 Okay, and this is my gentle reminder to everybody that if you are not a presenter if you can please go ahead and hit the mute button. Don't worry, we'll have time later on where you all can either unmute and ask questions or pop your questions into the chat box and everything, but I just For now, if you could mute yourself, I would really, really appreciate it and everything. So welcome everyone to the March it is March still things have kind of been flying by for me and This month's webinar is focusing on effectively telling your SCD story to key stakeholders and I just wanted to share a little bit that I felt this was a relevant topic for folks and I'll have some examples that hopefully will kind of help hit home why telling our story in an effective way is important. So those of you that know me know that my background is in education and so I have a couple objectives that I just want to share with everyone so you kind of have an idea of what we'll be covering throughout this webinar and kind of what to expect and So being that by the end of today's webinar participants will be able to access resources to assist with districts sharing their story be better able to build relationships with key stakeholders. So hopefully making sure that we can communicate using language and an approach appropriate for those key stakeholders so it's a lot of ground that we're going to cover but we have an awesome group of panelists and resources that we were going to share and help accomplish all these different goals. I'm going to briefly kind of get those housekeeping items out of the way just so that once we get to the panel we can focus in on the panel because these are our experts and I want to make sure that we give them are give them as much time as they need. So this is the contact information for the soil and water leadership development team. There's Jodi, myself, Carissa as the administrative assistant and then Andrea Bowman and Jodi Bruns also assist in various different ways and we're all here to support SCDs and the work that you're doing so always feel free to reach out to any of us if there's any ways that we can help support your districts. So I'm just going to share a quick story that hopefully helps hit home the importance of effectively telling our story and I promise it'll it all makes sense. So the person that I'm the picture I'm showing on the screen right now. His name is Ignaz Semenwise and I probably butchered his last name. Phonix is never my strong suit growing up, but he is or was I should say a Hungarian physician who practiced in the mid 1800s. Long story short, through his experiences and observations, he discovered that physicians who washed their hands before performing operations resulted in dramatically lower death rates from child bed fever, which, you know, makes sense to all of us because we know how important washing our hands are. But that then this is kind of a new phenomenon. Right. And so, well, he had this data that significantly supported his germ theory. He was unable to effectively communicate the findings to the medical community. In fact, when he did publish his work, the medical community responded quite critically. And I think we can all see why his approach is rather ineffective, right. There's the graph that he shared with other medical professionals and I don't know about you, but I can't really make a lot of sense of it. And his peers also had a hard time understanding the point that he was supposed or trying to get across to them. Right. Especially when we compare it to this graph that is much clearer and easier to comprehend. Huge arts are sharing the same information just using a different approach. And today I'm really hoping that this webinar will help us all better up and more effectively tell the SCD story to key stakeholders because the work that all of you are doing is really important. And I'm fortunate because part of my job is getting to attend meetings and attend events and just see all of the awesome work that you all are putting together. And we have to make sure that we're sharing that story with our stakeholders throughout our county and across the state and everything. And now I also mentioned that I wanted to share some different resources that we have available. I'm just going to take some time right now to quickly go over some of those resources. Just because I want to make sure that we are not having to cut the panel off at an awkward point once we get the panel going, right. I just wanted to quickly show everyone that this is our soil conservation district resource page. And we have all sorts of resources available to SCDs. And the resources specifically that I wanted to point out. If Carissa could go ahead and copy the Google Drive into the chat box for everybody I would appreciate it. I really encourage everyone I like to star or bookmark these pages just so that they're a quick easy reference for me. But the file that I really want to focus on is if you go into the communication and outreach tab, and then you click into legislative outreach. There are two different resources that are really helpful for SCDs and we'll hit home on them more later. There is a template for kind of sharing about the work that you do and effective and to the point manner. And then as you can see there's also some dos and dos that we share for SCDs when they're putting together these legislative updates or just sharing with folks, whether it's local or statewide. There's also this two pager and it talks about tips for engaging elected officials. And again, just two really good resources that I wanted to take time to share with all of you about. So with that being said, I'm just going to click over here and we'll go ahead now and jump into our panelists. I'm just going to introduce them quick and then we'll take time and have them share a little bit more about themselves. But we have Brandy Pyle with the, she is the District 22 representative. Kayla Efferts-Clevin with Integrity Public Affairs. Stanley Dick, he is a Cavalera County Commissioner. And last but certainly not