our Collective Impact, Education Programming Reporting –
Presenter Beth Sokolik, VASWCD & David Ruble, DCR
QuickBooks & Attachment E – Presenter Elizabeth Dellinger, Shenandoah
SWCD
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American Red Cross First Aid & CPR/AED Certification – Trainers John
Ercolano, and Chip Jones, Director, Northern Neck SWCD
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Most all employees indicated that the training sessions they attended will assist in their job duties.
Listed below are comments directly from the evaluation forms per each session.
Please share the benefit of the VACDE Graves Mountain Training as it relates to your job:
Personnel File Management
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Human Resources are part of my job responsibilities.
Terri is very knowledgeable. Always enjoy her sessions.
Very helpful.
Definitely will use to improve our policies.
As a district manager, this was extremely useful to my job as a regular basis.
Learning and having access to personnel info.
Great networking. A lot of fresh ideas and current information helps keep up with changes.
Personnel file management needs to be shared throughout the entire Southeast SWCDs.
Greatly assist with organizing and prioritizing employee files.
Beneficial in records management.
Very useful information. Excellent presenter.
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Quickbooks & Attachment E
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Great Training. Good Job
Wonderful explanation. Elizabeth did a great job. Thanks
This was a spectacular presentation. Will help me understand what my co-workers do and help me provide
backup.
Elizabeth did a wonderful job.
Great job!
Helpful for the Attachment E subcommittee’s decisions.
I started using classes and got confused. Quit, changed back, will go back. I was doing right. Great
explanation – Appreciate your sharing.
Helped build comfort & sanity with Attachment E.
Extremely informative. Excellent discussion.
Helps me as a Director to understand district employee’s duties.
Website Maintenance & Design
 Training would have been helpful with specific development questions for websites with Wordpress.
 This will benefit my district if we find some time to do it. Great information.
 Now able to make our website present on more search engines. Encouraged to link our website from
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others if they agree.
We are trying to setup a website. Some very helpful information
Information clarifies how and why we maintain the webpage. I can be a second ear for our web master.
Great session. He should come to other trainings.
We are in the process of developing a new website.
I am responsible for website management.
Great resource info for current or new websites.
Will be better able to update district website so that it is most helpful and useful.
Measuring our Collective Impact
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It helped see where we ranked or how we are doing in educational programs compared to other areas.
Helps with data collection and what info is needed.
Great to learn more about this tool and seeing the results is very impressive.
It helps to track my district’s environmental education programs, attendance and budget needs. Thank you.
Principles of Grazing
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Helps with big picture thinking on SL6 grazing rotation.
Overall good, instructors enthusiastic.
Helps with setting up stocking rates and grazing systems.
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It provided additional training on how to design a conservation plan in regards to grazing management and limitations.
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This training goes hand in hand with an average farm visit for the SL6 practice.
Very good training.
Needed some more basic info for new people.
I liked the capability of on-site evaluation. Part 2 involved right much detail and we rushed to finish. It was
extremely valuable all in all.
Will assist with SL6 BMPs.
Enhanced technical courses like grazing systems, etc that also provide CEU for conservation planners was
a big impetus for me to attend.
Solid job as usual
1st time coming – very informative
Improve skills; Interact with other district employees & contact with resource professionals.
Great training on incorporating grazing specific information into our programs. Thanks for an excellent
training and excellent handouts.
Though I’m not sure how often we’ll be doing pastureland assessments, some of the information provided
was a wonderful refresher. The rest was new to me. I learned a lot as I’ve never done pastureland
assessments before. In the past, I’ve been disappointed with many of the trainings at Graves. This has
been one of the best trainings. Thank you.
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Assist with the ability to understand the basis behind developing grazing plans & excellent review of plant ID.
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Learning from other districts, new ideas of how to address problems.
I’m an associate director & a candidate this fall to be a director. Any knowledge serves the staff and our
joint function and performance. Excellent materials.
Good training; Further review of planning grazing system
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Grazing group activity (and worksheet) assisted me in better understanding planning process.
Technical Panel
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Good information on the CREP program and how to combine it with VACS.
Would have liked to heard in a more organized way how the cost share works with CREP/VA BMP – ie
different caps for practices; this part was just not organized very well – was more ‘off the cuff’.
Understanding program changes & certification program
ASA review very helpful; CREP- insightful, needing part 1 & 3 was new; review of process was good; CPC
– good to hear update but a little vague. Obvious staff will be needed to make this ‘live’. More aligned with
NRCS than thought would be. Grandfathering not as clear as it should be.
Good opportunity to get information and have input.
The Ag Stewardship program presentation & CREP were very informative to my position. DCR
presentation was very informative for future trainings. Need better projector.
ASA & CREP presentations were very informative and delivered a lot of information I had not heard.
Training is good for all.
Great to know about CREP funds available; What we have to look forward on conservation plans.
Conservation planning, CREP, partnerships & VDACS program
Charlie was good. CREP session was great on handling bureaucracy. Thanks for the update on
conservation planning certification.
