With the safety of our members in mind, PACD will hold the fall PACD region meetings virtually. More information will be available closer to the date. In the meantime, mark your calendar and plan to attend your fall PACD region web meeting!
PACD North West Region Web Meeting September 25, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD South Central Region Web Meeting September 29, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD South East Region Web Meeting October 1, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD North East Region Web Meeting October 2, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD South West Region Web Meeting October 5, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD North Central Region Web Meeting October 22, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
On Thursday, July 23, 2020, PACD held it’s first virtual Executive Council Meeting. There were over 92 participants. During the meeting, the following business took place:
– A new policy was adopted: PACD encourages the PA Department of Agriculture and related agencies to develop a delegated agreement with conservation districts to provide funding and authority to battle invasive species.
– A bylaws change to move Armstrong Conservation District from the PACD South West Region to the PACD North West Region received preliminary approval. The final review will take place at the next PACD Executive Council meeting.
– The following slate of officers was re-elected: President – Mike Price, Beaver County Conservation District; 1st Vice President, Kelly Stagen, Pike County Conservation District; 2nd Vice President, Dennis Beck, Cambria County Conservation District; Secretary, Charles Duritsa, Westmoreland Conservation District; Treasurer, Sonia Wasco, Lancaster County Conservation District; NACD Director, Clifford Lane, McKean County Conservation District.
– The budget for the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 was approved with no dues increase.
During the meeting, PACD award recipients and PA Poster Contest Winners were announced, and board and partner reports were given.
The deadline to register for the PACD Executive Council Web Conference is Tuesday, July 21, 2020. The meeting will be held via Zoom on Thursday, July 23, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. PACD members and partner agency staff are invited to participate. Registration is free and required. Click here for more information and to register.
In the interest of keeping our members safe, the PACD Executive Board voted to cancel the in-person PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference scheduled for July 22-23, 2020, in Boalsburg. Instead, the Executive Council session will be held virtually on July 23, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. and committees will meet individually via conference call or video call prior to the Executive Council session. The State Conservation Commission will announce plans for their July meeting separately.
Need to update your district’s slate of voting delegates? Contact Molly with PACD at mburns@pacd.org.
More information on the web conference will be shared as it is available.
The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) published an article by PACD President Mike Price in the spring 2020 issue of the Pennsylvania County News. The title of the article is “Conservation Districts Make a Difference in Our Communities.”
PACD is excited to announce that CCAP permitted us to link the article! Click here to read the entire piece. Thanks to CCAP for sharing the excellent work of conservation districts!
The Pennsylvania State Senate and the House of Representatives declared May 3-9, 2020, as “Conservation District Week.” During this week, district offices will hold conference calls and virtual meetings with legislators.
Conservation district resources are available here. Resources include:
Please take advantage of these resources PACD created for conservation districts to use.
Pennsylvania’s conservation districts thank Governor Tom Wolf and members of the PA House and Senate for supporting the districts through the state budget.
PACD has compiled a list of resources and guidance for conservation districts from state agencies and partners during the COVID-19 crisis. The COVID-19 Resources page is available through a button on the PACD homepage at www.pacd.org and directly at https://pacd.org/?page_id=20452. The date of each document is included for your reference. PACD will add and update materials as they are available.
PA Invasive Species Council Coordinator Kristopher Abell presents on Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas during the PACD North East Region Meeting on April 3, 2020.
PACD region meetings are still happening via the Zoom webinar platform. Four of the six regions have already met virtually with great success.
In 2018, Pat Sueck received the PACD President’s Award from Charles Duritsa (at right in photo). Also pictured are Greg Hostetter, Deputy Secretary of Animal Health and Food Safety at the PA Department of Agriculture (left) and PA Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell.
It is with sadness that we report the passing of Pat Sueck, former PACD President, on March 13, 2020.
Pat was first appointed to the Board of the York County Conservation District in 1990. In 1998 Pat was elected as the PACD President and served in that position for two years. For 18 years, she served as the PACD representative to the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) representing
Pennsylvania at the national and regional levels. Pat kept busy promoting conservation at countless NACD annual and regional conventions, legislative “fly-ins” to D.C., and Envirothon events at the county, state, and national levels. Pat has chaired the NACD North East Education Committee and served as the NACD North East President. She was also a member of the National Conservation Foundation, which is now the home of the National Envirothon. Pat was the recipient of the District Special Service Award in 1998, the NACD President’s Award in 2010, and the PACD Distinguished Service Award in 2012.
Her dedication to conservation and agriculture was apparent to anyone who met her. Her warmth, caring, and leadership in the conservation community will be missed.