least, we have Bob Flath, who's the Lamora County Commissioner and the Ransom County SCD watershed coordinator. So I'm going to stop sharing and I'll just kind of start things off. I'll just have each presenter. I'll call you out and you can just share a little bit more about yourself and just a little bit about your background, I would say. So, Kayla, do you want to start us off? I sure can. Can everyone hear me okay? All right. Thank you. Well, good afternoon. Kayla Efferts-Clevin with Integrity Public Affairs in Bismarck. We are a contract lobbying firm where we do consulting and advocacy in the public affairs space. Oftentimes people love to tease us and say, oh, you only work four months every other year. Must be a cake job. Must be great. Well, I am the first to tell you that if you're going to do advocacy well, it definitely is not four months every other year when we are in legislative session. In fact, we have a full team over at the state capitol today as we have IT interim committee meetings, taxation and interim committee meetings. There was a public comment education committee, a public comment virtual meeting that I just came off of with the Department of Public Instruction. So we are busy and getting busier as we have a changing landscape in North Dakota. My background is I spent just over seven years in Governor Hovind and Governor Dowrymple's office as a senior policy advisor working in portfolio areas of tax, economic development and agriculture and education primarily. And prior to that, I worked at the Department of Commerce. It's a pleasure to be a lifeline North Dakota grew up on a farm and ranch outside of my nut and in actually Velva if that's familiar to most, and just really look forward to participating on today's panel. Awesome. Thanks, Kayla. Brandy will have you go next. Ladies first. Oh, thank you. Yep. I'm state representative brandy pile I live just outside of Castleton on a farm. We grow soybeans corn and wheat and export our soybeans over to Asia. So we have four kids I have a senior in high school this year so we've been doing the crazy house projects that probably are unnecessary, but have been waiting to do that the kids are big enough before they launch. So I serve on appropriations. So I deal with 24 out of the 49 budgets in my section. And before that I was on the Education Policy Committee and the political subdivisions. So, kind of my background I'm a finance, I have a finance degree from the University of Minnesota. Awesome. Thank you, Brandy. Stanley will have you go next. Well, if you can all hear me same thing, thumbs up. All right. Thank you. I'm a Cavalier County Commissioner, I farm with the brother and son and a nephew. I became a commissioner nine years ago. And one of my favorite portfolios has always been extension. And because I farm obviously that type of thing is very important to me. I also was a president of the North Dakota Association of counties. I believe it was two years ago. And I've also been on the National Association counties I served on Agriculture and Rural Affairs Board and was in leadership there for two years. Currently, I'm not on any of those. We just had a county commissioners meeting in Bismarck last week. I had commissioners there and it was attended very well, but I'd like to say my full-time job is farming and commissioning is part-time. But I think my commission work takes up way more time than my farming. So that's kind of the way it works. I think I knew nothing about government. Well, I should say nothing but very little about government prior to becoming a commissioner. Like I say, I farmed and I also coached high school basketball for 21 years. And I guess that coaching high school basketball kind of prepared me to be a commissioner because some of the same skills you use as a coach, you use as a commissioner. So I'm honored to be part of this group and I missed it pre-one and I understand that, but I definitely want to be a part in telling the story of soil conservation. I really appreciate that, Stanley. Bob, I'll have you round off the group. Hey, my name is Bob Floth. I've been in the district, so conservation district world for 27 years coming up here next month. I've been a county commission in LeMore County for approximately 20 years already. Grew up on a farm by Garrison, North Dakota. I have an associates degree in wildlife management and a bachelor's degree in zoology, all out of NDSU. That's me. Awesome. Well, and all of you came highly, highly recommended and everything. And so I think we're all very fortunate to have such a knowledgeable panel. One housekeeping item is I do have a series of questions for this group that I'll be asking, but for those of you that are tuning in, please feel free to type in follow up questions that you might have in the chat box. We really want to make sure that this is a webinar for SED employees and supervisors and making sure that we get your questions answered. I think my questions are pretty good and everything like that, but that's not to say that there aren't some other good ones out there. So with that being said, we'll kick it off with our first question. And I just really want to start off by having like hearing and sharing about can you discuss the importance of grassroots advocacy? Why is it important that all SEDs come together and show a united front in the effort to share the SED story? I know Bob had some good talking points with this. So maybe we'll start off with Bob and then everybody else can kind of chime in from there. Okay, I'll just throw in a couple, a couple of short little stories I guess a few years back as working with one of our representatives from the district here that I live in and in discussing things with him in the district with him. To me, kind of caught me off guard and said straight up right to my face, anyone can plant trees. Why do we need soil conservation districts? Yeah, totally caught me off guard and made a point of knowing that I heard it. And it's something we need to keep in mind that there are folks out there that are asking those kind