On top of that, a recently filed bill by State Rep. Toby Overdorf, a Republican from Palm City, seeks to abolish 35 soil and water conservation districts — including Orange County’s — and transfer each district’s associated assets and liabilities to the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. On Oct. 14, the bill was referred to the Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee where it still sits. 

Despite the seemingly uphill battle ahead, Orange Soil and Water doesn’t plan to disappear anytime soon. Jim Moyer, current District 2 supervisor and treasurer of the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District board, spoke with VoxPopuli to explain.

The following interview is a combination of several conversations by phone, text and email. It has been edited for length and clarity.

VoxPopuli: Jim, what’s the mission for the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District? What is it meant to do?

Jim Moyer: Well, I'm by the book, so I have a strict interpretation of what we're supposed to be doing. If you were to look into Florida Statute 582.20, and this is almost verbatim, the purpose of the Soil and Water Conservation District is to provide assistance, guidance and education to landowners, land occupiers, the agricultural industry and the general public on land and water protection or resource protection practices. 

But the bottom line is we're needed because of the extreme weather conditions coming in the next 25 to 100 years. We're probably needed more now than when we were created in 1945. Florida is considered by the experts to be ground zero for climate change. It doesn't matter what semantics they use in D.C. Nature is going to do what nature is going to do. 

VoxPopuli: Why should the average Orange County resident care about the work the conservation district is doing?

Jim Moyer: We were created 80 years ago by the landowners of Orange County to help with soil conservation and protection practices. We have that responsibility today, especially with the unprecedented high temperatures we anticipate, which can damage and kill crops. 

In the 1960s, our responsibilities were expanded to assist, guide, and educate the Orange County agricultural community regarding water resource protection practices. We’re experiencing excess rain now and that’s predicted to increase in the next decades. That could lead to more agricultural runoff and pollute nearby lakes and other bodies of water. Orange County has more than 600 lakes and bodies of water (some don't even have names), and many already have issues with agricultural runoff. 

A lot of what we're doing right now is education so that people know who we are and what we can do for them, that we're a voluntary organization dedicated to helping the people of Orange County. Our Board of Supervisors is in the process of establishing goals, many of which involve being active in the community. We must determine the needs of the people of Orange County within our area of responsibility, how to meet those needs and which government agencies to partner with.

VoxPopuli: What’s going on with the District’s funding?

‍Jim Moyer: We have a very small budget. Soil and Water Conservation Districts rely on donations or partnerships with federal, state, county or municipal agencies. We don't currently have any agreements with any state agencies that help fund us. Our only source of income is board member donations.

VoxPopuli: You mentioned that you want to increase the district’s stability by making it more visible. Can you elaborate on that? 

Jim Moyer: Everything is about relationship building, and that's what I've been trying to do. For example, since Oct. 1, Orange County has been live broadcasting [on Orange TV] our monthly Board of Supervisors meetings. These are held on the second Friday of each month between 3:30 and 5 p.m. in the Orange County Board of County Commission Chambers.

The county also agreed that if we could find an office location, which is being worked on, that they would put us on their [computer] network and give us OCFL.net email addresses. That helps signal to the public that we are part of the government, not a nonprofit, which we have often been mistaken for.

VoxPopuli: What’s on the horizon?

Jim Moyer: This year is our 80th anniversary. We began June 23, 1945, from a charter from the landowners of Orange County and then confirmed by the state. 

We're also required by law to have five supervisors and to meet with all five at least once a year. I say that because we have a meeting every month, but some Soil and Water Conservation Districts in Florida may have a meeting only once or twice a year. Next year, we’ll have three seats on the board up for election in District 1, District 3 and District 5. 

A lot has changed in Florida and, specifically, in Orange County since 1945, and so should the manner in which we fulfill our responsibilities. We have the power to create studies and demonstrations pertaining to soil and water resource protection practices and conservation. However, most if not all of the other work we should be doing needs to be done in conjunction with water management districts, the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and other government agencies. That way we can be the most efficient and effective, save the taxpayer money and best serve the people of Orange County.