CRITICAL Update Funding Cuts to County Agencies!

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1 64 Court Street, Laconia, NH Telephone # (603) CRITICAL Update Funding Cuts to County Agencies! The Belknap County Conservation District (BCCD) needs your help now! The Belknap County Delegation Outside Agencies Sub-committee will recommend a $43,240 (47%) cut to the Conservation District budget! This will severely impact BCCD s ability to provide services and leverage funding for community based projects. Please make a phone call or a letter of support for the Conservation District to your Representative by February 14th. Contact information at the end of this letter. All other outside agencies (Genesis, Community Action Program, UNH Cooperative Extension, Greater Laconia Child Advocacy) also slated for deep cuts. It is proposed to eliminate county funding for the Belknap Economic Development Council. Critical Meetings Tuesday, Feb 16 th at 7 PM (if no final vote then follow up meetings will be scheduled) Belknap County Delegation Meetings Belknap County Complex, 34 County Drive, Laconia This will be a meeting of the full Delegation. It is possible at any meeting that they will vote on the budget recommendations of the sub-committees. Folks these are the meetings we need to try and pack with our supporters if possible. Please make plans to attend if you can. Reach out to others that you know support BCCD. These will be the meetings that decide the budget fate of BCCD for 2016! This cut will result in severely diminishing the services and funding for community based projects the Conservation Districts will be able to provide. Funding from the county supports grant writing and staff for project implementation. Grant funds obtained in the last two years total almost $100,000 to spend locally on conservation projects. BCCD s funding request to Belknap County for 2016 was $92,400. This pays for one full time staff, one part-

2 time staff, and the hiring of natural resource consultants on a per diem basis. A cut of $43,240 represents 1/2 of the Conservation District s budget request to the county for year 2016 and comes on the heels of a $4,865 cut to the Conservation District budget in The Delegation invites the public to contact the County Delegate representing your town and to attend the County Delegation meetings (next on scheduled is Tuesday, February 16 th at 7 PM at the Belknap County Complex, 34 County Drive, Laconia, NH) to request that Conservation District funding be restored. They know we do good work and they need to know that you are willing to have our work funded. If there is no final vote on Feb. 16 th follow up meetings will be scheduled. Please read the talking points within this letter to understand how dramatically this funding cut will affect Belknap County. If you agree that the Conservation District should be funded, please contact your County Delegate and the Belknap County Delegate representing your town. BCCD has enclosed the necessary contact information with this letter. It is important to voice your opinion early! It Makes A Difference! Please make your phone calls or send your s today! Talking Points: Main Purpose of Belknap County Conservation District (BCCD): To prevent the loss of soil through erosion, contamination or depletion and to maintain or improve water quality both above and below ground in Belknap County. (BCCD programs and services are offered free of discrimination and public participation is voluntary.) Funding: Every dollar spent by Belknap County for the Conservation District generates 2 to 3 dollars in products and services back to the county. BCCD uses a multi-level approach to fund its operation. The Conservation District uses the funds provided by the county to cover most of the cost of the district s payroll. This is vital to the ability of the District to apply for grants that bring additional dollars into Belknap County. Grantors see a contribution from the county as a validation of support. Without that validation grantors are not likely to award grant dollars. Most grants do not pay for staff, only the supplies for a project. BCCD works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to bring federal dollars into the county. These federal dollars are used for conservation and currently represent over ninety projects adding up to approximately 658,000 dollars being dispersed throughout the county. These funds could be impacted should the Conservation District services be diminished.

3 The federal government annually supplies approximately $580,000 dollars worth of conservation related technical expertise to Belknap County through the Conservation District. This support could be impacted should Conservation District services be diminished. BCCD uses its funding from the county to bring grant funds into the county. Grantors look at the county s funds as providing local support for a project. Over the last two years this adds up to nearly $100,000 dollars brought into the county for conservation based projects. BCCD supplements its funding by holding annual sales, charging for programs, and holding fund drives. Services and Funding Generated by BCCD: State, County, and Municipal Involvement in 2015 BCCD is working with several entities to provide service and funding to Belknap County. USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA- NRCS) federal cost share programs NH Dept. of Resource & Economic Development agreement for land management in Laconia Belknap County purchased and installed a seasonal high tunnel to assist the Belknap County Jail gardening program with extending their growing season for fresh produce. Belknap County administers the NH Gleans Belknap County program that coordinates volunteers to work with local farmers to harvest produce for donation to local food pantries. In 2015 BCCD donated 2,475 pounds of fresh produce and fruit to local food pantries and soup kitchens. Belknap County coordinated and managed Community Garden program Belknap County - hosted a series of workshop presenting information on preventing soil erosion and improving soil health and water quality. Alton Issues of water quality. BCCD provided teachers in the Alton school system with educational materials and contact information to assist with programs. BCCD Program Coordinator was a panelist for a Q&A on beach erosion held by the 4th grade at Alton Central School. Connected interested contractor with Request for Bids by town. BCCD is an active member of the Belknap Range Conservation Coalition. Barnstead Issues of water quality. BCCD board member provided outreach to interested landowners and worked with local school on their Wetlands Field Day. BCCD posted items of interest on Barnstead Farmers Network FaceBook page. Belmont Project funding. BCCD purchased supplies for the Shaker Regional School District s maple sugaring operation. BCCD also attended meetings concerning the Belmont/Tilton/Northfield aquifer. Center Harbor Participated in after-school information sessions for students. BCCD sits on the Center Harbor Bay Watershed Advisory Committee coordinated by the Lakes Region Planning Commission. BCCD staff and consultant revisited old beach erosion prevention site work to discuss needed repairs. Gilford BCCD, working with town officials, obtained $73,000 in funding to perform streambank restoration of a selected site on Gunstock Brook and to facilitate a community lead process to prioritize other projects on the brook. Fulfilled request to perform outreach at Gilford Farmers Market every Saturday. Provided networking and communication avenues to assist local business. Participated in the NH Ag in the Classroom event at Ramblin Vewe Farm. Gilmanton - BCCD electronically forwards information that may be of interest to municipal officials regarding water quality programs and projects potentially affecting the Town of Gilmanton. BCCD s involvement with the Belknap Range Conservation Coalition supports the conservation of resources in the Town of Gilmanton. Laconia BCCD, working with the Laconia Conservation Commission, is taking the lead on coordinating the development of several water quality related projects in the city. These activities include outreach on Jewett Brook in partnership with Laconia High School, addressing erosion in selected sections of Durkee Brook in partnership with the Union Cemetery Association by performing site visits and hired a consultant to provide recommendations regarding a streambank slump, and coordinated a stream clean-up at the headwaters of the Winnipesaukee River. BCCD staff has provided outreach program coordination and resource information on several topics of interest to the Conservation Commission.

