Portage County Soil and Water asks commissioners to approve $42,500 to secure state matching funds for FY2026

Lynn, a representative of the Portage County Soil and Water Conservation District, asked the Portage County Board of Commissioners to appropriate $42,500 for fiscal year 2026 to continue local conservation-agriculture work and education.

The request matters because the Ohio Department of Agriculture provides a formula-based match that multiplies the county appropriation. Rebecca O'Neil of the Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Soil and Water Conservation told the board that, under last year's calculation, Portage County's $42,500 would draw roughly $73,945 in state funds, producing about $116,445 for local programs if the county deposit is made by April 30.

Lynn described the district's work as technical assistance for farmers and woodland owners plus workshops and educational events aimed at reducing sediment and nutrient runoff from fields and poor timber-harvest practices into area streams. She pointed to a county GIS map prepared by Joe Reichlin that shows the extent of agricultural and woodland parcels and their relationship to the Cuyahoga River West Branch and the Mahoning River. Lynn also described problematic timber harvests on local properties and said the district connects landowners with best-management-practice guidance to protect soil and future timber value.

O'Neil explained the state match mechanics: each county receives a $15,000 flat rate; the first $20,000 of a county appropriation is matched at 200% (an additional $40,000); the remainder is matched at a uniform rate based on the statewide appropriation pool. Using Portage County's prior appropriation of $42,500 as an example, she said the state's match on the remaining $22,500 was $18,945 in the last funding cycle. O'Neil reiterated the April 30 deposit requirement, an annual plan of work, and timekeeping and reporting expectations for reimbursable activities.

No formal vote or appropriation occurred during the presentation; the district presented its packet and answered commissioners' questions. Commissioners thanked the presenters and expressed support for the district's educational outreach. The district representatives said they would be available to follow up with any questions and requested the county consider the appropriation before the state deposit deadline.

Details from the presentation: the district requested approximately $42,500; the state-match example produced $73,945 in state funds for Portage County under last year's rate, yielding $116,445 total. The district emphasized deposit by April 30 is required to qualify for the state match.

The board did not take final action on the request at this meeting; staff and presenters agreed to follow up before the April 30 deadline.