Local conservation district seeks continued county support after hiring full‑time technician

A representative of the local conservation district presented the district’s annual operations and enterprise budgets to the Pratt County commission on July 28 and said the district hired a full‑time conservation technician in December. The presenter said the state provided funding that covered $61,000 for the technician’s training and payroll (presented as the state contribution carried into the district’s budget). The district’s enterprise account receives revenue from equipment rental, grass seed sales and drip‑irrigation services. The presenter said the county’s annual contribution to the district increased to $50,000 from about $34,000 last year; the district representative said she was “assuming they’re gonna continue to give us 50” when discussing next year’s draft figures. She said the district will submit required budget paperwork and noted the county’s usual timeline for approval and upload (forms must be uploaded by November; budget hearing was noted as September 8). Commissioners asked procedural questions about timing and the presenter said she would accept notification by email after the commission approves the budget, and the district would return the signed form. No formal county action was recorded during the presentation; the district asked the commission to inform staff when the county’s approval was complete so the district could submit documents to the state.