SWCD reports slower fieldwork, steady grant-funded projects and vehicle purchase plan

Matt Solmsas, speaking for the Stevens County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), updated the board on SWCD activities and its proposed budget. He said wet conditions this year limited field projects and planting work and that the SWCD remains largely grant-funded for project reimbursements.

Solmsas said the district serves as fiscal agent for local dam projects and that many of the SWCD’s expenses are reimbursable project costs. He described major revenue sources including watershed-based implementation funds (WBIF), soil-health grants and county aid funding for capacity. The SWCD budget includes a planned capital outlay item to purchase a replacement vehicle for field work.

Why it matters: The SWCD manages and reimburses construction and conservation projects across the county and coordinates several multi-jurisdiction projects. Ongoing grant activity influences county budgeting and project delivery timelines. SWCD staff asked commissioners to note the district’s continued reliance on grant reimbursements and to expect that project-level expenditure and reimbursement timing will drive reported year-to-year budget variances.

Solmsas said recent field work was constrained by continuous wet weather, that the SWCD hired a soil-health staff member last year to support a surge of soil-health funding, and that some reimbursements represent large pass-through project payments the district advances before reimbursement.

The county took no formal funding action at the presentation; Solmsas said the SWCD will return if commissioners have questions about project-specific items such as dam planning and grant applications.