Carroll County

Board History

Carroll County Conservation Board History

In 1955 the Iowa State Legislature passed a law allowing counties to establish county conservation boards to create more recreation opportunities for the residents of the State of Iowa. The Carroll County Conservation Board was established by a vote of the Carroll County residents in 1958.

The Carroll County Board of Supervisors appointed five Charter Board Members in July 1958. Charter Members were Russell White of Glidden, Al Gute of Carroll, Dr. E. R. Henning of Breda, Orville Fink of Manning and Stephen Garst of Coon Rapids. The first action of the newly created Conservation Board was to secure a 25-year management agreement with the Iowa Conservation Commission (now the Iowa Department of Natural Resource) for the nearby and neglected Swan Lake State Park. The agreement allowed the board to clean up the park and develop recreational facilities.

In the 43 years since its beginnings the Carroll County Conservation Board has made great strides for conservation and outdoor recreation. Some of the milestones include: several land acquisitions, development of recreation facilities, expansion of Swan Lake State Park, and Environmental Education Program development. Board members are appointed by the Carroll County Supervisors to serve five-year terms, with no limit on the number of terms a member may serve. Board members donate their time and talents with no monetary compensation. The residents of Carroll County are very fortunate to have county citizens interested to sit on the Carroll County Conservation Board since the establishment of the board in 1958.

Present Board:

Tracy Buck, President - Member since 2008
Wes Thelen, Vice-President - Member since January 2014
David Burmeister, Secretary - Member since 2000
Kenny Snyder - Member since 1997
Carla Hacker - Member since 2019

Past Board Members:

Russell White - Charter Board Member 1958-1959
Al Gute - Charter Board Member 1958-1965
John Frank       - Member 1965-1968
Leone Hobbs - Member 1959-1971
Orville Fink       - Charter Board Member 1958-1972
David Gore      - Member 1972-1974
Dr. E. R. Henning - Charter Board Member 1958-1975
Raymond Peter - Member 1971-1977
Frank Rosener - Member 1975-1978
Robert Carlson - Member 1977-1985
Louis Schweers - Member 1978-1990
Donald Severin - Member 1968-1991
V "Doc" Sikkema         - Member 1991-1993
Marty Thelen - Member 1993-1994
Harry Hacker - Member 1975-1996
Stephen Garst - Charter Board Member 1958-1999
Stephen Reinhart - Member 1985-2003
Dean Lorenzen - Member 1991 - 2005
John Pauli - Member 1994-2007
Wendell Kahl - Member 2006 - May 2013
Dave Hoehl - Member 2004 - 2013
Jill Spies - Member 2013 - 2018