News: Annual Conservation Awards
9/18/2023
Franklin Soil & Water Conservation District (Franklin SWCD) awarded their annual Conservation Stewardship Award to Dianne Kadonaga, Co-Owner of Sunny Glen Garden at their Annual Meeting on September 14, 2023. Dianne was nominated and awarded by Franklin SWCD staff for her dedication to presenting the Community Backyards rebate program, and being an inspirational leader for sustainable land use in her neighborhood of Linden. The mission of Sunny Glen Garden is to turn urban lawns into edible food forests and wildlife habitats, a practice that increases stormwater infiltration in home yards. SWCD staff is continually inspired by Dianne's commitment to clean water, healthy habitats and a thriving neighborhood community of plants, animals and people.
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| Kori Sedmak, Public Outreach Coordinator for Franklin SWCD, presents the Conservation Stewardship Award to Dianne Kadonaga. |
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9/15/2023
Congratulations to Kim Landsbergen on her re-election, and Leigh Anne Ward on her new election to the Franklin Soil & Water Conservation District's publicly elected Board of Supervisors! We are sure Kim and Leigh Anne will continue to guide the District to success with their variety of skills and experiences. The election was competitive, and we are very grateful to our third candidate Erin Miller who is an active member of our Associate Board. Click for biographies of the candidates. Enabled under Ohio Revised Code 940, soil and water conservation districts are subdivisions of the State of Ohio organized along county boundaries. The five-member Board of Supervisors is the governing body of Franklin Soil and Water. Supervisors must own land or reside in Franklin County. They are elected to three-year terms. |
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For the past 7 years Leigh Anne Ward has been the Coordinator for the Community Cleanup Crew, a sentencing alternative for the Franklin County Municipal Court, and managed the Ohio EPA Litter Management Grant which provided supplemental funding for the program. With the support of the grant, she focused on removing and recycling illegally dumped tires from public property throughout Franklin County. Leigh Anne is an advocate in her community of Linden for sustainability and mental well-being. |
| Kim Landsbergen is an ecosystem scientist, an educator, and an avid volunteer for the environment. An applied environmental scientist for over 25 years, Kim has over 10 years of experience serving the Franklin County Soil Water Conservation District: she volunteered as an Associate Board Member for FSWCD for over a decade, and joined the Board of Supervisors in Nov 2021. In the last twenty years, Kim has worked on applied research on Ohio’s invasive species, forest ecology, soils, and urban ecology. |
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Election Announcement
7/23/23
The Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission will cause an election of Supervisors of the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to be held in accordance with Chapter 940 of the Ohio Revised Code. Individuals who own or occupy land within the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District and are 18 years of age or older may vote for Supervisor.
There are 3 ways an eligible voter can cast a ballot:
1.) At the SWCD office, 1404 Goodale Blvd Suite 100, from 8/16/2023 until 9/14/2023 during normal business hours (Monday through Friday 8:30-4:30 excluding holidays); or
2.) At the SWCD Annual Meeting, which will take place at Whetstone Park of Roses (3901 N High St) on 9/14/2023 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. ; or
3.) Voting absentee from 8/16/2023 until 9/14/2023, by requesting the ballot application and election ballot from the SWCD office at the following address 1404 Goodale Blvd Suite 100 Columbus Ohio 43212, by calling 614-486-9613, or email tlarkmour@franklinswcd.org. Absentee ballots must be received by the SWCD office by 9/14/2023.
2 Supervisors will be elected to a three-year term commencing January 1, 2024 and ending December 31, 2026.
Nominees are:
1. Kim Landsbergen
2. Erin Miller
3. Leigh Anne Ward