From: Conservation Districts of Iowa

April 24, 2015

To: SWCD Secretaries

RE: 2015 CDI Resolutions Process and Pre-Conference Balloting

1. Please read all the instructions.

2. Put the proposed resolutions on the May/June agenda.

PLEASE MAKE SUFFICIENT COPIES FOR YOUR FIVE COMMISSIONERS AND FOR YOUR OFFICE NEEDS. GIVE EACH COMMISSIONER ONE SET BEFORE THE SWCD MEETING SO THEY CAN STUDY THE RESOLUTIONS BEFORE DISCUSSION AT THE MEETING. (You may want to color code pages.)

3. Enclosures

i. Information on Voting at Annual Conference (Mailing of ballots to Districts & 2015 Conference Voting Guidelines)

ii. Pre-Conference Voting Guidelines (please make five copies and distribute to each commissioner)

iii. Official Ballot (return this to CDI after tabulating commissioners’ votes)

iv. Individual Ballot (please make five copies and distribute to each commissioner)

v. 2016 Proposed Policy Statement Handbook, 2016 Archived Policy Statement Handbook and an explanation page (please print one copy of each handbook and five copies of the explanation page to distribute to the commissioners)

vi. 2015 Resolution Schedule

vii. Voluntary Feedback Form (please make five copies and distribute to each commissioner)

4. Five proxy cards will be US postal mailed to your office at a later date.

Voting at Annual Conference:

Mailing of ballots to Districts

In order to expedite the resolutions process and to save cost, the pre-conference voting materials, including the voting guidelines, are being emailed to you this year. The five proxy voting cards for your commissioners for the Annual Business Meeting on September 1st in Altoona will be postal mailed to your office at a later date.

****Please remind your commissioners that these voting cards must be presented at the business meeting if your district wishes to cast voting ballots at Annual Conference.****

NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE

These voting cards are NOT to be returned to the CDI office. Commissioners need to bring them to the Annual Conference.

Thanks!

Voting at Annual Conference:

2015 CDI Guidelines

1. One voting card will be sent for each eligible commissioner (5 maximum) based on payment of dues.

2. Each commissioner will complete the top portion of the voting card, “Declaration of Eligibility,” if he/she is going to be present and voting at the annual conference OR the lower portion, “Grant a Proxy,” if the commissioner will not be attending the annual conference and would like someone else to vote for him/her.

VOTING CARDS MUST INCLUDE THE HAND WRITTEN SIGNATURE OF THE COMMISSIONER COMPLETING IT.

3. Resolutions should be discussed so those with proxies can fairly represent the opinions of those unable to attend the annual conference.

4. NOTE: At the annual conference, commissioners will give their voting cards to the

credential committee to receive their ballots. DO NOT LOSE THE CARDS! YOU

WILL NEED THEM TO RECEIVE ALL BALLOTS AT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE! NO BALLOTS WILL BE GIVEN OUT WITHOUT A COMPLETED VOTING CARD.

5. Ballots will be used for the following:

a. To elect the president and the vice president

b. For the FINAL vote on all resolutions

c. For the FINAL vote on all by-law revisions

6. Ballots will not be used for the following:

a. To approve committee reports

b. For procedural issues (example: limit or extend debate, amendments,

recess, etc.)

7. At the time of each vote, instructions will be given for which ballot to use and how to properly mark it.

8. The tellers will collect and tally the results of each ballot. Business will continue as the tellers work. The president will report the outcome of the vote.

…Again…PLEASE NOTE:

You must bring your Proxy Cards to the Annual Conference to receive ballots.

Pre-Conference Voting:

2015 CDI Guidelines

General Instructions

Please study each resolution carefully and duly consider each before voting. If more information is needed about specific resolutions, call the sponsoring district for information. Notification of voting results will be emailed to the SWCD office, and posted on the CDI website www.cdiowa.org by no later than August 10, 2015.

