Conservation district presents $5,000 livestock-removal grant; new administrative secretary announced

The Mason County Conservation District appeared before the Fiscal Court on March 11 to present a $5,000 award and to introduce a new staff member.

Chairman Anthony Winds and supervisors told the court they had secured $5,000 from the Division of Conservation and Soil and Water Commission to support the district’s Livestock Removal Fund, which the presenters said helps keep local livestock-removal costs lower for farmers. The district asked court members to accept the presentation; no county appropriation was requested.

The board also introduced Samantha Evans, whom they said has trained for eight months and will assume full duties as administrative secretary for the Conservation District in April. The court and conservation supervisors welcomed Evans.

Separately, the court and conservation officials recognized Lloyd Shilts for nearly 14 years of service leading conservation efforts in Mason County. The court presented Shilts the Mason County Pioneer Award in appreciation of his grant work, technical assistance to landowners and efforts to modernize the district’s records.

Why it matters: The Livestock Removal Fund helps local farmers manage removal costs when livestock stray or stray onto roadways. The Conservation District’s staff continuity and fundraising affect agricultural operations and local conservation services.

What the court recorded: Presentation accepted; the court publicly welcomed Samantha Evans and acknowledged Lloyd Shilts’s award.