Athens Soil and Water Conservation District
78th Annual Meeting
The Athens SWCD Supervisor and Staff invite you to attend the 78th Annual Meeting and Banquet. Please join the Athens Soil and Water Conservation District as we celebrate 78 years of conservation during our annual meeting! Enjoy an evening of fellowship at the Shade Community Center! Reservations are due by October 10th!
When: Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Where: Shade Community Center, 2380 Old SR 33, Shade, OH 45776
Cost: $10.00 per person
Agenda: 5:30 pm - Registration & Social Time
5:30 pm-6:15 pm - SWCD SUPERVISOR ELECTION VOTING
6:15 pm - Meal - Chicken Breast or Baked Steak, salad, mashed potatoes, green beans, hot rolls, dessert, and drinks
7:00 pm - Presentation of Awards
7:30 pm - Ty Higgins, OFBF, Senior Director of Communications - Presenting: “All Eyes on Ag, for All the Wrong Reasons”
Door Prizes and Raffle Drawing
When: Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Where: Shade Community Center, 2380 Old SR 33, Shade, OH 45776
Cost: $10.00 per person
Agenda: 5:30 pm - Registration & Social Time
5:30 pm-6:15 pm - SWCD SUPERVISOR ELECTION VOTING
6:15 pm - Meal - Chicken Breast or Baked Steak, salad, mashed potatoes, green beans, hot rolls, dessert, and drinks
7:00 pm - Presentation of Awards
7:30 pm - Ty Higgins, OFBF, Senior Director of Communications - Presenting: “All Eyes on Ag, for All the Wrong Reasons”
Door Prizes and Raffle Drawing
Banquet Reservation Form
Supervisor Election Notice
The Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission will cause an election of Supervisors of the Athens Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to be held in accordance with Chapter 940 of the Ohio Revised Code. Individuals who own or occupy land within the Athens SWCD and are 18 years of age or older may vote for supervisor.
There are 3 ways an eligible voters can cast a ballot:
1. At the Athens SWCD office from September 17, 2024 until October 16, 2024 during normal business hours of 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Thursday, and 8:00 am - 4:30 pm on Fridays.
2. At the SWCD Annual Meeting, which will take place at Shade Community Center, 2380 Old SR 33, Shade, Ohio 45776, on October 16, 2024 from 5:30 pm - 6:15 pm; or
3. By voting absentee from September 17, 2024 until October 16, 2024 by requesting the Voter Verification and Election Ballot from the Athens SWCD office at 69 S Plains Road, The Plains, Ohio 45780, or by calling 740-797-9686 ext. 6280, or by emailing [email protected]. Absentee ballots must be received by the SWCD office by October 16, 2024 at noon.
Two Supervisors will be elected to a three-year term commencing January 1, 2025, and ending on December 31, 2027. Nominees are: Joyce Bobo, Glenn Lackey, and Gary Willison. (bios below)
There are 3 ways an eligible voters can cast a ballot:
1. At the Athens SWCD office from September 17, 2024 until October 16, 2024 during normal business hours of 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Thursday, and 8:00 am - 4:30 pm on Fridays.
2. At the SWCD Annual Meeting, which will take place at Shade Community Center, 2380 Old SR 33, Shade, Ohio 45776, on October 16, 2024 from 5:30 pm - 6:15 pm; or
3. By voting absentee from September 17, 2024 until October 16, 2024 by requesting the Voter Verification and Election Ballot from the Athens SWCD office at 69 S Plains Road, The Plains, Ohio 45780, or by calling 740-797-9686 ext. 6280, or by emailing [email protected]. Absentee ballots must be received by the SWCD office by October 16, 2024 at noon.
Two Supervisors will be elected to a three-year term commencing January 1, 2025, and ending on December 31, 2027. Nominees are: Joyce Bobo, Glenn Lackey, and Gary Willison. (bios below)
Board Candidates....

Joyce C. (Perry) Bobo - After graduating high school, Joyce began working at Hocking Valley Bank and attended financial classes at Ohio University; she was trained and worked in several areas of the bank including head teller, loan officer and branch manager; she served three terms as Lee Township Fiscal Officer until moving back to the farm. In 2018, Joyce retired from OAPSE as an Administrative Assistant/Office Manager. Joyce is a lifelong resident of Athens County where she and her husband, Tom, reside on a third generational farm raising beef cattle, corn, wheat and soybeans. Her spare time is spent raising a garden, landscaping, hosting guests at their Events Barn and Bed and Breakfast, spending time with grandchildren and attending their sporting events. Joyce was a charter member of Alexander’s Future Foundation and a current member of the Athens-Meigs Farm Bureau. Joyce was instrumental in organizing and working with the Albany community residents in petitioning for the current traffic light on US 50/32 in Albany. Growing up on the farm during the construction of Lake Snowden and the Margaret’s Creek Conservancy District Project, these remain significant matters of interest and concern to her. She and her husband have one daughter, Natalie, a son in law and four grandchildren. Joyce is vested in her family, friends and neighbors and maintains a close relationship with her community. Dedication and hard work are necessary elements in getting “things” done; matters such as the monitoring and maintaining of a safe water supply and protection of the soil are extremely important issues. Whether it is at a Local, State or Federal level, these matters affect everyone and need to be observed on a continual basis…to that end, she would be pleased to continue as a member of the Athens SWCD Supervisory Board as she has for the past 3 years.

Glenn K. Lackey - Glenn has been a resident of Rome Twp. in Athens County since 1973. He attended Bluffton College. Glenn is an owner in his family farm, known as Red Bird Ranch, which consists of approximately 1,000 acres of beef cattle, row crops, hay and pasture. Prior to coming to Athens County, the Lackey’s farmed in Franklin County. Red Bird Ranch has been a cooperator with the Athens SWCD office for 48 years. Organizations in which Glenn has or is currently serving include: Athens County Planning Commission, Ohio Farmland Preservation Board, Athens County Farm Bureau serving in various capacities, Ohio Farm Bureau member, American Farm Bureau Natural Resources and Livestock Advisory Committee and a member of the Canaanville United Methodist Church. Glenn has served on the Athens SWCD Board of Supervisors for the past 15 years. Glenn and his wife Bonnie have two sons, Brandon (Bethany) and Kavon (Emily) and two grandchildren.

Gary Willison - Gary graduated from The Ohio State University, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Forest Management. He retired from the US Forest Service after 34 years, where he managed the forest resources in four national forests. On the Wayne National Forest he managed a Watershed Team that completed 54 abandoned mine land projects which greatly improved water quality in the Monday Creek Watershed. Gary also worked closely with Ohio Department of Transportation to minimize effects to wildlife and soil and water resources while managing the US Route 33 Bypass around Nelsonville. Currently he is a forestry instructor at Hocking College and a consulting forester in Southeastern Ohio. Gary held the position of Treasurer on the Athens SWCD Board of Supervisors while he previously served for 3 years. Gary lives on a farm in eastern Athens County with his wife and son where he raises Christmas trees and produces maple syrup.