* We are not asking you to vote on the 2016 Proposed Policy Statement Handbook and Archived Policy Statement Handbook during pre-conference voting. We are sending them to you at this time to review again. Commissioners and Field Office Staff received this information via e-mail on February 16, 2015. This was also distributed and discussed at the 2015 Spring Regional Commissioner Meetings. Be prepared to vote to adopt these handbooks during the Annual Conference Business Meeting on Tuesday, September 1, 2015. See the explanation below for additional information.

Eligibility for Voting:

1. Current SWCD Commissioners are eligible to vote on the ballot based on the dues paid in the previous fiscal year (2014-2015).

Requirements for Passage of Resolutions:

1. Resolutions that receive at least 60% of the votes for approval by those commissioners voting automatically will be adopted with no further action at Annual Conference.

2. Resolutions that receive at least 60% of the votes for disapproval by those commissioners voting, automatically will fail with no further action Annual Conference.

3. If a resolution does not receive the required number of votes in either the approval or disapproval category, it will be discussed or amended during the CDI Annual Conference Business Meeting on Tuesday, September 1, 2015.

4. A representative of the proposing district must be present at the CDI Annual Conference Business Meeting for any resolution that is to be considered for discussion/amendment at the Annual Conference Business Meeting on Tuesday, September 1, 2015.

Official District Ballot: 2015 Proposed Resolutions

Complete the following:

SWCD Number of eligible commissioners voting______

Name of District

Signatures of Commissioners voting and the SWCD Secretary

Commissioner Commissioner

Commissioner SWCD Secretary

1. After receiving the completed INDIVIDUAL BALLOTS from the eligible voting Commissioners, record the number of votes under each category for each resolution of this OFFICIAL BALLOT.

2. After recording all the votes, sign the OFFICIAL BALLOT.

3. Ask all commissioners who voted to sign this OFFICIAL BALLOT. Typed or stamped signatures are NOT valid. Scanned copies with personal signatures can be sent to CDI.

4. This OFFICIAL BALLOT must be received by CDI, no later than July 10, 2015 via email to

2015 Resolutions / Approve / Disapprove / Discuss/amend
1. Assistant Commissioner voting privilege
2. Relabeling “State Secretaries” to Better Describe the Vital Functions and Services they Provide to Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWC Ds)
3. Rental Rate Agreement Re-Adjusted Every 5 Years
4. Creation of a small grain incentive program to promote summer construction
5. Revision of State Designation of Eligible Practices
6. Voting for Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) Regional Directors during Spring Regional Commissioner Meetings
7. Deny state cost share to farmers who fall till soybean stubble
8. Require no-till on land protected by terrace to receive cost share
9. Environmental Stewardship considered prior to awarding of public funds
10. Revise the definition of conservation tillage to increase the residue cover from 30 to 50%
11. Providing cost share dollars for growing alfalfa in rotation with corn and soybeans
12. Conservation Education Alignment
13. Update of Cooperative Working Agreement between Natural Resources Conservation Service, State of Iowa, and Soil & Water Conservation Districts
14. Conservation Districts of Iowa 2016 Proposed Policy Statement Handbook and Archived Policy Statement Handbook

Individual District Ballot: 2015 Proposed Resolutions

Remember, the section of the submitted resolution you are voting on is in the bold print; the before and after paragraphs are explanation and support of the resolution.

Signed: ______

Commissioner

2015 CDI Resolutions Schedule

February through April, 2015: Districts develop resolutions following the outlined resolution process.

February 20: Deadline for resolutions to be submitted to CDI for distribution and discussion at Spring Regional Commissioner Meetings.

February 24-March 19: Spring Regional Meetings are held. Submitted resolutions were reviewed.

April 10: Deadline for all resolutions and changes to previously submitted resolutions to be submitted.

April 24: 2015 Resolutions, pre conference ballots and instructions sent to Districts.

June 1: Proxy cards sent to districts. Proxy voting authority can be given to one of the other five elected commissioners or to his/her duly authorized attorney-in-fact. Proxy Cards must be presented at the CDI Annual Conference registration in order to receive additional ballots to vote on behalf of commissioners unable to attend the CDI Annual Business Meeting.

