Iowa’s Front PorchThe County Conservation System Legislative Nuts & Bolts Matt Cosgrove, Director, Webster CCBThomas F. Hazelton, CEO, IACCB

WINTERFEST 2015 January 21, 2015

IPRA

IACCB BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LOBBYISTS

Chief Exec. Officer

IAN

CCPOA

AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS

IACCBE

CCDAAFIRM

ILEA

ISAC

PARTNERSHIPS

INHF REAP IWILL

IACCB DISTRICTS IACCBE & CCDA

DNR

IPF

TEMPORARY

IACCB, Affiliate Groups and Partners all work in tandem for the common

good - for the protection & preservation of Iowa’s natural

resources, and providing quality outdoor recreation experiences.

Our joint successes have cemented our resolve to

continue. We know we don’t have to do this by ourselves.

(One Board Member from Each District)

(Two from IACCBE / One from CCDA)

LEGISLATION

MA

Y 2

013

Still a “work in progress”… refining the details

1,000 Friends Of IowaAgriculture’s Clean Water AllianceAmerican Fisheries Society(IA Chapt.)AFIRMAssoc. For Preservation Of Clear LakeIowa AudubonAudubon Society, Des MoinesDubuque Audubon SocietyBur Oak Land TrustCare of Creation Work Group (ELCA)Cedar Rapids B.A.S.S.Cedar Rapids Garden ClubCedar Rapids Assoc. for Soft TrailsCentral IA Bldg. & Const. Trades CouncilCentral Iowa Trails AssociationCommunity Fnd. of Greater Des MoinesCreating Great PlacesDelta Waterfowl AssociationDes Moines Founders Garden ClubDubuque County Conservation SocietyDuPontFur Takers of America – E.C. Iowa ChapterEast Okoboji Lakes Improvement Corp.Ebersole Cattle CompanyFoundation for N. America Wild SheepFriends of Dubuque Co. Conservation Bd.Great Outdoors FundGreat Rivers American Camping Assoc.Greater Des Moines PartnershipGrowing Green CommunitiesHawkeye Fly Fishing Association

Hungry Canyons Alliance/Golden HillsIndian Creek Nature CenterInternational Mountain Biking Assoc.Iowa Assoc. of County Conservation Bds.Iowa Association of NaturalistsIowa B.A.S.S.Iowa Bicycle CoalitionIA Chapt. – Society of Amer. ForestersIA Coalition of Off Road CyclingIowa Conservation Education CoalitionIA Dietric Assoc. Board & CouncilIowa Ducks UnlimitedIowa Environmental CouncilIowa Heartland RC&DIowa Native Plant SocietyIowa Natural Heritage FoundationIowa Nursery & Landscape Assoc.Iowa Parks & Recreation Assoc.Iowa Parks FoundationIowa Renewable Energy Assoc.Iowa Rivers RevivalIowa Soil & Water Cons. SocietyIowa State Assoc. of CountiesIowa Trail Riders AssociationIowa Tree Farm CommitteeIowa Whitetails ForeverIzaak Walton League – DavenportJohnston Friends of TrailsKeep Iowa BeautifulLeague of Conservation VotersLinn Area Mountain Bike Assoc.Lyon County Conservation FoundationMetro Waste AuthorityNational Wild Turkey Fed. – IA Chapt.Quad Cities Conservation AllianceRaccoon River Watershed Assoc.

REAP AllianceREAP CongressRiver ActionRivertown Duck ClubRuffed Grouse Society of AmericaSafari Club International – IA Chapt.Sierra Club – Iowa ChapterSquaw Creek Watershed CoalitionTallgrass Prairie CenterTheodore Roosevelt Cons. PartnershipTrails Have Our RespectTrees ForeverTrust for Public LandWaterfowl Association of IowaWhiterock ConservancyWhitetails UnlimitedIowa Chapter of Wildlife SocietyWomen, Food and AgricultureWallace House FoundationYMCA Statewide Alliance

87 organizations & growing!

IACCB – Tom Hazelton, Co-ChairINHF – Joe McGovern, Co-ChairAmerican Fisheries Society, Iowa ChapterAmerican Society of Landscape ArchitectsAmerican Planning Association – Iowa ChapterAssociation for Integrated Roadside Mgmt. (AFIRM)Conservation Districts of IowaHawkeye Fly Fishing AssociationIowa Arborist AssociationIowa Association of NaturalistsIowa Audubon SocietyIowa Conservation Education CoalitionIowa Cultural CoalitionIowa Division of Izaak WaltonIowa Dept. of Agriculture & Land StewardshipIowa Department of Natural ResourcesIowa Ducks Unlimited

Iowa Environmental CouncilIowa Native Plant SocietyIowa Parks and Recreation AssociationIowa Parks FoundationIowa Prairie NetworkIowa Rivers RevivalIowa Society of American ForestersIowa Sportsman’s FederationIowa Trails CouncilIowa Trappers AssociationIowa Wildlife FederationNational Wild Turkey Federation, Iowa ChapterNatural Resource & Ecological ManagementPheasants ForeverPreservation IowaRaccoon River Watershed AssociationSierra Club – Iowa ChapterSioux County Sportsmen’s ClubSoil & Water Conservation SocietySquaw Creek Watershed CoalitionState Historical Society of IowaThe Nature ConservancyThe Wildlife Society – Iowa ChapterTrees ForeverWhiterock ConservancyIRVM – University of Northern IowaLiving Roadways Trust Fund

44Organizations

1,000’sMembers

BUDGET: Approx. $6,500/year via voluntary membership dues

REAP Day at the Capitol

February 17th (Environmental Lobby Day)

REAP Congress January ‘16

REAP Assemblies – Fall ’15

REAP Alliance Website

Amy Campbell &

Craig Patterson

PARTNERING WITH LOCAL

BOARDS OF SUPERVISORSStrategic, short &

long range planning, and visioning.

Looking ahead and projecting

administrative, operational &

financial needs.

Local stakeholders are key players in the visioning

process.

Continued success will necessarily involve

“outside” funding sources for significant infrastructure

needs, staffing levels and program expansion.

LINNS

TO

RY

• Local Economic Impact• Health & Wellness Opportunities• Connecting Kids to Nature• Social & Mental Health Benefits• Workforce recruitment & enhancement• Improved water & air quality• Increased Outdoor Recreation

Opportunities

WHAT IS YOUR LOCAL “LEADERSHIP” EVENT?Board of Supervisors, Legislators, Local Elected Officials, Business & Service Club Leaders

Partner with local stakeholders for sponsorship(PF, DU, Tourism Partners, Businesses, Foundations, etc.)

Tell the Story!

Iowa’s County Conservation System

2015 Legislative

Initiative

IWILL COALITION Executive Committee

• Grassroots outreach from broadened coalition• Part of an overall bi-partisan tax reform discussion• Statewide footprint of public support to “Fund the Trust”• Funding streams could provide both dedicated $$ to counties as well as grant

opportunities totaling over $80 million

Contracted Public Affairs Consultant Des Moines, IA

Fund the Trust!

• Bi-Weekly Meetings since May 2014• Lobbyist Coordination• Editorial Board Meetings• Letters to the Editor Coordination• Talking Points Development• Grass Roots & Activist Training• Targeted Legislative Districts• Earned & Paid Media Campaigns • Meetings with Governor & Secretary

Northey (& staff)

• $30,000 poll conducted in August 2014• $10,000/month for LS2 Consulting Firm• $35,000+ paid media during legislative session

Monday, January 26th – CAPITOL DAY for IWILL! *Activist Training * Meet Your Legislators *

* Network with Other Organizations * * Be a Part of this Historic Day! *

13% of $180M = $23.4M

60% of $23.4M = $14M

LOCAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP (LCP)

13% of $180M $23.4M

20% of $23.4M $4.68M

FULLY FUNDED REAP

20% for County Conservation = $4 Million

Distributed Per County to CCBs $1,193,748.00Distributed Per Capita to CCBs $1,193,748.00Competitive REAP Grants $1,612,504.00

$4,000,000.00

First 25 Years of REAP – 1990 thru 201420% for County Conservation - $61,106,459.00

If there had been full funding - $100,000,000.00

We need to show a strong commitment to seeing this process through – until the very end. We will have several legislative champions take key steps & votes to get the ball rolling and we need to provide the grassroots and media support to keep momentum going.

We need to make numbers real – Polling numbers, economic numbers, vote counts, and action from constituents.

This is an uncertain process with no assurance of success – but that should not deter us – We invested $1.2 million + in the campaign in 2010. To-date, for 2014-15 we have invested another $130,000+ in getting a sales tax increase through … the ROI is incredible - $1.2 billion + for conservation and outdoor recreation over 10 years!

KEY TAKE AWAYS….

ENGAGE YOUR CONSERVATION BOARD – Key conservation board members should do three (3) things:

1. Attend a local legislative forum – and thank legislators for supporting REAP over the years and ask them to support the sales tax to fund the Natural Resources Trust Fund.

2. Call their local legislator – (and repeat above)

3. Write a written USPS traditional letter – (and repeat above)

Contact your local PF/DU/Bowhunters/NWTF Chapters and ask “How can I help pass the sales tax?” – Help us facilitate collaboration at the local level.

ACTION ITEMS!

- IWILL – What to do with the $$ - 35 CCBs

- IWILL Ballot by IACCB – 60 CCBs

- Fall Conference Attendee – 2013 or 2014 – 57 CCBs

16 Non-participantCCBs

KUDOS!

Research underway …

Thomas F. Hazelton

Chief Executive Officer Iowa’s County Conservation System System Administrator,

MyCountyParks.com 1775 Mackenzie Drive, Cedar Rapids, IA 52411

(515) 963-9582 Tom.Hazelton@MyCountyParks.com

www.MyCountyParks.com