Geauga Soil & Water Booth at County Fair A Natural Success!
Geauga Soil & Water Conservation District Board Meeting - September 9, 2025
Meeting Details: The Geauga Soil & Water Conservation District (Geauga SWCD) met on September 9, 2025 at 7:30 am at the Geauga County Office Building, 12611 Ravenwood Dr. #240, Chardon, OH.
Board Attendance: Jeff Huntsberger, Board Chair; Robert Lausin, Vice Chair; Tracy Engle, Secretary; Mary Slingluff, Treasurer. Not Present: Dee Belew, Fiscal Agent.
Staff Attendance: Carmella Shale, District Director/Engineer; Gail Prunty, Education/Communications Specialist; Colleen Lair, Administrative Assistant
Others in Attendance: Rebecca O’Neill, Program Specialist, ODA-DSWC (Ohio Department of Agriculture - Division of Soil & Water Conservation); Julie Parker, District Conservationist, USDA/NRCS (United States Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Services)
The meeting was opened at 7:38 am, and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
The Agenda for the meeting was approved.
The Minutes for the August 12, 2025 Board Meeting were approved.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION - None
MOTIONS APPROVED:
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Approve payment for expenditures, purchase orders, vouchers and bills as presented including EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) payments, and estimated bills
Date Name Amount Reason Method
8/15/2025 Ann Dunning (architect project) $170.00 Paid Wrong Fee Stripe
SCHEDULED GUEST: JULIE PARKER, DISTRICT CONSERVATIONIST, United States Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Services (USDA/NRCS)
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Work Updates: They have been out checking wetland reserve easements that Geauga Park District holds. They have done a couple site visits for grass and waterways on properties that were previously farmed. Someone called last week wanting their Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation plan from 2005, but the office couldn’t find it. Ms. Parker went out to meet with the land owner to talk with him about what he is going to be doing with his farm. He lives in Houston and wants to come here in the summers and make hay. Ms. Shale advised that they have a huge packet of things for the property, but they do not have a copy of the conservation easement. The issue at hand is his property has a Geauga Park District Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) to the north and a Geauga Park District WRE to the south, and he wants to build a bridge because the beavers have built a damn and changed the water level and he can’t farm his land. He can’t get to his sugar house and wants to build a bridge over where the Grand River flows to get to that house. There does not appear to be any problem with this office in regards to his plan, but the property owner wants a copy of the conservation plan.
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Funding: Ms. Parker reports they haven’t heard anything about next year's funding as of this meeting. They have done all their contract obligations for this year. They are working on the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and meeting with people to make sure they have completed everything for this year. If they need any modifications, they will be making payments for those after October 1st.
SCHEDULED GUEST: REBECCA O’NEILL, PROGRAM SPECIALIST, Ohio Department of Agriculture - Division of Soil & Water Conservation (ODA-DSWC)
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Updates: There are new cyber security measures put into place, effective June 30th. Ms. Shale advised that they made that change before this effective date and provided feedback that it has become difficult to communicate with people in other counties now. She even gave an example of not being able to get a document from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She further mentioned many of the other districts have infected attachments and hackers are really attacking governmental offices right now. Staff now periodically receive tests from IT to ensure that they are within compliance to keep hackers out of their systems.
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Training and Development: Ms. O’Neill asked the board for feedback on how they could be better supported for next year. They are bringing in an outside consultant firm to provide HR (Human Resources) training that is primarily for board members and district administrators on September 25th at Portage Lakes from 9:30-2:30 for “Area 2” (NE Ohio). Mr. Huntsberger expressed regret that they do not typically attend these trainings, but he said that the board doesn’t really have any problems and credited Ms. Shale for her smooth leadership. Ms. O’Neill responded that ODA’s mission is to support board members as best they can through training, as HR is the most challenging aspect of being a member in other districts. She observed that this district does not appear to have these issues. Mr. Huntsberger expressed gratitude for ODA providing training and support to board members.
CARMELLA SHALE, DIRECTOR/ENGINEER
MOTIONS Approved for the following:
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Provide 34 Complimentary Tickets for the Annual Meeting for the following: Board (5), Staff (7), Candidate (1), Hay & Grain Winner (1), Speaker (1), Big Tree Contest (2), 2025 Rain
Barrel Artists (5), & Poster Contest Winners (13)
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Payment of up to $3,000 to be paid out of Urban Stormwater Fund for Beehive Urban Site Module Updates- Ms. Shale reported that the office uses the Urban Site Module within the Beehive Software to do all their construction site plan reviews and site inspections. This system is a tracking system for the state. Only 10 districts are using the system regularly, and ODA made the decision to have those districts pay for the upgrades. The total estimated updated costs is $9,000. They are having a meeting the following day with the urban districts to make sure that everything being offered is needed. Ms. Shale believed they would end up getting the total cost down to around $6,000. Several other counties have agreed to help pay for the upgrades, so she said she felt the total cost for Geauga SWCD likely would be less than $3,000, but she wanted to make sure that they were approved. Ms. Shale has expressed her displeasure that urban districts are having to pay for the updates, but nobody else is having to put in any money.
Observer Note: This observer spoke with Ms. Shale after the meeting about the Beehive Software system. She advised that their employees enter all their work into this system and that is how they account for every minute of their time. She used this information earlier this year when she put together the very detailed graphed power point presentation for the budget hearings earlier this year.
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Protect Geauga Parks – Heroes of Conservation Award Geauga SWCD has been selected to be their recipient this year. No other information is known yet, other than it will be on November 2nd.
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Thompson Ledges Grand Opening Reception September 27, 2025 – 1-5pm This reception is open to the public from 1-5 pm, 16755 Thompson Rd, Thompson, OH 44086.
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MOTION Approved to purchase 500 Pens with name/logo from 4 Imprint – Not to Exceed $350 Geauga SWCD routinely attends small events , and they need to have some inexpensive items with their name, logo and website on it to hand out.
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MOTION Approved to accept an employee’s resignation. A two year employee in good standing with the Geauga SWCD has tendered her resignation, with notice, to accept a higher paying position in the private sector.
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MOTION Approved to Advertise for District Technician- Closing Date October 24 ,2025 The position is posted on the website here and also plans to be posted on social media.
GAIL PRUNTY, EDUCATION/COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
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2025 Geauga Fair Booth Wrap-up It was reported that this was the largest fair turnout, with 294,000 people in attendance. Board and staff members took turns covering the Geauga SWCD booth. They had a soil and water simulator, on loan from Medina, to do periodic demonstrations. Additionally, they had some rain barrels there and even got some starting bids on the decorated Rainbarrels. Mr. Huntsberger expressed his excitement at how great the booth was and how he enjoyed engaging families in discussions about soil and water conservation. Of particular interest, Mr. Huntsberger said that the native plants they have planted outside their booth area drew a lot of interest. Next year they will have a list of where they can get the Ohio native plants, as this was a common question. He also enjoyed pointing out to visitors from other counties that there is a soil and water conservation district in every county. Observer Note: For more information on Ohio native plants, check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website here. To see photos of the rain barrels on auction until 3 pm, November 5th, or to place a bid, visit the Geauga SWCD website here.
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MOTION APPROVED to submit a grant proposal to Western Reserve Land Conservancy Watershed Mini Grant – Purchase of Soil Erosion Simulator
Ms. Prunty advised the group that they got a chance to interact with and learn from the soil erosion simulator that was on loan from Medina for the county fair. The office would now like to purchase one to use, but they are about $1,000. The Western Reserve Land Conservancy Watershed has a Mini Grant every year. She said they felt that this grant would be a good thing to apply for as an educational outreach tool to show different land use, including agricultural and urban for infiltration and run off in different scenarios. The maximum grant is $1,500 and the simulator is about $1,000, plus $75 for shipping, and Ms. Prunty would like to order some soil test kits with the rest of the money for giveaways. The grant application is due September 30th. Mr. Huntsberger mentioned that during the fair many people would give the simulator a look, but not really understand what it was until they engaged them in conversation, and these conversations led to discussions about what Geauga Soil and Water does. He reported that about 80% of the people he talked to had no idea what they did or that there was a soil and water conservation district in all counties in Ohio. Ms. Shale said the kids really loved it.
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MOTION APPROVED – Purchase 16 Rain Barrels for a total of $1419.20 – ($88.70 each) Ms. Prunty said they are out of plain rain barrels. They sell them to the public and have been out of them for a couple months. Artists that paint them also refer potential customers to Geauga SWCD to purchase their rain barrels. They have limited storage space, so they can only order 16 barrels at a time.
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Upcoming Programs
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September 13, 2025, Chainsaw Safety Class from 8-2pm. This class is being paid for by the Lake Erie Forestry Grant. There are 75-80 people signed up.
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September 17, 2025, Septic Smart Workshop from 6-7:30 pm at Geauga County Library Administrative Center, 12701 Ravenwood Drive, Chardon OH 44024
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September 20, 2025, Honeybee Festival from 10-2pm. More information here.
Observer Note: This program was not mentioned during this meeting, but is listed in the Geauga Lines & Links Newsletter. There will be a Soil FUNdamentals with Geauga Soil & Water at the Middlefield Branch on Wednesday, November 12, 6:30-8pm. Learn more & register here.
2025 ANNUAL MEETING/ELECTION: October 2, 2025 – 5:30pm-6:30pm Voting/6:30pm Dinner and
presentations – Veterans Legacy Woods. There are two board positions open for election. Both board members currently in those seats, Mr. Engle and Mr. Huntsberger, are running for re-election. Elections are done at the annual meeting, to be held on October 2nd. Voting will take place from 5:30-6:30 pm and Dinner, and awards and special presentations will begin at 6:30 pm. Dinner tickets can be purchased by September 26th for $18 on the Geauga SWCD homepage here. Observer Note: Information available on the candidates here. The website gives the following instructions if one wishes to vote, but can’t make the meeting: “Anyone wishing to vote who cannot attend the Annual Dinner may do so by stopping by the Geauga SWCD office (12611 Ravenwood Drive, Suite 240, Chardon, Ohio 44024) during business hours (7:00 am - 3:30 pm) or by making a request for an absentee voting ballot by calling 440-834-1122 or emailing clair@geauga.oh.gov.” Reviewer Note: Any Geauga County resident may vote in the Geauga SWCD Board election.
NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING: Tuesday, October 14, 2025 – Geauga County Administrative Building: Geauga SWCD Office – 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Suite 240, Chardon, OH 44024
Meeting Adjourned at 8:30 am
More information available here.
Observer: Wendy Landry
Editor: Sarah McGlone
Reviewer: Gail Roussey
Date Submitted: September 15, 2025
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