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Jackson County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors Meeting
Public Meeting held at 2026 Fairgreens Rd. Jackson, Ohio 45640

07-08-2026 at 7:00 PM

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I. Call to Order Time: 7 PM, called by Larry Johnson

II. Board Members Present: Matt Jolly, Larry Johnson, and Malcolm Jones

Staff Present: Danny Barger, Diana Phillips, Ashley Hansen

Ohio Department of Agriculture: Pam Bushelman

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Absent

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA): Absent

Guests: None

III. Minutes from the 06-10-26 Board Meeting were presented. A copy of these minutes can be found below. A Motion to accept the Meeting Minutes as presented was made by Matt Jolly. Second to the motion made by Malcom Jones. A vote was conducted by Larry Johnson, and it was carried unanimously.

iv. Treasures Report for 06-26

The Treasures Report for June 2026 was then presented to the Board. Danny Barger presented the account balances detailing the District, Special, and Petty Cash balances. Barger reported the balance of the accounts as:

District Fund Balance: $ 21,345.18
Special Fund Balance: $ 109,509.06 (815) 67,646.24 ( 816) T= 177,155.30
Petty Cash Fund Balance: $ 146.37 (103.63 to reconcile back 250.00)

Matt Jolly made a motion to accept the June 2026 Treasurer’s report as presented. Larry Johnson made a second to the motion. A vote to accept the June 2026 Treasurer’s Report was made and passed unanimously.

A motion to withdraw $ 103.63 from the District Fund to replenish the petty cash fund to $250.00 was made by Malcom Jones. A second to the motion as read was made by Matt Jolly. The vote was passed unanimously.

IV. Manager’s Report

Time Sheet/ Beehive/ Logbook was presented to the board for review.
A motion to accept and approve time sheets as presented was made by Matt Jolly. Second to the motion was made by Larry Johnson. Vote to approve the time sheets was conducted and passed unanimously.

V. Old Business

Update given on purchasing a second vehicle for staff – the original vehicle chosen by Danny Barger as the second vehicle to be used by district staff has been sold in the past month, as have the top choices from the list of trucks provided by Ashley Hansen. Danny Barger brought a new vehicle, a Jeep Compass, to the board’s attention as a new option for district staff. A vote to table the subject once more until the following month, to give more time to search for a more suitable vehicle to transport the trailer, was made by Matt Jolly, seconded by Malcom Jones. The vote was passed unanimously.  

Danny Barger, with support from Pam Bushelman, gave an update on the status of JSWCD’s application for the H2Ohio Pastures Grant. JSWCD did not receive the funding provided by this grant. Pam Bushelman let the board and staff know that there is a possibility of approval or the chance to reapply next year. However, more information should come in the following months. Support will be given to those neighboring counties that did receive the grant and need additional assistance as their programs start. 

VII New Business

A motion was made to issue check 4218 in the amount of $2,000.00 to DC Solutions LLCs for payment for costs incurred in designing, publishing, and maintaining the new website. A motion was made by Matt Jolly and seconded by Malcom Jones. The vote was passed unanimously. 

The website was presented to the board, with Ashley Hansen requesting that all review and let her know if any updates or changes are needed. 

A letter from Trent Douthett regarding the digitization of historical photos from Jackson SWCD, as well as publishing and sharing, was presented to the board. Ashley Hansen gave a brief overview of the project and its status with the Jackson City Library. Tent Douthett found no issue with JSWCD using the historical photos in promotional materials, on the website, or otherwise using them as they belong to the district.  

Danny Barger presented information on two upcoming training opportunities to attend – a Beaver Trapping Seminar in Kenton from September 11-12, 2026, and a Fencing School in PA during the same timeframe. A discussion was made on the cost of each, and the relative needs by the community for both. Danny also mentioned the need for a consistent nuisance wildlife professional is needed for Jackson County.  A motion was made by Matt Jolly and received a second from Malcom Jones to allow Danny Barger to attend the trapping seminar and pay associated fees. The vote was passed unanimously. 

Trifolds created by Ashley Hansen were presented as one of multiple ongoing handouts to give to the public, to be tested at the county fair.  

Diana Phillips gave information on upcoming Banquet. The date of the yearly banquet will be October 22^nd, 2026. Staff have decided that no caterer will be used this year, and, instead, staff, board and volunteers will prepare dishes to share with the community. The style and general theme will be “Picnic” and will be once again held at the Scioto Township Fire Station. The need for door prizes (10-12 of them) was discussed; Ashley Hansen brought up a rain barrel kit to give away, given the popularity in the class this year. Additional discussions and decisions will be made closer to the event. 

Floor to Andy Nelson

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Floor To Kevin Lewis

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Floor to Pam Bushelman

Pam updated the board on the following: 

• Election season for new board members has started; Pam Bushelman reminded the election committee of their duties and dates.  

• Internal review has been completed, early, for JSWCD, and all is well. 

• A statewide salary survey has been sent to districts to fill out.  

• A decision on the sales tax situation will be made on July 23^rd.  

• A new engineer, Jessica Adine-Kuchta, has been hired and will start this month! She will be a resource for SWCD staff, and especially in training AAG staff in engineering practices. A new APAP employee will also be joining ODA staff in the near future.  

• Leadership training will be available for staff on October 1st; it was recommended that district staff and board attend. 

• Summer Supervisor School registration is up 

• Board members need to sign up for the upcoming Partnership meeting in October 

• Education Conference registration will open in early August, with dates being October 21^st-22^nd, and an extra day at the start of Envirothon training.  

Larry Johnson made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Matt Jolly. Adjourned at 8:17 PM 

Hello, and welcome to the new Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District Website!

We are absolutely thrilled to have you here and officially welcome you to the site! This has been a long time coming. Whether you are a lifelong resident, a multi-generational producer, a backyard gardener, or someone just starting to explore local conservation, we have built this space with you in mind.

Our mission has been, and continues to be, assisting our local community in the protection and enhancement of Jackson County’s beautiful natural resources. While our core mission hasn’t changed, the way we connect with you is growing! We know that caring for our land, water, and wildlife is a team effort, and we wanted to create more accessible spaces where you can find the tools and support you need to reach those goals.

What You’ll Find Here:

Moving forward, this blog will be a living resource for our community. You can look forward to regular updates from our team, including:

• Practical Conservation Tips: From soil testing and livestock management to creating vibrant backyard pollinator habitats.
• Grant & Program Updates: Timely information on funding opportunities, like H2Ohio, to help you implement practices on your land.
• Expounded Flora and Fauna Content: Full posts or videos going further into detail on the species explored on our social media pages.
• And More!

We’re Here to Help

Behind this website is a small, dedicated team that cares deeply about the future of Jackson County. We believe that growth starts with strong relationships, and we want this website to be an open door to make new connections. We love seeing you in the field and in our office, and we hope you still visit. However, we also hope this digital space makes it easier than ever to get the answers you need, right when you need them.

Take a Look Around!

We invite you to explore! Check out our technical and educational pages, learn more about our staff and board, take a look at our upcoming calendar, and bookmark this page so you don’t miss our next update.

Thank you for your patience as we navigate this new space, partnership, your dedication to our county, and for walking alongside us in this next chapter. We’re glad you’re here!

— The JSWCD Team