History of Lake SWCD

Lake County Soil Conservation District was incorporated on Jan 20th, 1947.  This was the result of a local steering committee’s work in bringing forth a referendum.  On July 24th of 1946, 89% of Lake County residents voted for the creation of what would become Lake SWCD.  The first Board of Supervisors was elected on October 17th of 1946.  At this time, the soil conservation districts were very agricultural in focus, and only operated in land outside of corporation limits, and farmland within corporation limits.  In the 1940’s over 50% of Lake County was still farmland.  Among the items on the first five-year plan, completed in 1946, were to ‘develop plans for the best use of cropland, pasture land, woodland, wildlife, and other natural resources’ and ‘develop a water control program to control erosion.’  Monthly meetings were held at the Madison post office.

The 1950’s saw the District take on farm tours and a forestry program in cooperation with the Extension Service.  By the time Lake S(W)CD was 10 years old, it had assisted 289 farms totaling 25,765 acres.  This was largely funded by county and state allocations.  In 1958, the District took to the air, offering aerial conservation tours to 306 people.

The ‘W’ entered Lake County Soil Conservation District in 1963.  At that time, Lake County was the fastest growing area of the country, and the District activities began to shift towards farmland preservation and urban erosion control. 1963 also marked the beginning of involvement with Arcola Creek.  The Lake and Ashtabula County commissioners and ODNR authorized the USDA to conduct a study of the watershed.  In 1966, a tri-county field office was created in Chesterland.  Lake, Geauga and Cuyahoga SWCDs sought to enhance their services by sharing equipment and specialists.

In the 1970’s, Lake SWCD first sponsored students to Forestry Camp, held a Pond Clinic at Holden Arboretum, and disbanded the tri-county office as Geauga SWCD moved to Burton.  Cuyahoga and Lake counties opened a new office in Willoughby Hills.  Drainage was the hot issue of the day, and the Lake County Soil Survey was completed in 1979.  Also, most of the current district staff were born in this decade.

Lake SWCD reinvented itself in the 1980’s, the same decade it almost ceased to exist, due to lack of funding.  The Cuyahoga and Lake offices split, with Al Bonnis being the sole employee in the new Lake county office, a storefront in Wickliffe outfitted with cast off furniture from the Atomic Energy Commission.  The district bought its first computer in 1987.  As things picked up, a secretary and a part-time education coordinator were hired.  The board of supervisors began to shift toward younger, urban-oriented people who were willing to try new things.  The office also moved to Painesville by the end of the decade.  Many of the current district projects have their roots in the 1980’s. 

New funding sources, including EPA grants, and municipal appropriations combined with increased county funding to provide personnel for urban issues in the early 1990’s.  Education programming was funded by a $100,000 grant from the Mastin Foundation.  Land labs were also established at many schools throughout the county.  Lake SWCD also signed memorandums of understanding with various cities, townships, and villages, as well as the county health department.  Non-point source pollution also became a topic of interest, and the District participated in several EPA studies on the topic.  Conservation easements also entered the picture, as a way to preserve farmland and open space.  The district was recognized as one of the top two districts in the state in 1992, even though (or because) it didn’t do any of the ‘typical’ soil and water district activities.  

Currently, Lake SWCD is still involved in many of the programs started in the 80’s and 90’s.  The last few years of district activities are written on the other pages of this website.

Board and Staff

Board of Supervisors

District Board members (supervisors) are respected conservation leaders elected by county residents to represent them in charting the course for soil and water conservation and natural resources management in their county. Associate supervisors are concerned citizens that officially volunteer their time to assist the Board and District. Board and associate supervisors serve together as a guide for the District, its staff and cooperating agencies in efforts to implement conservation plans which address the county’s soil and water-related resources.

Board supervisors are elected to a three-year term as public officials and serve without pay. They are protected from liability by laws which indemnify all SWCD supervisors from personal liability in any civil actions arising from involvement with the SWCD. The current Lake County SWCD Board members are:

Thomas (Tom) Rowan, (2023) Concord Tom grew up in Fairport and attended Lake Superior State University and has a degree in Natural Resources. Tom has worked for over 30 years in law enforcement. The majority was spent at the Ohio Division of Wildlife, where he was a State Wildlife Officer, District Law Enforcement Supervisor and Assistant Chief of The ODNR Division of Wildlife. Tom retired from the Division of Wildlife in 2014. He started working part time for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in 2015 in the court services division as a Special Deputy. He is currently working as Chief Deputy for The Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, and teaches part time at the police academies of Polaris Career Center, Kent State University and Youngstown State University, and Lakeland Community College. Tom is a member of the Lake County Rod and Gun Club, a life member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, member of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Whitetails Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and the Wildlife Society. Thomas is also the president of the Ohio Game Protectors Association and past president of The Ashtabula Lakeshore 114 FOP Lodge. He is married to Sabrina, International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program Coordinator and Literacy Coach at McKinley Elementary school in Fairport Harbor. They have a daughter, Macey.

Skip Dugan, (2023) Perry Twp has had a close relationship to the Soil and Water around him for his entire life. Being raised on a 120-Acre nursery in Perry instilled a basic respect for the requirement of good husbandry for the soils and water in our area. He has a degree in Biology/Environmental Studies, served on the Lake County Environmental Education Advisory board,  Farm Bureau elections committee, worked at Lake Metroparks for 15 years, and has served on the Lake Soil & Water Board of Supervisors for 11 years, 6 years as Chairman.  His proudest accomplishment as a board member has been the development and implementation of the Lake SWCD Long Term Strategic plan which resulted in increased income from the services Lake SWCD provides, instituted an employee grant acquirement program which along with state matching funds has allowed the district to increase employee capacities and resulting services to Lake County. Skip is proud of the district’s accomplishments and methods of conducting business and looks forward to hearing about that are reported at every Third Tuesday of the month at Board meetings. 