July 10: Deadline for pre-Annual Conference ballots to be received by CDI.

August 10: Results of pre-Annual Conference balloting will be posted on the CDI website and sent to Districts within a month of being received.

September 1 & 2: 2015 Iowa Soil and Water Conservation Districts 69th Annual Conference & Business Meeting

*IMPORTANT*

WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT RESOLUTIONS OR BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER THE ABOVE DEADLINES.

2015 CDI Proposed Resolutions

1. Assistant Commissioner voting privilege

WHEREAS, the Code of Iowa allows only elected Commissioners voting rights, and SWCDs must address time sensitive issues in a timely manner, a change in the Iowa State Code is needed. Due to conflicts, Commissioners can’t always attend monthly meetings. When Districts have a need to fill a quorum at monthly meetings and have an active Assistant Commissioner, Districts should be allowed to appoint that Assistant to act with full voting rights for that specific meeting. Many Districts have difficulty meeting a quorum even though an Assistant Commissioner is available.

WHEREAS, CDI supports the revision of the Iowa State Code to allow Assistant Commissioners voting rights at monthly Commissioner Meetings if Commissioners have the need and want to approve them to do so. CDI asks the State Soil Conservation Committee to work with IDALS-DSC to change the Iowa State Code to allow unelected Assistant Commissioners to fill a quorum and to vote when necessary at county level SWCD discretion.

EXPLANATION: Many Assistant Commissioners are well versed in SWCD business and have the knowledge to provide a voting role to the District. When SWCDs are unable to meet a quorum, Assistant Commissioners could step in, at the Board’s request, to fill a quorum and to vote on Board matters. Thought the Assistant Commissioner in not elected, Commissioners have full control in whom they appoint. Unfortunately, the Iowa State Code does not allow District Boards to assign voting rights to Assistant Commissioners. Therefore, the business at the monthly meeting may not able to progress. Changing the Iowa State Code on this rule would help Districts keep their monthly agenda moving in a timely manner.

Submitted by: Buena Vista SWCD For further information contact:

Region 2 Brian Waldstein

Phone: 712.732.3096 1738 430th Street

Fax: 855-246-1551 Sioux Rapids, IA 50585

Email: 712.283.2830

April 24, 2014

2015 CDI Proposed Resolutions

2. Relabeling “State Secretaries” to Better Describe the Vital Functions and Services they Provide to Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD’s)

State Secretaries serve a vital role in the daily operation of SWCD’s. They serve as the coordinator for ensuring Districts have the tools and information required to operate effectively.

CDI supports changing the job title of our State Secretaries to Soil and Water Conservation District Coordinators (District Coordinators). While only the Iowa Department of Administrative Services can change an official Job Classification, CDI recommends that our State and Federal Partners forgo use of the job title “State Secretary” in favor of the more descriptive and relevant title of “District Coordinator”.

EXPLANATION: Conservation Partnership in Iowa works at the district level by combining the strengths and abilities of federal and state agency staff, district employees, and district commissioners. Each agency or group provides a vital role in working with private landowners to accomplish conservation goals. One important role of the Iowa Department of Agricultural and Land Stewardship – Division of Soil Conservation (IDALS – DSC) is to staff each District with a State Secretary. Conservation at the local level begins with the first contact at the USDA Service Center. In most cases, area producers as well as other partners, staff, and visitors are greeted, assisted, scheduled, and provided follow up by our State Secretaries. However, the term “Secretary” has become outdated and even implies they do not provide a critical function to the Districts. The important role of this position has steadily grown to provide more of a field office coordinator function. Without a full-time person assigned to this critical duty, other state, federal, and district staff must provide the service thereby affecting the quality and quantity of their respective assigned duties. State Secretaries also act as the liaison between the Service Center Staff and the elected Commissioners, the absence of which leaves Commissioners without needed access to information and services critical to their ability to operate effectively.

Submitted by: Boone SWCD For further information contact:

Region 6 Kevin Griggs

Phone: 515-230-7044 1613 120th Street

Fax: 515-724-7018 Boone, IA 50036

Email: