MWCD Groups
To handle the day-to-day operations of the conservancy district, the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) Board of Directors employs a staff with areas of expertise, education and experience.
The MWCD staff includes four primary groups: administration, conservation, engineering and recreation. The headquarters for all four departments are located at the MWCD’s main office in New Philadelphia.
- Administration: Handles duties including oversight of all MWCD functions, compliance to missions, finance, human resources, safety, public relations, education and technology.
- Conservation: Manages MWCD’s natural resources – including forestry and mineral operations.
- Engineering: Develops, plans and oversees improvements and maintenance to MWCD facilities, as well as participation in partnerships in the watershed.
- Recreation: Operates the MWCD’s lake parks, marinas and activities at the MWCD reservoirs, in general.
Administration
The Administration Group handles duties including oversight of all MWCD functions, compliance to missions, budget, human resources, safety, public relations, education and technology.
Public Information
The public information support arm of the Conservancy District’s operations spends most of its time utilizing public education opportunities to promote the mission of the MWCD and marketing the recreational opportunities at the facilities of the Conservancy District.
The public information effort for the MWCD utilizes and manages several forms of media to portray the message and image of the Conservancy District. These include the following:
- Lake Views – A quarterly newsletter published by the MWCD and distributed free to more than 11,000 mailing addresses.
- Internet presence.
- Press releases – Official information from the Conservancy District is provided to media in the watershed and beyond.
- Promotional activities – The MWCD participates in numerous activities each year, some of which it sponsors, to promote the lakes, facilities and/or mission of the MWCD.
Other activities also are conducted through the public information office for direct marketing and advertising about the recreational programs at the lakes and parks.
Human Resources
With a staff of around 80 full-time employees that swells to about 400 total workers during the summer months, the work to service the needs of both staff and the MWCD organization is the focus of the human resources office.
Besides routine reviews of the Conservancy District’s benefit package, health plan and communications efforts for its employees, the human resources support office also studies all aspects of the employment experience, for the staff member and the organization.
Safety
Safety is a priority for the staff of the MWCD. Upgrades in staff work practices and conditions of the Conservancy District’s facilities to promote safety for employees and guests are ongoing.
Various programs have been instituted, including a work team that focuses on safety in the workplace, routine safety meetings at regular work locations, and special programs designed to promote safe work practices.
Finance
The Finance Group is responsible for the overall financial function of the conservancy district, including the presentation of budgets, payroll processing, payment of bills, and invoicing. Members of the Finance Group perform internal audits of district activities and programs to assure compliance with legal requirements, and operational and personnel policies. The Finance Group staff also is responsible for working with and assuring the biannual audit required by law is performed.
Information Systems / Information Technology
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) staff members prepare and manage the information on more than 700,000 parcels of property in the conservancy district region that are subject to an assessment that funds the projects included in the Amendment to the Official Plan. They also work with property owners who have questions about how the rules have been applied to individual properties for assessment calculation and develop updated details and changes to property owners and county offices for processing.
Engineering
Since the founding of Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) in 1933 and the subsequent transfer of operation of the dam structures to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Engineering group of the MWCD has been responsible for ensuring that the MWCD mission of flood reduction and water conservation is carried out through the maintenance of the reservoir system.
As the MWCD began to develop facilities including parks, campgrounds, boating facilities and cottage areas, the Engineering department expanded its scope to include maintenance of the support infrastructure for those sites. Water quality sampling and wastewater treatment facilities were added in later years to protect public health and to ensure the safety of the reservoir system and surrounding communities. The Engineering department is now responsible for capital improvement projects and maintenance associated with approximately 73 miles of roadways in the park and cottage areas, five wastewater treatment plants, 19 water supply systems, 365 miles of shoreline at 14 reservoirs, and buildings and structures located throughout the MWCD’s facilities.
Today, the Engineering department also supports MWCD’s mission of responsible stewardship through the region with the implementation in 2009 of the MWCD’s updated work plan (Amendment to the Official Plan). Chief Engineer Boris E. Slogar, P.E., and the staff provide oversight for the program and work with an advisory committee on the selection of projects eligible for funding and/or assistance from the MWCD. The Engineering staff also works in concert with the USACE, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other local and regional groups on implementation of various local watershed conservation projects throughout the Muskingum Basin including:
- Malwayne Flood Mitigation Project/ Carroll County
- Fairhope Nature Preserve Storm Sewer Project/ City of Canton, Stark County
- Lick Run Pond No. 1 Repair Project/ Belmont County
- Pleasant Hill Slope Stabilization Project/ Richland County
- Cabin Run Orphan Well Reclamation Project/ Belmont County
- Early Flood Warning System/ Duck Creek Watershed
- Modeling of Chippewa Creek Channel System/ Chippewa Subdistrict/ Medina and Wayne Counties
If you would like more information on our current projects advertised to bid, or if you wish to be included in our list of contractors, please contact us.