4 BCCD staff also instructed the 3rd and 5th grades of the Woodland Heights Elementary School on the subjects of soils and plants, and maintained three raised bed vegetable gardens at the school. BCCD maintains an Adopt A Spot for the Laconia Department of Parks and Recreation at Opechee Park. Meredith Issues of water quality. BCCD is part of the steering committee for the Lake Winnipesaukee Watershed Management Plan; Phase I project, and sits on the advisory committee for Lake Waukewan and Winona Lake. New Hampton BCCD has provided fee based third party engineering reviews of selected project drainage plans to the New Hampton Planning Board and staff. BCCD staff has been in communication with New Hampton Academy to expand student outreach opportunities and introduce the NH Gleans program. Sanbornton BCCD assisted the Sanbornton Conservation Commission and the Town Planner in accessing desired informational resources. Tilton BCCD electronically forwards information that may be of interest to municipal officials regarding water quality programs and projects potentially affecting the Town of Tilton. OTHER AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS IN 2015 BCCD partners with other agencies and organizations to enhance programs offered by the partnership. These partnerships help to eliminate overlap in programs offered, enhance project proposals to funders, and broaden agency knowledge and skill base that in turn benefit the county. Partnerships this year have been with: Lake Winnipesaukee Watershed Association NH Department of Environmental Services NH Division of Forest and Lands NH Gleans North Country Resource, Conservation & Development Area Council UNH Cooperative Extension Belknap County, Hillsborough County, Community Tree Stewards NON-COUNTY FUNDING In 2015 BCCD will have received project funding from the United States Department of Agriculture, the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Districts individual donors, and proceeds from sales. Please see the enclosed list of contacts for your County Delegation Members! It is important to voice your opinion early! It Makes A Difference! Please make your phone calls or send your s today! (When sending your s please cc the Conservation District at lisa.morin@nh.nacdnet.net) Belknap County Contact List for Delegation : Telephone District 1 Center Harbor, New Hampton Fraser, Valerie New Hampton valerie.fraser@leg.state.nh.us District 2 Gilford, Meredith Aldrich, Glen Gilford glenaldrich@gmail.com Dumais, Russell - Gilford sundeedumais@metrocast.net Hurt, George - Gilford N/A gfhurt@gmail.com Vadney, Herb- Meredith herb.vadney@leg.state.nh.us

5 District 3 Laconia (Also see District 9 below) Flanders, Donald - Laconia dflanders@metrocast.net Luther, Robert - Laconia Robert.luther@ymail.com Spanos, Peter - Winnisquam peterjspanos@gmail.com Tilton, Frank, - Laconia franktilton@gmail.com District 4 Sanbornton, Tilton Dennis Fields - Sanbornton dennis.fields@leg.state.nh.us Gallagher, Brian - Sanbornton ibelieve121@metrocast.net District 5 Alton, Gilmanton (Also see District 8 below) Russell, David Gilmanton russells@metrocast.net Varney, Peter Alton pvarney@atsnh.com District 6 Belmont (Also see District 9 below) Lebreche, Shari Belmont shari4belmontnh@yahoo.com Sylvia, Michael Belmont mike@mikesylvia.org District 7 Barnstead (Also see District 8 below) Comtois, Guy Barnstead gcomtois2010@gmail.com District 8 Alton, Barnstead, Gilmanton Howard Jr, Raymond Alton brhowardjr@yahoo.com District 9 Belmont, Laconia Fisher, Robert Laconia N/A robert.fisher@leg.state.nh.us If you support funding of the Conservation District Let Them Know It is important to voice your opinion early! It Makes A Difference! Please make your phone calls, or send your s today! When sending your s please cc the Conservation District at lisa.morin@nh.nacdnet.net

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