Soil, water board greets new members

WAPAKONETA — Auglaize County Soil and Water Board welcomed two new future board members Debbie Brown and Doug Fisher to observe their December meeting Wednesday. The election was finalized last month after ballots weren’t properly filled out in the original election process.

Brown, a St. Marys native, said she was one of the first production ag teachers when she got out of college in 1976 but retired about a year and a half ago from her position as an OSU Ag Extension agent in Shelby County.

She had also worked for the Ohio Farm Bureau in several areas and has directed at the county level. She said she was looking for something to do with her extra time and had been raised on the idea that you leave land better than you found it.

Fisher, who has farmed in Clay Township for most of his life, said he ran for office because he was concerned about water issues at the state and local level.

Terms for the new two members begin Jan. 1.

For board members Brent Wilker and Ron Fledderjohann, the De

cember meeting was their last. Welker has been on the board eight years and Fledderjohann has served for six.

Welker said time constraints were why he decided not to run but said during his time serving, he liked seeing the ditch petition process from “the grass roots.”

He commented on the H2O-hio program introduced earlier this year, noting there are “a lot of good incentives and a lot of new people that get involved.”

Fledderjohann said he opted not to run because he was busy at home, although he said it was interesting to work with all the different programs.

Other meeting agenda items included approval for trainings, approving a $500 scholarship, approving comprehensive nutrient management plans and a pollution abatement related to complaints.