CREP options good to know. Needed better handouts.
VDACS update was a good refresher especially with board director meetings & correct procedures. Gary
Moore did well communicating new CREP rules, very helpful. Ken Carter did well with employee training
updates and was helpful with survey results and direction of training requirements.
Helpful with CREP.
Some info was helpful.
1st time coming training is needed.
Keep current on practices. Handouts needed for future reference.
Definitely benefited from the updates about the programs.
Provides clarification on training and VDACS.
Networking.
ASA – great help & intro into what is coming; CREP – good review and helpful to have districts speak on
their process. CPC – process is unclear.
Changes to CREP talk was a benefit.
Helps with CREP questions & details.
DCR Conservation Planner certification update.
Better powerpoint options.
Envirothon Planning
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Good opportunity to collect ideas, tips and resources for Envirothon planning/execution.
Good resources were given.
Helped to clarify duties.
Makes it so much easier knowing resources are available.
Great opportunity to discuss and hear everyone’s thoughts and ideas for Envirothon.
I am Environmental Educator in my district and I am also responsible for Envirothon competition in our
district. This presentation helped answer a lot of questions.
Helped with planning Envirothon as an assistant.
Envirothon, Education, Outreach
It will assist me in recruiting and leading an Envirothon program in district.
Helpful as Envirothon coordinator for my district.
Much new information. Very useful in 2016 competition.
Very helpful as 1st time Envirothon host.
Helps me plan my Envirothon team. Great resources. Wonderful.
Envirothon training, learning from othe r employees.
Helps with assisting w/ Envirothon contest and preparations, clarifies rules.
Rain Gardens
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Since we have one out of four entities that serve an urban area, our district would be able to accommodate
their storm water needs.
Wonderful!
Great hands on presentation.
Able to see from planning to execution. Excellent.
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This was an excellent program.
Asad had an excellent presentation especially for an introduction to rain gardens. Hands on was great!
Love the hands on work while learning.
TMDL grant work; Urban restoration storm water. Great
We tell about rain gardens on website so it was beneficial for education.
Rainbarrel/raingarden workshops. Great job! Good information and hands on – great way to learn.
Best Graves session I’ve done in 10 years!
Excellent presentations, so much useful information! Definitely understand how & where to get started
when creating a rain garden. Wonderful hands-on experience.
Our district has a lot of interest in urban BMPs and we will be installing some rain gardens very soon. The
practical aspect was excellent.
I have a better understanding of planning as relates to the overall efficiency of this practice.
I work with rain gardens.
Will be doing rain gardens with VCAP program. This was great!
Awesome. Very informative. Loved doing this.
CPR/First Aid
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This presentation is helpful for both work & life. Very well presented & information.
Could possibly save a life.
Able to assist a coworker of a danger.
First aid and CPR always good to have.
Good general info and for in field.
This was very informative.
This training will be beneficial at work and home.
Very insightful.
In case of emergency! Very good.
1st time coming. Very informative.
How to administer CPR.
Helps in the field and in the office.
Future training suggestions:
Administrative Topics
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Quickbooks – but not 101 – more tips in utilizing the program/reports.
Additional sessions on Quickbooks and basic accounting would be helpful.
This should be a session for all administrative staff in December – to bring computers to help setup classes
in Quickbooks.
Basic Access training
Managing employees in a small office
Human Resource Topics – FMLA; Any; Table top exercise putting together basic files then moving to more
complex files; FSLA;
Record Retention
Education Topics
 Collective Impact – Recommend a follow up on the program for 2 future session in maybe 3 years.
 Envirothon – special issue of the year; Planning needed every year;
Technical Topics
 Raingardens using horse troughs.
 Other BMPs installed at Graves – Classroom plus installation sessions, such as rainwater harvesting
(cisterns), native meadow
 Turf to Natives installation at Graves next year
 More hands on like the grazing system
 Setting up watering systems based on different property needs ie solar, cistern, pressure, along with
benefits and drawbacks of each.
 CGraze for newer employees.
 Nutrient Management Planning
 RUSLE calculations and use
 Spring development
 NUTMAN
 More information on Threatened & endangered species; life cycle & needs.
 Tracking program updates.
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Engineering; Conservation Planning
Continued training updates of conservation planner certification and where it is going
IT Topics
 Need better internet connection for web type trainings.
 Website maintenance every year.
 Twitter use – Why?
 How can I utilize my iphone for the District better
 Email/Gmail/Icloud – why & how, which better
 Cloud training – why should we use, how to better utilize
Other Comments/Suggestions
 How to guide directors on their duties.
 Writing skills
 Outreach ideas
 What’s new or upcoming that would benefit districts
 Would like a copy of Loudoun’s Personnel Policy (2)
 Please provide copies of raingarden presentations.
 Microphone for pavilion
 Is anyone addressing the issues with Nutrient Management Planner Certification? We know it is
ridiculously hard, but should it be? What can be done to make this program better and to help district
employees to be certified? I took a survey a couple of years ago and it seems like not much has changed.
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