Soil and Water Conservation District provides many "behind the scenes" services
Educational programs, funding dollars and environmental initiatives could be cut, according to area organizers, if the Highland Soil and Water Conservation District is forced to close.
According to Jim Faust, who is co-chairman, along with Jeff Duncan, of the Friends of Conservation Committee, rural and urban landowners will be affected if the office has to close. Due to a decrease in state funding, the district is seeking a .38-mill, five-year tax levy, which will be voted on during the May 4 primary election.
"We've been working to get the word out," Faust said. "My goal is to make sure everyone is aware of this issue and understand the facts that are involved so they seriously consider the value of the soil and water district and the services they provide. Hopefully they will come to the same conclusion I did: Though it will add a little bit to our taxes, the benefits will by far outweigh the costs."
As with most programs funded through tax dollars, the district has seen a budget that keeps decreasing year after year, due to lack of funds from the state of Ohio, and the Highland County Board of Commissioners.
"I sympathize with the commissioners," Faust said. "They are between a rock and a hard place. They are limited in what they can do. In 2009 our funding was $70,000 to $80,000. This year they can only fund $30,000. We don't blame the commissioners, we just know it's a fact of life. The state has always come in with some matching dollars. One year it was 100 percent, and one year it was even 101 percent. We can usually take what we get from the county commissioners and double it. Well, in 2009, with $70,000, they matched it at 81 percent. In 2010 with $30,000 the state is only going to match at 53 percent. Who knows what it will be next year. Other agencies have said they can't promise anything. The commissioners say they would love to be able to fund it more, but they can't."
Faust said the levy, known as Issue 4 on the ballot, will cost approximately $12 a year for a homeowner with a property valued at $100,000. The levy will bring in approximately $220,000 over five years, and the funds will stay in Highland County.
"Even for someone who has a considerable amount of property, the cost is small in comparison of running the risk that we might lose this office," Faust said. "Voters need to get the facts, make and educated decision, and come to the conclusion that these services are really worth the cost."
According to a fact sheet provided by the soil and water district, the agency "provides assistance and educational programs for all Highland County residents on matters involving soil erosion, drainage, water pollution and wildlife. SWCD technical assistance is also used on commercial projects to ensure environmentally friendly results both during construction and for the completed project."
The SWCD has reduced staff hours and decreased the hours of office operation in an effort to save money. Employee salaries have been frozen for a period of three years. If the levy fails, all of the services of the district will be eliminated or reduced, Faust said.
"We run the risk of having to close the office," Faust said. "If the levy passes, 100 percent of the money will be used right here in Highland County. This was the first soil and water district in the state and was developed during World War II in 1942. It is considered one of the biggest and most active soil and water conservation districts in the state. Historically, there is a lot of background.
"Unfortunately, the soil and water conservation office is not as well-known as some of the other agencies because it does so many things behind the scenes," Faust said. "I hope people don't take these conservation practices for granted, and then if we don't have the soil erosion control, or drainage ponds, if we don't have the opportunity to develop buffer strips, if environmental conservation is not provided, if all that is suddenly all gone, people will say, 'Where did all that go?' and we will say 'that was all part of the soil and water conservation district.'"
Faust said he is a farmer and as a landowner who has benefited over the years from the technical assistance that is available through the office.
"The technicians will come out to your property and give directions on building waterways and drainage systems, drainage ponds, and water quality management systems," Faust said. "They work cooperatively with several agencies around Rocky Fork Lake and Paint Creek, and it is much better to keep these programs going to prevent problems. As a former ag teacher, and being involved in agriculture all my life, I understand the value of conservation.
According to SWCD, in 2009 alone, $800,000 in United States Department of Agriculture farm bill conservation programs was brought into Highland County, and over the past 10 years $2.5 million in Environmental Protection Agency watershed grants and funds from other sources have been brought into the county through the district office.
"Over the years, there are millions of dollars in federal funding that have come through the soil and water office," Faust said. "Many people who are farmer, and many who aren't farmers, have benefited. If they have to close the office, we not only would eliminate the local technical services, but it would eliminate the possibility of federal grants. The cost-sharing programs have to be administered through a local agency. They're not going to say, 'here's money, do the projects,' without a delivery system."