of questions. And in the same breath, you know, you can look at there's an OHF grant out there right now. I'm not sure if it's active anymore or not. It was with the North Dakota Petroleum Council or group. Had an OHF grant where they were planting trees and had a private contractor traveling all across the state planting trees. So proof positive. Because these aren't the only ones that can plant trees. And then having it as one of our major, major incomes and support. It's part of our support structure. It's kind of important to us, but that mindset is out there. In the last few years that's really shined through was the grass seed sales debacle. We had a few years back where we had some some private grass seed folks that were calling us out and wondering why we should be selling grass seed when we're taking mill levy money and and interrupting or disturbing their private business that they're trying to make a living. So there are issues out there that we need to deal with and get get and make sure the public knows and our grassroots people know about why we do it and how how we can do it. Do you have any ideas of how you shared some of those challenges? What are some ways that you kind of helped communicate the work that you're doing? You know, just talking to these folks and making sure they know, you know, the statutes and what gives us the right to be there and to do what we're doing and why we're doing what we're doing. Yeah, it's just word of mouth and, you know, I think that's the important part, you know, I'm not the greatest at some of these things and that's why I turned to our group. You know, maybe there there is someone there's a Hannah that can get it across the point across better than I can. And that's that's why we need to band together and work together and some of us are better at some things than others. And we should, we should learn to take advantage of that and help each other out. Yeah, I think those are some good points. Brandy, you want to chime in? Yeah, I was just going to add to that. I think Bob hit on a key point that, you know, not everybody has the same skill set that working together in collaboration builds a successful team and doing everything on your own is a lot of work. I think it's really important to have a high end team and especially when this is helpful and examples that I would have seen at the state level that as spare higher education. All the chambers the major four came together for base retention this year that they came in and lobbied for. And I know that they could have dropped Fargo or Bismarck and just given the money to my not in Grand Forks where the bigger bases are. The four stuck together and, and even though Fargo and Bismarck didn't get as much those two, the two missions that those two serve are just as important as what Grand Forks and my not serve and so everybody got a little bit of something of course my not and Grand Forks deservedly got more but we were able to advocate for everybody. And in my opinion it was it was fair for what the impacts to those communities. So it's just, it's getting to know your neighbor and how to advocate across the state for that and then when you come to the, to the state level. A united front always works better in advocating for us so we don't have to run around and meet, you know, 40 different people versus just a couple and and having the same message helps. Yeah, we've been talking a lot about teamwork. I'm kind of curious to as far as especially the grass roots aspect of it and, you know, sometimes I think, oh, it's the Kayla's of the world, their job to advocate for CDs, what are the benefits for, and I think I would stand to your Stanley specifically like your local constituents kind of those grass roots folks and having a good relationship with those local folks and does that influence or impact your decisions as a local or statewide leader. I'll chime in if you don't mind. Just a little bit going back to what Bob said I think there's a real under misunderstanding what soil conservation does compared to a national scene on green energy and all those type of things. So I think it's very important that we have a united front on this and that when we talked about soil conservation and grass and tree planting and stuff it has nothing to do with electric cars and you know, any of those type of environmental things as a whole. It's environmental and it's conservation but it's not we're not into the national scene we're doing stuff locally and so one of the things that we do, and what we really promote is, we have a winner every every year in Cavalier County, the winner of our soil conservation that big 11 by 14 picture whatever it goes right in the hallway of our FSA offices and so people can see every year. Some of that direct benefits of planting trees and grass and you know just making farm stands, not only better and how it's all planned out with soil conservation helps do do with the trees, but just an environment that's conducive to making the whole county the whole community look better, as well as the benefits you know that go along with the trees and the grass and everything around the farm stand. And I'll add to that yes I think the grassroots is important. We are lucky in my district that the three of us are senator and the two representatives get along. So generally, we each kind of take a different subject. Senator Weber would probably be our contact person in our district for something like this. And he would be the one to go to coffee. We drink a lot of coffee, or breakfasts and lunches, all kinds of stuff he'll he'll go and check fields and stuff so we'll just go out for for drives in the in check fields. And that conversation and that connection I think having those connections are really important. And so then when we have to have those harder conversations when we're talking about money when we're talking about you know the effectiveness and the ROI. Maybe when we're limited on funds, you know those are harder conversations to have that you have that base foundation and that that understanding