Many people do not know about the special elections for commissioners of the Thurston County Conservation District. This year between February 3 and March 11 voters in the Conservation District can ASK for a ballot by emailing ballotrequest@thurstoncd.com or by phoning (564) 669-4929. They can also pick up a ballot at the Thurston County District Office between March 13 and March 18, the last day of the election.
Only one incumbent commissioner is on the ballot, TJ Johnson, and he is running unopposed for the next three-year term. So why vote?
That is the first question I asked TJ Johnson when I interviewed him. He said that, first, every vote is an affirmation of support for his work as a commissioner. Second, sometimes people organize campaigns for a write-in candidate who can disrupt the work of the Conservation District.
Johnson’s background in conservation work is extensive. He is the owner of Urban Futures Farm LLC, and was previously a visiting faculty member at The Evergreen State College where he taught food and agricultural policy. He has held professional positions in the public sector and with non-profits. He worked on energy conservation and supported public agency whistle-blowers. He is a former union organizer and shop steward. He also served on the Olympia City Council for two years, and was a founder of the Thurston Food System Council.
Growth of the Conservation District
My next question for Johnson was what he considered the most important work that he contributed to the Conservation District during his tenure. He stated that he has been part of a team overseeing enormous growth in five years—from an annual budget of $1 million to $6.5 million, and from 7 staff members to 25.
Six years ago the organization was on the verge of collapse, a crippled organization with lawsuits against the board. Now they have moved from chaos to stability, and that has allowed them to move forward in a big way. A quick scan of the Conservation District’s website shows the breadth of their eleven services and programs, from soil testing and farm tool rental to programs to conserve farmland. See https://www.thurstoncd.com/
To accommodate all those services, the Conservation District moved to a building in Tumwater south of the Olympia Airport. But this is a short-term solution since the Conservation District plans to create a Conservation and Education Center with other organizations that will share the same building.
In terms of particular programs, Johnson stated that he was most proud of the planned Conservation & Education Center, programs for farmland preservation, and programs to help farmers adapt to climate change, which is already impacting local salmon runs.
Threats to the Work
Johnson said that a lot of the Conservation District’s funding comes from federal programs, and this year Washington State faces a $12 to 14 million shortfall. These are challenging times, and the Conservation District needs to be prepared to respond to what comes its way to keep providing services to the community.
Former Governor Inslee was a committed supporter of conservation, but newly elected Governor Ferguson is not as supportive, at least publicly. However, if there are federal cuts in funding, then the state will have to fill in the holes. Dedicated long-term funding is especially important to projects like the 5-year Riverbend Ranch project to restore salmon habitat up to 0.5 miles from the shores of the Skookumchuck River.
What Readers Can Do Besides Vote
Johnson said that people can help the Conservation Districts by contacting their elected state representatives to ask their support for two bills, HB 1488 and SB 5510. Both bills would change how Conservation Districts get funding. As of February 28, both the House and Senate bills are in Rules Committees and could use a nudge to get on the calendar for a chamber vote. To read about the bills’ details and to quickly message your representatives, enter each bill number at the bottom of this webpage https://leg.wa.gov/bills-meetings-and-session/bills/
Voting is important to show support for the work of the Conservation District.
For more information on voting, go to https://www.thurstoncd.com/about-us/board-member-elections/
For more information on TJ Johnson and his goals for the Conservation District, go to https://www.thurstoncd.com/about-us/board-member-elections/ and https://www.thurstoncd.com/about-us/board-of-supervisors/tj-johnson/
Charlotte Persons is an environmental advocate who has contributed to WIP for three years.
Photo of TJ Johnson is by Stephanie Johnson, and reprinted by permission.
Be First to Comment