Jeff Hyrne, (2021) Madison Twp Jeff is the President and CEO of LCN Holdings, a wholesale nursery based in Lake County, where he directs day-to-day operations. He is past-president of the Nursery Growers of Lake County, and has been involved in various aspects of the local nursery industry for over 25 years. Jeff, his wife and two children live in Madison, and he enjoys fly fishing in his spare time.

Steve Reynolds, (2022) Mentor Steve is an Associate Professor of Biology, and previously was the Dean of the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, at Lake Erie College in Painesville. He is an aquatic ecologist with 20+ years of teaching and research experience. His research interests are in functional ecology and water quality, particularly, the impacts of heavy metals and non-point source pollution on stream fish and insects. Dr. Reynolds lives in Mentor with his wife and two small children. With them he enjoys musical evenings on the front porch, playing in the yard, and, as time allows, exploring Lake County and NE Ohio.

Jen Smyser, (2021) Concord Jen grew up in Lake County and returned upon accepting a position as the Education Coordinator for the Lake SWCD. Later, she joined the staff of the Western Reserve RC&D to launch The Farmland Center in Northeast Ohio. Since then, she has focused on non-profit communications, grant writing and development at The Lakeland Foundation. While at the Lake SWCD, Jen worked closely with the Lake County Farmland Task Force and later served on the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy Board of Directors. She lives in Concord Township with her husband and three children, all whom enjoy numerous outdoor pursuits and the region’s bounty of fresh, local foods.

Staff

Staff members carry out the day-today duties of the District. They conduct site visits, review erosion and sediment control plans for new construction, advise community officials on natural resource issues, provide technical assistance to landowners, work with local conservation groups to help them meet their goals, develop and coordinate Non Point Source Implementation Strategy Plans, maintain district accounts, publish bulletins and newsletters, provide classroom education, and maintain digital presence.  

Dan Donaldson, (1995) District Administrator B.A. Environmental Management from Cleveland State University.

Dan is responsible for daily operation and management of district staff, programs and services. He specializes in planning services for customers and the Board of Supervisors. He also assists local governments, landowners, and partner agencies with natural resource planning objectives, including special projects, ordinances, programs, and conservation easements. He serves as principal district contact and facilitator for public meetings and is responsible for program planning, administration, and grant writing. extension 2030; email [email protected]

Maurine Orndorff, (2006) Watershed Coordinator B.S. Geography from Ohio University , M.A. Geography from Kent State University.

Maurine became the Watershed Coordinator in January 2011, after her Agricultural Programs Technician position was eliminated through budget cuts. The District received a 4-year planning grant from ODNR to hire a watershed coordinator to improve the Arcola Creek Watershed, and Maurine is working with the community to develop a watershed action plan. Residents have been affected by frequent flooding, routine periods of drought, and limitation of economic and recreational opportunities. Having a watershed action plan will enable the community to be eligible for state and federal funding for projects to reduce flooding, repair stream channels and address other water quality issues. extension 5863; email [email protected]

John Niedzialek, (2012) Resource Protection Specialist B.S. Conservation of Natural Resources and M.A. Geography from Kent State University.

John serves the District as a part-time Resource Protection Specialist, assisting with site plan reviews and inspections on construction sites. He recently retired from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and continues to serve as volunteer coordinator of the Western Reserve Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D). John also teaches Earth Science at Lakeland Community College. extension 5860; email [email protected]

Chad Edgar, (2000) Resource Protection Specialist B.S. Geology from Ashland University.

Chad has a well-rounded and unique skill set that has been developed throughout his career in conservation and natural resources which spans nearly 20 years in Northeast Ohio. Chad started his career at the SWCD office as the Urban Stream Specialist where he managed the Headwater Habitat Evaluation project and was the district’s GIS technician. He later assisted with the implementation of the NPDES Phase II compliance program. Chad has also worked with clientele, contractors and regulatory agencies in numerous states as project manager for a private environmental consulting firm. He is responsible for NPDES Phase II compliance activities and is the main point of contact for Lake County residents with technical natural resource issues. extension 2032; email [email protected]

Natalie Gertz-Young (2013) Education/Information Coordinator B.A. Psychology from The College of Wooster, and M.S. Environmental Science with Environmental Education specialization from Antioch University New England.

Natalie plans, coordinates and is responsible for the District’s major education and public outreach programs. This includes school programs, spring and fall stream monitoring, Envirothon, annual tree sale, Rain Barrel and Rain Garden workshops and other public displays and programs. Natalie is dedicated to increasing awareness of and taking action to preserve Lake County and the greater Northeast Ohio region’s natural resources. extension 2033; email [email protected]

 Adam Cimperman, (2018) Resource Protection Technician B.S Environmental Science from Cleveland State University

Adam was hired on full time in the summer of 2019 after the district received a 3-year watershed grant from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. While working in conjunction with the district’s watershed coordinator, this grant allows Adam to identify and develop additional watershed projects throughout the county. In addition to watershed work, he is responsible for inspecting erosion and sediment control BMPs at active construction sites in hopes of reducing sediment discharge into the counties many waterways. extension 2049; email [email protected]

Caitlin Ormsby, (2019) Resource Protection Technician AmeriCorps Member (Northern Ohio Watershed Corps)

Caitlin serves the District as a part-time Resource Protection Technician through the Northern Ohio Watershed Corps Program. She supports the District’s Headwater Stream Monitoring and Stream and Wetland Restoration activities, water quality compliance programs, and special conservation and water quality related projects. She also works to promote the Northern Ohio Watershed Corps through education and outreach activities. email [email protected]