that having those harder conversations a little bit easier. It's not taken quite so personally. It's still a hard conversation to have but if you can find one person in your in your legislative team or your county team that works great if you don't get along with one. There's other ones that you can find. There's a lot of us that you can can reach out to a lot of them have a farming background and understand the importance of soil conservation. And then there's a lot of them in Fargo and West Fargo that don't have that background that do need a little bit of that education. I think I might just add just a little bit of a lot of very common mis misperception is that okay well we'll hire we'll hire a Kayla and we'll just you know get we'll we'll let it sit and we'll just expect it to be done. And well Kayla will be out front and we'll be behind her. That's not the best or the way that we will even take a client quite frankly is that we're actually behind you pushing you to the right committee to the right champion finding the right way to simplify your message and make sure that it's consistent. Because I'll tell you the grant the organizations that have a grassroots like what you do where there's a presence in every county they're my favorite they're my absolute favorite because there's a contact across the whole state and and you can activate quickly and and when when things go south as far as the message there's confusion or whatever it may be you can clarify and then you can push out the right message. The key is that you're all singing from the same song sheet that you've got your home base message you've got your first base your second base your third base in your home run. Right that's always what I love to coach organizations on what is it let's play some baseball here right. What is what is home base what is the objective of what we're doing are we playing defense are we going on offense. And in being ready with those connections because if we wait until January to figure out who we need to go to. Too late. Thank you it's too too late. And it's just going to get tougher out there so doing the hard work now the good news it's March. It's great news. There's a lot of time to be able to figure out okay who are my people who are the people that might be replacing my people. Okay and then and then how does that work for us and especially with you know the topic of property tax being such a hot button issue. So, just a little bit on the double edged sword of the grass roots that can can be out there. I think those are all some really good points to bring up and I want to circle back to Brandi's point about you know she mentioned driving around and creating those baseline relationships and everything and I think Kayla you also touched on like the importance of those local relationships to. What are some other strategies to help build and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders. Any suggestions for a CD personnel for us don't assume you know that you know the same that goes with that. There's always new information out there. There's so many different backgrounds and viewpoints that you know education is good. I'm just having a conversation and getting to know the people. I know we get teased a little bit and probably Kayla to that, you know, that we're going to vote the way Kayla tells us to and we have all these like, you know they they dictate everything that we do and we have great relationships with the lobbyist but we want the relationships with our constituents and the groups. That's who we work for that's who elect us. And I think that's the solution that Kayla helps us with to decide it comes from you. I do not have any staff. If I unblurred my background, you would see that I decorate with paperwork all over my office. I have senior paperwork and I have, you know, I chair a legislative committee so I do read stuff off my computer but then I also print stuff. And I do this and. Yeah, I just it's a it's a lot of extra work that people I don't think really truly understand so just being just having attitude of gratitude I know that's kind of redundant, but just taking it slow. And, and, you know, hopefully the legislator will too, but everybody is busy and knowing that it'll be okay. And I know in our county when our local SCD board presents their budget to us what we've done in the last couple years is we've made them go line by line and show all the money is being spent and, and the good things that have been done with that funds, you know, because they are limited to a certain amount of funds but I think there's such. And again, it's an education thing there's such a lack of education on what, you know, what SCD does and so therefore, just to educate not only myself, but the rest of the commission and in essence, you know, we have people, there are the media there and other people there at our meetings. And then they can pick up on it to and, you know, things get printed in the local newspaper and things like that. Part of that education for us is just having our local SCDs lying by line. Why are we spending money here? Why are we spending money there and, and with that, what's the benefit of spending that money there? What's the benefit of spending the money there? I mean, are you just spending money because you have that money to spend or what's, and it's no different than I believe in any other county. They're spending as much money as they can because they're always short staffed and they don't have enough people and, and they're trying to do the good work that they'd be designed and what it's set up to do. But sometimes as commissions, we questioned the dollars being spent and when they can show us through education exactly where that's going. Man, that's a game changer. There was absolutely the last couple of years has been really not a whole lot even discussion. It's like, yeah, you need that money. You need that money for and go, go get them, people go get them. Well, and I just want to jump in and add to that that it's, it's nice. It sounds like your SCD is going the extra mile