The Preble County Soil and Water Conservation District celebrated 75 years in existence during a special evening at the Preble County Historical Society and Nature Preserve on Saturday, Aug. 17. Held in conjunction with the Preble County Historical Society’s “Year of Conservation,” the event was also supported by the Preble County Chamber of Commerce. Former supervisors and staff were also recognized.
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
EATON — The Preble County Soil and Water Conservation District celebrated 75 years in existence during a special evening at the Preble County Historical Society and Nature Preserve on Saturday, Aug. 17.
Held in conjunction with the Preble County Historical Society’s “Year of Conservation,” the event was also supported by the Preble County Chamber of Commerce.
PCHS’ exhibits and buildings were open for those in attendance to explore, and the society also offered wagon rides around the property.
The event also served as the PSWCD’s annual meeting, and included its election of supervisors, a catered meal, and recognition of former supervisors and past employees, and presentation of the agency’s Conservation Hall of Fame and Outstanding Cooperator award winners.
Former Preble County Commissioner and State Rep. Gene Krebs served as emcee for the evening, and welcomed everyone.
“When I was here 25 years ago, it was in my capacity as your State Representative. A couple of months ago, I spoke at the Ohio AARP convention, and the introductory bio was longer than my remarks. So if you want to know what I’ve been doing for the past few years, and what I’ve recently come out of retirement to do, just Google me,” Krebs said. “For those of you who were at the 50th Annual Meeting in 1999 and are having a case of deja-vu, yes, I was the emcee that evening and I’m honored to be here with you again tonight. I welcome each and every one of you to this 75th Annual Meeting and Anniversary Celebration.”
SWCD Board of Supervisors Chairman Brian Deaton introduced his fellow supervisors, Vice Chair Jim Leedy, Secretary Kip Denlinger, Fiscal Agent Mike Broerman, and Donald Hays. He also recognized Natural Resources Conservation Service Employee Jeff Barnes, and district staff which includes Administrator and Technician BJ Price, Technician Jason Chappel, Technician Bobby Hansford and Technician Intern Austin Kosier.
Former supervisors and staff were also recognized.
U.S. Congressman Warren Davidson’s Regional Liaison Ben Thaeler presented a commendation from Congressman Davidson, and one on behalf of State Representative Rodney Creech.
“Most of you already know this, but after the Dust Bowl around the country, state government started working with other counties or local jurisdictions to implement Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and the thought was they could implement best practices to prevent something like the Dust Bowl from happening again, and you were able to connect people to the latest technology and practices and information that a farmer might have never even encountered, because by the time they heard about these practices, they could have been going on for decades in other parts of the world or in a country,” Thaeler told those in attendance. “Well, thankfully, we don’t have that problem anymore. We probably have an overabundance of information. In fact, I’m sure you could probably go online and find something to contradict anything that you believe to be true, any practice that’s proven. So, what are we supposed to do when you have all this contradictory information, especially with things as important as soil, and water conservation? The only thing that you can do is go to the people that you trust. And that’s why our Soil and Water Conservation District here in Preble County is phenomenal. That’s why they’ve enjoyed the success that they have for the last 75 years, because they enjoy the people’s trust. And as an office, we’ve worked with them on countless occasions on different projects and areas of collaboration. So again, on behalf of Congressman Warren Davidson and State Representative Rodney Creech, we just want to extend our appreciation and congratulations to the district on their 75th anniversary.”
State Senator Sherrod Brown’s representative, Kameron Anderson, was also on hand, to read a letter from Brown: “Says the letter from Senator Brown,” Anderson read, “Dear friends, congratulations on your 75th annual meeting and anniversary celebration. The work you do to protect Ohio’s natural resources, particularly in preserving soil health and water quality is invaluable to our state’s agricultural future. As we work on efforts like the Farm Bill, it’s important that we continue to provide farmers with robust, voluntary tools to make good stewards of the land and ensuring the protection of our water quality and soil health. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to these efforts over the years. You have my best wishes for continued success in years ahead. I look forward to supporting your important work.”
Preble County Commissioner Adam Craft spoke on behalf of his fellow commissioners, “On behalf of myself and the Board of County Commissioners, I would just like to extend my sincerest thank you to the Preble County Soil and Water Conservation District. It’s your partnership with our county and with the agricultural members of the community that really make our county special. And I just can’t say enough. You know, as I’m thinking about driving around the county, there’s not one person that drives through this county that stops here to work, stops here to play, lives here, that’s not directly impacted by the work that you all do. So, I really want to say thank you and congratulations on 75 years. I will not bore everyone and put everyone to sleep with this. But we passed this resolution recognizing and celebrating Preble Soil and Water Conservation District’s 75th year, and it was voted on by Commissioner Vonderhaar and myself and Commissioner Haber. I want to thank you all.”
Ohio Director of Agriculture Brian Baldridge was also in attendance.
“I appreciate the opportunity each and every day that Governor DeWine, Lieutenant Governor Husted, have given me to represent our largest industry in the great state of Ohio, food and ag, $124 billion industry. It’s amazing to have a team at ODA of 530 employees, 25 different divisions and programs, 10 buildings and five laboratories, all to lift up and to support that great industry here in the great state of Ohio.
“It is great to be with you. I commend your 75 years,” Baldridge continued. “Wow, that’s amazing. I was mentioning and talking with some folks, when I started, I was a township trustee and ran for Soil and Water Board as a supervisor. And three years I was on the board. So, for you retired supervisors and current supervisors, I was just to that point of knowing everything and what we were doing and working on and all the great programs. I had it all figured out. Then I ran for county commissioner, and it was a conflict, so I had to step down, but it was amazing time to serve Adams County Soil and Water Board. So thank you, all of you who currently do that, and all of you in the past, again, what a great industry that we serve.”
Keynote speaker for the evening was surveyor and historian Brad Kramer, Preble County Director of Land Use Management, who shared his experiences in land surveying and management and spoke on “The Original Land Surveys: Preble County’s First Resource Inventory.”
Krebs congratulated Preble Soil and Water District on 75 years of conservation. “That is an amazing feat to when you think about, you know, somewhat of a volunteer organization, when you think about something that’s lasted so long, it’s certainly something to be proud of. I think back across 75 years and, you know, we think about agriculture and conservation, and you think about the changes in the technology and how we do things today compared to 75 years ago. One thing that has been consistent, though, for Soil and Water Conservation Districts is that it’s always been locally led, grassroots oriented, and led by a group of five volunteer elected officials known as SWCD Supervisors.”
Jim Mitchell Jr. was honored as a member of the PSWCD Conservation Hall of Fame. Mark Cottingim was recognized with an Outstanding Cooperator Award.
Sponsors of the event included Reid Health, Somerville Bank, Eaton Hometown Furniture, and the Preble County Chamber of Commerce.
Other businesses and individuals who contributed financially included the Jim Arnett Family, Brubaker Grain and Chemical, Bales Funeral Home, John’s Tire Service, Preble County Farm Bureau, and Quality Tile and Drainage Systems.
The Blue Jacket Boys provided entertainment during the day, and the evening’s entertainment included the Price Brothers.
The evening closed with a fireworks display.
Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on X @emowenjr.
