October—December
1185 Professional Drive, Van Wert, OH 45891
Telephone (419) 238-9591
Fax (419) 238-5323
Web site: www.vanwertswcd.org
Soil & Water Conservation District Newsletter
VAN WERT
2014 Newsletter
65th Annual Meeting to be
Held December 2
The 65th Annual Meeting of the
SWCD will be held on Tuesday,
December 2 at Vantage Career Center, 818 N. Franklin Street, Van Wert
in the Cup & Saucer.
Elegant Beginnings Catering will be
providing the meal this year. Dinner
will be served at 6:00 and will include chicken breast and pulled
pork, red potatoes, green beans with
bacon, rolls/butter, dessert, coffee
and iced tea. An election will take
place to elect one supervisor to the
five member SWCD board. The election will be open from 5:30—6:00
p.m. Voter registration tables will
be set up, and candidate information
will be available prior to voting.
The meeting will begin at 7:00 with
the Conservation of the Year Award
presented, recognition of the scholarship awardee, election results announced, and a drawing will be held
for the door prizes. Tickets are
$10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 2-12 years and are available
from the Board of Supervisors or
staff. Tickets are also available at the
SWCD office. Deadline to purchase tickets is November 25.
Mark your calendar and plan to
help us celebrate 65 years of service
to Van Wert County .
Supervisor Nomination Petition Forms Available
Individuals interested in running in
the election for the board of supervisors position may stop in the office to
pick up a nomination petition form.
Potential candidates need to secure at
least ten valid signatures from residents and/or landowners from Van
Wert County on the petition form. The
petition needs to be submitted to the
Van Wert SWCD office by 4 p.m. on
October 28, 2014. Candidates meeting
the eligibility requirements and deadline will be listed on the ballot for the
special election.
Notice of Election
The Ohio Soil and Water Conservation
Franklin Street, Van Wert, OH on Tuesday,
Commission will cause an election of super- December 2, 2014 at 5:30 p.m.
visors of the Van Wert Soil & Water ConNominees are:
servation District to be held in accordance  David Kemler
with Chapter 1515 of the Ohio Revised Code  Chris Vorst
at the Vantage Career Center, 818 N.
Inside this issue:
Candidate Profiles
Private Well Water Testing Available
Lake Erie Nutrient Reduction Program
Park District Bike Trail Completed
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2
3
3
Special points of interest:
New Telephone System at the Service Ctr
Upcoming Dates
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4
 Van Wert Bike Trail completed
 Cover Crops, controlled drainage,
and blind inlet program available
Ways to Cast Your Ballot … 1 Supervisor to be Elected
The Van Wert SWCD will hold a special election for District Board of Supervisors at the 65th Annual Meeting
on Tuesday, December 2 at Vantage
Career Center, Van Wert, OH.
One member will be elected for a
three year term of office.
County residents and landowners
have three options for casting a ballot.
tance to county landowners and other
units of local government. The District is funded by the Van Wert County Commissioners, and county funds
are supplemented by funding from
the ODNR. The District is governed
by a five-member board of county
residents. Each supervisor term is for
a period of three years.
On the ballot are:
Contact the office in writing 21
days prior to the election requesting an absentee ballot.
2. Cast a ballot at the District office
by 4:00 p.m. on December 1.
3. Cast a ballot at the Annual Meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
and Zavier. He farms with his father. The
Kemler’s attend Harvest Field Church in
Scott. He is a member of Farm Bureau
and is a current SWCD Board member
seeking re-election.
1.
Chris Vorst
To be eligible to vote, you must be of
legal voting age (18 years) and reside
or own land within the District.
Vorst and wife, Sandy, reside in Washington township. The have three daughters, Katie, Tara, and Betty. Chris cash
grain farm. The Vorst’s attend Delphos
Dave Kemler
St. Johns Church. He is a member of the
Van Wert SWCD is a legal subdivision
Farm Bureau, 4-H Council, and former
Kemler and wife, Marla, reside in Hoaglin
of state government that provides
captain of the Middle Point Fire DepartTownship. They have two sons, Ethan
natural resource management assisment.
Private Well Water Testing Kits Available
The SWCD has partnered with Heidelberg
University’s National Center for Water
Quality Research to offer residents the
opportunity to have their well water tested.
 A chemical spill is known to have
(Lasso), metolachlor (Dual), and acetochlor (Harness)
happened nearby
 Your well is near possible sources of
Metals by ICP/MS - $75.00
Includes antimony, arsenic, barium, berylIf your drinking water comes from a prilium, cadmium, chromium, lead, selenium,
vate well, you are responsible for your
aluminum, copper, iron, manganese, zinc,
water’s safety. If you have never had your Even if your well fits none of these cat- nickel, sodium, calcium, strontium, cobalt,
water supply tested, it is always a good
egories, you cannot know the quality of magnesium, potassium, silica, and vanadiidea to educate yourself on what is present your water without testing. Contami- um.
in your drinking water and also provide
nants may have entered the ground
yourself with some baseline information in without your knowledge or before you The test kits will be for sale Monday,
the event there are changes in the future
October 6 through Friday, October 17,
lived at the site.
that may impact the quality of your water
2014. The samples need returned to the
supply.
Van Wert SWCD on Monday, October 20,
The following are the tests available:
2014.
Your well has an increased likelihood of
Nitrate/Inorganic Suite - $25.00
contamination if:
Participants can expect their confidential
Includes nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, chloresults
from Heidelberg University within
 Your well is more than 20 years old ride, sulfate, fluoride, soluble phosphorus,
2-4
weeks.
silica, and conductivity.