to be transparent and walk through that budget. I think it's important for SCDs to like recognize that, you know, they are able to secure so much mill levy to us to 2.5 mills and everything, but that it helps that relationship by being willing to take a step back through that budget with the local county commissioners and to build that relationship and to educate folks and just take that extra time and go the extra mile to do that. I think that's it's so important that I'm glad you brought that up because an SCD if the county commissioners have extra questions. Sometimes it can be easy to take offense like what do you why are you why are you asking questions like we're good stewards of this money and to just understand it from that perspective and how you brought it up. I appreciate it. Stanley Bob how how have you guys work to make relationships, both from it'll be interesting hearing from you since you're an employee and a county commissioner. I think you can see it from both perspectives pretty well. Yeah, I like Stanley's comment with the budget, you know, going through the budget. I even go a step further, and that I've worked with, you know, it's kind of limitless it's amazing when you start hearing about all the different boards that are out there, and who you can visit with or sit down with and just get on an agenda, you know, go to a meeting, you know, you don't doesn't have to be budget time. Maybe you've got something big going on that that someone would be interested in your city council your township board your, your county commission you got a lot of resource boards you got weed boards emergency plan committees you've got. I mean, I mean so many boards that are doing so many different things and you start looking at what they can and can't get involved in and, and all of a sudden, you know, you're your stream bank project or something is, you know, they should be involved you find out well, you know, the certain people like a water resource board has levying capabilities they can levy taxes in the county, you know, to a certain extent, and maybe it's something they'd be interested in being involved with and they're you're they're also your avenue to the State Water Commission or the Department of Water Resources now, you know, and possible more funding there and just work in the avenues and have and like Stanley said that the press is at most of these meetings and not all of them by any means but every once in a while you get some free advertising out of the deal, you know, they start hearing all your help. You're doing this to why you know why you're involved in that brings on questions and just gets it out to the public. So, yeah, there's lots of avenues to work and lots of small little meetings going on that not a lot of people know about. Yeah, we talked a little bit about finances. Do you adapt your strategy and response to your situations. And what I mean by situations is maybe, maybe changing financial situations or varying audiences. Does that affect how you go about building these relationships for any of you. I love the advice that was given to me when I start first went into business. The best time to talk to your banker is when you don't need money. And so stopping in and visiting my banker to tell him about how things are going and things that you know is always time really well spent. And I think a lot of the same applies with legislators, letting him know honestly about what's going on when there isn't an ask in whether that be successes or trials. Telling your story doesn't have to be complicated. It doesn't have to be manufactured and coordinated. You just have to do it. And so I think that's one of the things no matter who's in office or what the trend is what the topic is tell your story and doing it in an honest and genuine way. I think to approaching these, you know, all of these boards if you are going to approach these boards do a little homework. Or even if you're going to visit with a with a state representative or someone you know do a little homework and a little research on what what they're advocating. What did they do at their last three meetings you know that a lot of these minutes are available online going and do a little read and I mean it'll it's some little stick with you and you take it with you and you can talk to talk a little bit. It really impresses them when you can, you know, throw throw a little something in there that they didn't think you would ever know anything about. And it just puts you on a different page I think. And being the legislator, you know, short and sweet is always good. And I think Kayla is the hit the nail on the head to is, you know, be honest. Don't inflate the numbers don't deflate it just just be truthful. I think those are something that we can always discuss. You know emotions get into things. And, and that's hard to take out of some of the conversations because we're very passionate about what we do in all areas, whether it's education soil conservation, you know, name it. We have people who are very, very passionate. And that's wonderful and that's how our state was forged we were pioneers in everything. So, you know, tell your story and and be truthful. And then, you know, I always say do a little self reflection to and I don't know I always practice my arms to I struggling with that at the moment but it's a good one. You're good. I'm going to add this so we're talking about how do you effectively tell your story right and part of the reason I shared that story at the beginning was just the importance of communicating using the language of the people that you want to connect with and my follow up question for all of you is, you know you're saying keep it short and sweet like how do you like to receive that information. What are some tips and tricks there. How do I like to receive the information is one on one and in person, not by a text or an email. I'm probably old school and I'm probably older than most of you that are on yours, but that to me is still the biggest thing and be totally honest in our age of technology even what