Soil & Water Conservation District
Aug 5, 2026
The lede
- Board approved the FY27 Annual Plan of Operations (APO) and budget; APO includes new soil health assessment and potential MCCA restoration grant
- Current district funds total approximately $569,483 across three accounts; FY26 operations grant received from IDOA, awaiting FY27 agreements
- NRCS reported work on EQIP applications (second round due Aug 21), CSP obligations (due Aug 14), and 8 CRP contracts pending signatures
- Board conducted annual employee reviews in executive session
- One waterway project nearing completion; second fall waterway project may be cancelled due to landowner interest
Decisions & votes
- July meeting minutes approved (motion: Todd Aves, second: Mike Frank)
- Finance report approved unanimously (motion: Jack Ratcliffe, second: Todd Aves)
- FY27 Annual Plan of Operations approved (motion: Todd Aves, second: Jack Ratcliffe)
- FY27 budget approved (motion: Jack Ratcliffe, second: Mike Frank)
- Entered executive session at 8:46 AM for annual employee reviews (motion: Mike Frank, second: Todd Aves) - passed unanimously
- Exited executive session at 9:06 AM (motion: Jack Ratcliffe, second: Mike Frank) - passed unanimously
- Meeting adjourned (motion: Jack Ratcliffe, second: Mike Frank)
Discussion items
- Farmers for Soil Health program (PCM): Deadline August 31st; field day scheduled August 19th in Polo
- NRCS programs update: EQIP second round applications due Aug 21 (one Boone County application); CSP obligations due Aug 14 (one Boone County application); 8 CRP contracts in progress
- Summer Conference: Held at new location in Peoria
- Annual Financial Report (AFR): Initiated with accountant; expected completion for September board review
- CPRG grant application: Completed through new portal
- Stormwater Technical Committee: Working with R1 to finalize scope of work; “lunch and learn” meetings scheduled through Extension
- PFC FY25 projects: One waterway nearly complete pending NRCS checkout; second waterway may be cancelled - landowner to contact contractor ASAP; reporting due Aug 15 to IDOA
- I-Cover program: Contracting documents received from IDOA; contracts ready for chairman and producer signatures
- Cover crop job sheets: Being updated following NRCS seeding rate changes from July
- NRCS administrative agreement: 1-year extension requested, awaiting national approval
- Natural Resource Inquiries (NRIs): Mostly letters and erosion/sediment control reviews
- FY27 APO additions: Countywide soil health assessment and potential MCCA restoration grant funding
- FY27 budget notes: PFC funds line item added to income sheet; income temporarily elevated due to 3-year local work group agreement through AISWCD/NRCS (likely ending after 2027)
Financial / operational notes
- Current funds: $283,297.33 (Midland checking), $15,065.58 (Midland savings), $271,120.18 (Illinois Funds) - total approximately $569,483
- FY26 operations grant: Received from IDOA (outside fiscal year)
- FY27 agreements: Awaiting release from IDOA
- Timesheets and mileage logs: Approved by Jack Ratcliffe
- Meeting time: Called to order at 8:04 AM