"A conservation district is a governmental subdivision of this state, and a public body - corporate and political, organized by the people within the district boundaries under provisions of the Soil Conservation District Law, which is part of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) Public Act 451 of 1994, as amended. It is a locally controlled resource management agency, created by concerned landowners and administered by publicly elected boards of directors. It has since been amended and is now Public Act 463 of 1998 (hereafter referred to as CD Law, see Appendix A). 

The locally elected five-member board of directors makes all decisions regarding the district’s programs and activities. The directors employ a district manager (also referred to as executive director or district administrator [or district administrative manager]) who oversees all day-to-day activities including the hiring and management of qualified staff necessary to implement the district’s programs and carry out its mission. The guiding philosophy of conservation districts is that decisions on conservation issues should be made at the local level, by local people, with technical assistance provided by the government."

What this means is that the five-member board of directors are elected by the citizens of Gratiot County, though they are not presented on the Fall election ballot. Conservation District Law states that elections are held under the direction of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), who certifies the results of each election. 
(MICHIGAN’S  CONSERVATION DISTRICT OPERATIONS MANUAL, https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/)

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If you are interested in being on the next ballot please send a request for a nomination petition to gratiotconservationdistrict@gmail.com.

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