 Your well was dug or driven rather
than drilled
Pesticide Immunoassay Screen—$60.00
 Your well is shallow
Detects major herbicides such as atrazine
 Your soil is sandy
(Aatrex), simazine (Princep), alachlor
Page 2
contamination, such as cropland,
feedlots, landfills, industrial sites,
active or abandoned.
SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT NEWSLETTER
Lake Erie Nutrient Reduction Program (LE NRP)
Van Wert County is part of the 27
Lake Erie Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program counties participating in the Lake Erie Nutrient Reduction Program (LE NRP). The focus
is on three specific best management
practices:
mum of 25 acres with one structure.
Landowner would be paid for: structure, sub main installation and lateral
hook ups, 40 feet of solid pipe, antiseep collar, and installation cost. Maximum payment per site: $4,000 based
upon the actual cost.
1. Controlled Drainage Structures
2. Blind Inlets
3. Cover Crops
Blind Inlets
Need to have an outlet (tile main,
ditch, etc.) capable of carrying reMoney is available for landowner sign- quired capacity. Outlet pipe needs to
up which runs from August 14—March be a 4” minimum. Watershed shall not
1, 2015.
be less than 2 acres or greater than 20
acres. The landowner will be paid for:
Controlled Drainage Structure#4 stone, washed, coarse, pit run sand
(Two system options available)
or fine, pit run gravel, PVC pipe, geotextile, pipe connections, labor.
System 1– Need a systematic drainage system. Outlet pipe needs to be a
6” minimum. The area to be controlled by the structure needs to be 15
acres minimum. Landowner will be
paid for the structure, anti-seep collar,
40 feet of solid pipe and labor. Maximum payment per site: $1,500 based
upon actual costs.
System 2—Sub-main installation
would allow for the control of a mini-
Small—$1,500 for 2-7.99 acre watershed (15’x15’ inlet surface area)
Medium—$2,500 for 8-13.99 acre watershed (20’x20’ inlet surface area)
Large—$4,000 for 14-20 acre watershed (25’x25’ inlet surface area)
Cover Crops
Must be an over-wintering variety or
mix (ie. Annual ryegrass, hairy vetch,
cereal rye, crimson clover, etc.) Cannot be a winter wheat crop.
Sign-up will be from August 15,
2014—October 15, 2014. Seedling
deadline will be on or before October
15, 2014. The District will verify cover
crop has been established and maintained until March 15, 2015 at which
time the producer will receive a flat
rate of cost-share of $25 per acre for a
maximum of up to 50 acres.
At the current time all of the cover
crop acres have been encumbered for
this first sign up, however if you are
interested contact the office to get on
the waiting list if more money becomes available.
Van Wert Park District Completes Bike Trail
What began in 2001 as an idea for a
Recreation Trail, by the Board and
staff at the Van Wert SWCD, has now
become a reality. The final section of
the Van Wert Recreation Trail has
been completed. The trail is approximately 2.5 miles in length and extends
from Woodland Avenue across from
Smiley Park west to Richey Road.
There are two parking areas available
one at the east end off of John Brown
Road and the other at the west end off
of Richey Road. The trail is open to
the public to walk or ride bicycles.
Motorized vehicles are prohibited.
Grant funds were received from the
Clean Ohio Fund and the generous
support of local businesses and individuals.
Our thanks to the current Park District Commissioners Bill Swank, Pat
Ryan and Larry Webb for seeing the
project to completion !
New Telephone System at the Office
The Van Wert Service Center has recently had a new telephone system
installed. Our telephone number remains the same (419) 238-9591. At
the initial greeting the option is available to select 2 for the FSA or 3 for the
O C T O B E R — D E CE M B E R
NRCS/SWCD office. If you would like after hours of operation.
to speak to a certain staff member dial The extensions are:
their extension at the prompt. If the
party you are calling is not available
Julie—ext. 101
Ken—ext. 109
the phones are equipped with
Nina—ext. 111
Craig—ext.113
voicemail which can be left during or
Noel—ext. 116
Steve—ext.117
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Van Wert S.W.C.D.
1185 Professional Drive
Van Wert, OH 45891
Nonprofit Organization
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit #70
Upcoming Dates and Events
Board of Supervisors
Craig Pohlman , Chairman
Darryl Ricketts, Vice-Chair
Gary Weck, Secretary
Bob Gehres, Fiscal Agent
Dave Kemler, Youth & Publicity
SWCD Staff
Julie Buggle, Office Manager
Craig Higbie, District Technician
NRCS Staff
Ken Kottenbrock , District Conservationist
Tinina Hale—Civil Engineer
Noel Morris—Soil Conservation Tech
Steve Brown—PF Farm Bill Bi0logist
October 6—17
October 8
October 13
October 16
October 20
November 11
November 12
November 20
November 27/28
December 2
December 10
December 18
December 25
January 1
Well Water Testing Program
SWCD Board Meeting
Columbus Day—Office Closed
Park District Meeting
Well Water Sample Kits Returned
Veteran’s Day—Office Closed
SWCD Board Meeting
Park District Meeting
Thanksgiving—Office Closed
SWCD 65th Annual Meeting
SWCD Board Meeting
Park District Meeting
Christmas—Office Closed
New Year’s—Office Closed
The Board and Staff would like to
thank the Van Wert County Commissioner’s,
Thad Lichtensteiger, Stan Owens, Todd Wolfrum,
for their support over the past 65 years !