PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN/ THE VILLAGE REPORTER
SWORN IN … Dawn Bowling (left) and Otis Sloan (middle) were sworn in by Williams County Soil and Water Conservation District Administrator Chris Dancer as board members at its regular meeting on Tuesday, January 20.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Soil and Water Conservation District reorganized for the upcoming year and swore in two board members at its meeting on Tuesday, January 20.
Dawn Bowling and Otis Sloan were sworn in as board members for a three-year term by SWCD Administrator Chris Dancer prior to the meeting.
The board also reorganized for the year 2026. Ed Nickolite was elected as chairman, Otis Sloan as vice president, Kevin Miller as fiscal agent and Dawn Bowling as secretary.
The board then approved the meeting minutes from the December 15 meeting as well as the financial report and payment of bills for December.
Data entry specialist Emily Miller updated the board that there were 64 people who had their soil test and crop rotation done in their contract.
Miller commented that there were 22 contracts that were completed and 14 contracts that have been signed for soil testing. She also added some updated events that are coming up on the SWCD website.
District technician Steve Slattman reported that he’s done a monitoring report for Williams County farmland preservation for 2025 and has been on a couple of manure site visits with district technician Manny Lay.
Slattman also participated in a Zoom meeting involving the Ohio Agricultural Pollution Abatement Program in December.
“From my understanding at the Zoom meeting, they (APAP) wanted the district to take over more of the manure deal and send out letters,” said Slattman.
“From what I gathered at that meeting, there were a lot of districts that were not willing to do it because of the wording. They didn’t want the responsibility of the backlash coming back on them.
“A couple of the districts said their prosecuting attorney wouldn’t even sign it because of the way the wording is.
“Basically, from what I gathered on that is they want the district to take over more of sending out the letters and being the bad guy.”
Slattman informed the board that he’s already ordered a rim and tire for the Great Plains Drill and requested the purchase of a small metal toolbox for it.
The purpose of the toolbox is to store hydraulic stop spacers, so they are not getting lost. The board then approved a motion to purchase the toolbox.
District technician Matthew Buchhop updated the board regarding creating tracking sheets for both EPA grants to prepare for final reporting.
Buchhop confirmed that the Coulon project final report has been completed. He also called an unpaid landowner to confirm payment after final reporting and the landowner approved it.
He also contacted the EPA about final reporting requirements and updated the board on Coulon sign status. He also requested information for 319 grant opportunities for 2026.
Regarding beehives, Buchhop created entries for 2026 technical projects (potential grants, equipment maintenance/rental and H2Ohio) and added completed projects to 2025 grant entries and marked them as complete.
Buchhop reported on the upcoming manure workshop to be held at the Kissell Community Center in West Unity on Thursday, January 29. The workshop with CCA and CLM approved credits will also involve Fulton County.
He recently met with a landowner about a potential windbreak in which he gave them an information packet.
District technician Tamathy Stage reported that she participated in an Iowa Learning Farms online webinar regarding Tick Safety and Diseases and using fire to manage ticks.
Stage updated the board she is working on a grant application for the Marti-Carron project which involves a conservation grant.
Regarding the upcoming tree sale in March, Stage collected price quotes and estimates for tree protection.
The protection plan includes tree tubes, posts, and bird deterrent nets in a set of five kit bundles.
Stage is also finalizing plans for the Habitat Help series in which she has also started working on her own talk for the series.
She has searched for grants that could be useful for potential outreach programs. She also finished online training for rain garden training.
The board also approved her attendance at the Ohio Woodland, Water and Wildlife Conference to be held March 6, at the Mid-Ohio Conference Center in Mansfield.
Outreach and Education coordinator Anne Marie Michaels updated the board on recent activities involving SWCD.
She presented two lessons on water conservation to Edgerton fourth graders on January 13 with 39 students attending.
The upcoming Maple Syrup Education Day will be held on Thursday, March 5. School invitations were sent to teachers in Edgerton, Edgerton St. Mary’s, Edon, Hilltop, North Central, Montpelier, Stryker and St. Patrick’s in Bryan along with one homeschool family with eight students attending.
Michaels gave an update on the Area 1 Envirothon which takes place on Wednesday, April 22 at the Williams County Conservation League. Expenses from the Envirothon will be paid for by Williams County SWCD and then they will be reimbursed after the Envirothon.
Regarding the Envirothon, approval was made for a school registration fee of $50.00 and an Area 1 donation of $200.00, and a Envirothon Silent Auction donated item of $100 for the upcoming statewide Envirothon to be held June 1-3 at Franciscan University in Steubenville.
Also being planned is a teacher summer workshop to be held at Sauder Village in Archbold on July 14-16 and a Tri-County Field Day tentatively scheduled for August 2026 will also involve Fulton County and Hillsdale County, Michigan.
She also discussed the upcoming Vernal Poolooza which is a professional networking ecosystems conference, to be held at Sauder Village on April 9-11.
An Ohio Department of Agriculture Livestock Permitting public meeting for Bridgewater Township’s renewal permit will be held on Thursday, February 12 starting at 7 p.m.
Michaels was also approved to attend the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference at Ohio Northern University in Ada on March 10-11 at a cost of $100.
District administrator Chris Dancer updated the board on meeting notices which include special and emergency meetings and discuss business as well as ethics policy statements for the district.
The board established its meeting dates for 2026. They will meet on the third Tuesday of each month at 8 a.m. except for the February meeting which takes place on Thursday, February 12 at noon at the SWCD office.