St. Joseph County SWCD - Become a Supervisor or an Associate Supervisor
Our Board is comprised of 5 Supervisors who rely on the assistance of our excellent group of Associate Supervisors. Meet our Supervisors by CLICKING HERE.
Supervisors
As a District Supervisor, you are part of a respected, progressive governmental organization that is responsible for the effective management of Indiana's soil and water resources and the environment in which we live. To function effectively as a District Supervisor, it is imperative that you have a clear understanding of your duties, the programs you represent, and the complex issues surrounding soil and water conservation.
Each of Indiana's 92 SWCDs has 5 Supervisors, therefore, you have 460 fellow Supervisors statewide and 18,000 nationwide. District supervisors share the important task of helping your fellow citizens wisely develop, use, and protect our nation's soil and water resources.
As a Supervisor, you are not a volunteer.
Rather, you are a government official, elected or appointed, charged with overseeing the affairs of your local District.
The Board of Supervisors has the ethical and legal responsibility to ensure that the SWCD meets its mission. They set the District policies for the office procedure, county projects, ad public requests. The Board also determines the need for additional staff members, works cooperatively with other agencies and local officials, and assists with the attainment of operational funds.
There are twelve monthly board meetings (held on the third Monday of each month), and a few special meetings throughout the year including the Annual Meeting and various committee meetings. Many excellent opportunities arise throughout the course of the year that allow Supervisors to attend workshops, conferences, and events on an area, state, or even national level. These opportunities are a great way to learn more about the prominent conservation issues that face the community.
In 1937, Indiana joined states across the nation in forming soil conservation districts. Today, there are over 3,000 conservation districts in the United States. The Act that created the Indiana Conservation Act (IC 14-32) also established Indiana's Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), which are chartered, legal subdivisions of State Government.
Of the 5 Supervisors, 3 are elected and 2 are appointed. District Supervisors are elected or appointed at the St. Joseph County SWCD Annual Meeting, usually held during the month of January. All 5 Supervisors serve three-year terms.
According to Indiana State Law, to become an Elected Supervisor you must:
- Be of voting age
- Occupy a tract of land 10 acres or more within the County
- Maintain permanent residence within the County
- Be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of Supervisor
To become an Appointed Supervisor you must:
- Be of voting age
- Maintain permanent residence within the County
- Be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of a Supervisor
To learn more, click on over to:
Associate Supervisors
One of the most common uses of volunteers is through the establishment of “Associate Supervisors”.
Associate Supervisor positions are not officially recognized by the State of Indiana, so Associate Supervisors must be recognized as volunteers with no legal status or authority with the district, and, like any other volunteer, they cannot make motions or vote on district business matters.
By utilizing Associate Supervisors to help carry out District programs, they play a key role in the District's success!
With the involvement of more people, it is possible to establish committees to complete various District tasks as well as expand the scope of district programs. People with special talents can be chosen to do specific jobs.
The Associate Supervisors role also provides excellent training for those who are potential District Supervisors. As Associates, they not only become acquainted with district programs and activities, but also test their talents to determine the kinds of contributions they can make.
Consider coming to our next Board Meeting (which is always open to the public) to get a taste of what you might experience as our next Associate Supervisor!
(Check out our calendar on our Home Page for the date and time of the next Board Meeting)
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