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Newsletters, Annual Reports & Meeting Minutes
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About the
Louisa County Conservation Board
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| Jay Schweitzer | Columbus Junction | Since 2006 | ||
| Brad Moss | Wapello | Since 2007 | ||
| Stan Staats | Wapello | Since 2009 | ||
| Sherry Humphreys | Columbus Junction | Since 2010 | ||
| Elizabeth | Kling | Since 2013 |
Volunteer board members are appointed by the County Board of Supervisors to five-year, staggered terms , and may be reappointed for additional terms. Board members must be citizens of Louisa County, at least 18 years of age, and show a demonstrated interest in conservation. The board sets policies and budgets; approves hiring's, and determines future directions of the local conservation of properties.
Louisa County Conservation Board Staff
| Executive Director | Katie Hammond | Since 2000 | |||
| Langwood Program Director/Naturalist | Brittney Tiller | Since 2012 | |||
| Naturalist | Kathy Dice | Since 2001 | |||
| Office Manager | Mary Gish | Since 2001 | |||
| Park Ranger/Technician | Kenny Moore | Since 2005 | |||
| Operations Supervisor | Jeff Snyder | Since 2005 | |||
| Toolesboro Interpreter | Katie Walker | Since 2008 | |||
| Toolesboro Interpreter | Becky Beaver | Since 2010 | |||
Definition of a Conservation Board
The Louisa County Conservation Board, as well as the other 98 county conservation boards in the state of Iowa, is possible because of the County Conservation Law passed by the Iowa State Legislature in 1955. That law, Chapter 350 (formerly Chapter 111A) of the Code of Iowa, gave counties the ability to create a county conservation board to acquire, develop, maintain, and make available museums, parks, preserves, recreational centers, forests, wildlife and other conservation areas, to promote the health and general welfare of the people, to encourage the conservation of natural resources, and to cultivate good citizenship by providing programs of public recreation (paraphrased from the Code of Iowa, Chapter 350, Section 1).
History of the Louisa County Conservation Board
Under the jurisdiction of the Code of Iowa, the Louisa County Conservation Board was established by popular vote in 1967. The Louisa County Conservation Board acquired its first two areas, the Cappy Russell Access and the River Forks Access, on August 1st, 1973. On that date, the Conservation Board had 11 acres and no employees. Since that time, land acquisition and development have continued, with the Conservation Board's most recent purchase being 136 acres on September 12th, 2002. The Louisa County Conservation Board has since grown from those meager beginnings to a total of 2,238 acres with a staff of seven permanent employees and up to five seasonal or temporary employees.
Louisa County Conservation Board Funding
Approximately 70% of the board's funding comes from property taxes; with other funding coming from user fees, state payments, grants and other sources. In the last 25 years, the Louisa County Conservation Board has brought more than $1,000,000 into the county through grants and other funding sources.
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