Darke SWCD Monthly Meetings Notice:

For 2024, the Darke Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Board of Supervisors will hold their monthly board meetings on the first Monday of each month at 8:00 a.m.  The meetings will be held at the Darke SWCD office, 1117 Southtowne Court, Greenville.  Special board meetings may be scheduled throughout the year.  If a special board meeting is necessary, the location, date and time will be posted on the office door.  Meetings are subject to rescheduling; therefore, please call 937-548-1715, Ext. 3 to verify meeting date and time.  If you are interested in receiving meeting notices, please contact the office to be placed on a phone or email notification list.

For additional information or if you would like notice of board meeting date/location/etc. changes please contact the district office at 937-548-1715, ext.3 or email [email protected].  The Darke SWCD office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

2023 Darke SWCD
Board of Supervisors

2024 Board of Supervisors include: Rick Honeyman, Chairman; Monty Stump, Treasurer; Kevin Jones, Vice Chair and Gary Goettemoeller, Secretary and Tom Harrod as Publicity.
Associate Supervisors

Associate supervisors are appointed to assist in carrying out Darke SWCD programs.  With these additional people the district can expand the scope of activities and programs.  Associate supervisors are selected on the basis of one per township from those townships not represented by the board of supervisors.

Darke SWCD associate supervisors are as follows:
Jim Rismiller - Patterson Township
Ted Finnarn - Neave Township
Don Lecklider - Adams Township
Bill Coppess - Jackson Township
Bill Siefring - Allen Township
Tim Warner - Van Buren Township

Past Supervisors

1955-65                John Kramer*

1955-65                Grover Miller*

1955-65                Paul Barga*

1955-58                Virgil Deeter*

1958-64                Dale Fasnacht*

1958-68                Don Arnett*

1964-67                Lowell Coppess*

1965-67                Lavern Laux*

1965-68                Frank Moore*

1968-74                Lee Conway*

1968-72                Charles Parsuhn

1968-71                Charles Ripp*

1967-72                Sam Coppess*

1971-77                Lawrence Kruckeberg*

1973-76                Charles Prether*

1977-83                Herbert Nieport

1983-86                Gail McKnight*

1985-88                James Deeter

1988-88                Edgar Schmitz*

1975-89                Paul Bruns*

1988-90                Phil Neanen*

1962-94                Arthur Brandt*

1976-99                Ivan Rhoades*

1986-06                Don Lecklider

1990-98                Ivan Barga*


*Deceased
1991-93                Tim Warner

1994-02                Bill Coppess

1995-97                Denny Cool*

1998-00                Gail McKnight*

1999-04                Ralph Burkholder*

2000-02                Jim Rismiller

2001-01                Pat Wuebker*

2001-03                Wilma Jean Nisonger

2003-05                Keith Arnett*

2003-08                Larry Royer*

2003-12                Melvin Stucke

2004-06                Dan Nisonger*

2005-11                Joy McNelly

2007-                    Tom Harrod

2007-08                 Keith Arnett*

2009-13                 Don Lecklider

2009-17                 George Skidmore

2012-20                 Bill Roll

2013-15                 Bruce Kress

2014-                    Monty Stump

2015-15                 Ed Everman

2016-                    Gary Goettemoeller

​2018-                    Kevin Jones

2021-                    Rick Honeyman
SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES
 
Supervisors are the keys to the success of each and every district. Each supervisor has the important task of coordinating the efforts of all agencies, organizations, and individuals with responsibilities in natural resource conservation and development in your district. How well you conduct these affairs will be reflected in the accomplishments of the district. You represent those who elected you.
 
Soil and Water Conservation District business is essential. It demands your attention and leadership abilities. Your reward is the satisfaction in making a valuable contribution to the future welfare of your district. The very credibility and success of districts has been based upon local leadership. It works best when you give your best.
 
As a supervisor, you are an elected public official responsible to the people of your district and state. Like all public officials the rights and responsibilities of your office are laid out in the applicable sections of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC).
 
The job of a supervisor is to:
  1. Meet at least monthly as a board to carry out the official duties of your office and participate in other district related activities.
  2. Request appropriate local leaders to meet with your board to discuss particular conservation problems and to inform them of the district’s programs. These leaders may include:
    • State and federal agency representatives concerned with resource management;
    • Agricultural and civic organization leaders;
    • Local development groups;
    • Representatives of federal, state, and local organizations; and
    • Local, state and federal legislators
  3. Know thoroughly the powers, authorities, and responsibilities placed upon you by Ohio soil and water conservation districts law (Section 940 of the Ohio Revised Code and other statutes). Keep in mind your responsibility to the people of the district to administer its program. Interpret these responsibilities as opportunities for the district.
  4. Stay informed and up to date with the administrative and technical policies and actions of the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission (OSWCC) by keeping in close contact with your assigned Program Specialist from the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Division of Soil and Water Conservation (DSWC).
  5. Be familiar with and understand the land and water conditions within the entire district and the best management practices required to conserve and develop its natural resources.
  6. Keep the strategic plan for conservation and development of natural resources of the district current and comprehensive. The planning process is discussed in more detail later.
  7. Develop and carry out the annual plan of work for reaching the SWCD’s objectives and goals as outlined in the strategic plan.
  8. Arrange for help and cooperation needed to meet SWCD goals and objectives. Enlist assistance from all local, state, federal and other sources.
  9. Establish sound policies and priorities concerning the work to be accomplished in conservation education and technical assistance on the land.
  10. Hire capable district employees to carry out the daily work of the district. Provide each employee with an accurate job description and a copy of the district employment policy. Provide proper oversight for all employees. Ensure employees are evaluated at least annually and provide them with adequate training opportunities to allow them to remain current with the skills they need to be successful in their position.
  11. Assign specific responsibilities, committee duties, or other responsibilities to individual members of the board, if doing so will contribute to the progress of the district. When needed, appoint additional associate supervisors and delegate responsibility.
  12. With your strategic goals and objectives in mind, collaborate with other agencies and coordinate the District's activities with similar activities sponsored by those agencies. Enter into memoranda of understanding or working agreements as appropriate to coordinate these efforts.
  13. Correlate the district programs with those of other agencies engaged in resource planning and development, such as planning commissions and the various divisions within the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
  14. Responsibly manage all funds, facilities and equipment belonging to the district. Establish business procedures as necessary to facilitate planning, record keeping, and sound financial accounting and procedures.
  15. Cooperate with other districts in multi-district resource activities, such as comprehensive regional planning, watershed development, river basin programs, resource conservation and development projects, and joint boards.
  16. Exchange ideas on administrative procedures with other district governing bodies and adopt any ideas that offer promise of improvement.
  17. Report to the public by mass media the progress and work of the district.
  18. Prepare an Annual Financial Report and Notes as required by the Auditor of State and a District Annual Report of accomplishments as required by the OSWCC.
  19. Demonstrate leadership and promote collaborative conservation projects and programming.
  20. Keep current on regional, state and national conservation issues by supporting and participating in the programs and conferences sponsored by the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (OFSWCD) and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD).
  21. Arrange for an annual meeting or other event to elect new supervisors and inform the public of the activities of the district.

For more information on Soil and Water Conservation Districts, visit https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/soil-and-water-conservation/local-swcd-resources