Eastern Shore Soil And Water Conservation District

The Board meeting involved certifying the necessity of a virtual meeting due to the COVID-19 emergency. Key new business discussions included remembrance for the late Vice-Chair Fred Holland, involving a motion to donate in his memory and plant a tree; the immediate appointment of Nick Thomas as the new Vice-Chair; the nomination of Sands Gayle to fill Fred Holland's remaining term; a detailed presentation and approval of the FY21 Cost Share Report, covering obligated funds, allocations, and funding shortfalls; and the approval of two new VACS cost share requests. The Board also approved the MEB grant as drafted, approved the Endowment Committee meeting minutes (which included renaming a scholarship to the "Fred Holland Memorial Youth Conservation Camp Scholarship"), adjusted the time for the next regular meeting to accommodate the Area VI Spring Meeting, and approved District participation in the 2021 Residue/ Tillage Survey. Staff reports provided updates on cost share tracking, litigation regarding out-of-compliance no-till contracts, and educational outreach plans.

The District Board Meeting addressed several key areas. Under Old Business, the draft minutes from the ESVA Groundwater Committee Meeting of February 15, 2022, were reviewed. New Business focused heavily on the FY22 Cost Share Report, including detailed presentations on available Chesapeake Bay VACS and OCB VACS funds, approved cost share requests, contract cost increases, and specific BMP cost share requests requiring funding contingency. The Board also approved participation in the expanded Whole Farm Approach program, discussed updates to the WFA-1 pilot program, and approved a conservation plan (Contract Number 8133A72202L). The Board also approved financial support for an upcoming Agritourism Workshop. Staff reports detailed updates on cost share programs, poultry projects facing construction delays due to high water tables, correspondence including a letter of support for the Painter AREC funding request, and updates on various ongoing educational initiatives and conservation work.

The key discussion points included the approval of November financial reports and the FY23 Cost Share Report. For the Cost Share Report, the District addressed balances for Ches Bay VACS, OCB VACS, and WFA funds, noting that DCR guaranteed funding for all eligible WFA requests. Approvals previously made by Director Jim Evans for new/additional cost share requests and conservation plan CP 20-23-0001 were accepted. In New Business, the Committee approved two proposed Living Shoreline projects (Contracts 20-22-03 and 20-22-05) to be sent to the VCAP Steering Committee as part of the FY23 VCAP Report. Additionally, the updated Eastern Shore SWCD Credit Card Policy to include Palmer Smith was approved, and the results of the audit conducted on November 18th were reviewed, noting no issues found. Finally, the Board approved purchasing the same amount of tickets as last year for the upcoming 33rd Annual Agricultural Ag Conference.

The Board meeting included discussions and decisions on several key items. The Board unanimously approved the January 12, 2022 meeting minutes and the January 2022 financial reports. New business focused heavily on the FY22 Cost Share Report, including the presentation of available funds, approved cost share requests contingent on funding, and the unanimous approval to accept $250,000 in OCB VACS funds from James River SWCD. New BMP cost share requests were also approved contingent on funding. Updates were provided on the WFA-1 Pilot Program and poultry projects, noting inspection statuses and issues with setting poles due to high water tables. The Board addressed concerns regarding tillage surveys, confirming a letter of concern was issued, which resulted in communication with the VDACS Commissioner and DCR Deputy Director regarding the Eastern Shore's potential omission from future surveys. Details were provided on the Perdue Carbon Credit Program, outlining eligibility and payment structures for farmers adopting no-till, strip till, and cover crop practices. Other topics included the introduction of the new Projects Director for Eastern Shore RC&D and a review of the VASWCD 2022 Legislative Tracking Report. Staff reports covered ongoing conservation efforts, including cost share tracking, BMP inspections, and groundwater committee updates related to sea level rise and permitting for surficial aquifer use.

The meeting included approval of the December 2022 meeting minutes and financial reports. The Board held a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters, which was followed by a resolution certifying the closed session complied with Virginia law, and subsequently approved the personnel matter discussed. New business featured approval of the FY23 Cost Share Report, which detailed VACS and WFA balances and approved new cost share requests. The Board also approved the FY23 VCAP Report, the 2023 Officers and Committee Appointments, and reviewed the FY23 Annual Plan of Work for the quarter ending December 31, 2022. Discussions also covered the Endowment Committee's budget and deadlines for scholarships and grants, the upcoming Eastern Shore Ag Conference, and the adoption of a new immediate policy regarding timely submission of documents for cost share sign-up and data reporting, with contract termination consequences for non-compliance. Staff reports covered server replacement, cost share updates, tax form completion, budget requests, and ongoing conservation activities. Partner reports included updates on End of Life Span Verification Reimbursements and IRS mileage rate changes.