we're doing right now. I like it. We have an opportunity to do something that we couldn't do otherwise we'd have to travel, but the best communication is still one on one face to face, genuine, you know, shake the hands or whatever, have a lunch together. I've done that being on the State Association and National Association. And sometimes it's best even meeting him. For me personally I've done this many times meeting the stakeholder after the meeting just one on one and saying you know I just heard what you said and I loved it. I didn't like this or didn't like that. To me personally I think the most influence I've ever had with with people that you know I want to deal with this technically right after the meeting. Because sometimes the people that talk in the meeting talk for the sake of being seen or heard and they, you know, it's one of those things that yeah I got, I got the same I say in the meeting but most of the time I found, and it goes to state level it goes to local level goes to state level. When you can talk to them one on one afterwards, you find out what they really think and really believe because sometimes they're very careful now they burst their words in a meeting because they don't want that sound bite on the news or something that they didn't mean to say or they did say and then really mean it that way. And you know it's just the world we live in nowadays they can take anything out of context or do anything and change it a little bit it might be your words but it might not be really what they mean. For me personally it's just meeting with these people stakeholders one on one face to face in a genuine way. Well, I'm glad you bring that up because I'm not going to quote this research or these facts totally correct, but they do say that there is so much that's communicated just by through your body language when you're in person and it's the vast majority when you're communicating with people is that body language and you could be saying the most perfect eloquent thing but if you've got a scowl on your face and your hands are folded over and you don't look very approachable. They're not going to hear the words that you're saying they're going to be seeing how you're acting and that can run them wrong or when you send an email or a text message. That person, even if they know you really well, they're not going to read that in your voice that's they're going to read it in their voice and maybe they're having a bad day and they have a flat tire and they're stressed out and they're just misinterpreting what you're saying so I think you're really understanding Stanley and I will say I think I'm significantly younger than you but I also appreciate those in person one on ones. I think that's regardless of the generation. That's really important to a lot of folks. I'll stop talking though this is for the time for the panelists. Does anybody else want to chime in. There too I think they've always said around around the county commission here in the more county is that the majority of the business got done at the cafe after the meeting was over or nowadays it's maybe after you you quit recording your meeting and the journey and and a couple of you stick behind and you know, things get accomplished better. It's it's the one on one thing like Stanley said, for sure. I would agree with Stanley and Bob it's definitely one on one. It's it's old school, it's it's so important to read body language it's important. There's so much you learn in just having a simple conversation the silly stories that come up. When you're having a cup of coffee I mean I this I had an interview the other day, and I'm the worst texture. I can even write it out correctly and auto correct just switches it to something else and my friends are just, they're always harassing me which is totally fine I deserve it I don't through freed anything. Before I send it in texting. But that, like, like Canada said it's something completely different the message is wrong instead of what I'm trying to say. But in the world during COVID it was cold and it was lonely, and people are struggled. And so humans are created for connection. And I think we have to remember that part of our society, and interaction is is vital to our mental health and mental health is important to have success on all the boards that we serve on, regardless of what they are. So, that's my opinion. And if you ever get a text from me. Sorry, it will say some pretty weird stuff. Every day, I, it, it, yeah, I won't even say but it's every day. Representative file probably speak to when this happens to have kind of some of the do's and don'ts when when when votes come to the floor. And that personal connection is going to make a lot. Why you're going to open that email maybe a little bit quicker because a lot of times what people will have is a form email and that form email gets sent out to. Oh, you know, right and it's a copy paste send and last I heard those aren't so effective. No, we prefer. And this is something I've said for eight years, if you can do a personal story it doesn't have to be very long. If you're not a great storyteller or a great email or this totally fine just do your best. But those four emails, if that's all you have, that's okay. I mean, if that's the minimum you have and that's the only time you have that's fine. And I can tell you, for one vote we had over 400 emails and it was the same email, just with different names and so it totally clogs up the emails when you're trying to find the other emails for the other 900 votes that we're trying to take. So, when we're trying to get the work done, but that's not effective for what I'm trying to do what I'm trying to do for the constituents that I serve and chaos exactly right. And if I see your name and I know you're a constituent of mine, I absolutely respond. If I know you're not necessary if I know you and you're across the state, I'll respond. But I don't have time to respond to everybody. So if you know your legislator that's the best way to do it my and again that's my opinion, but that's how I advise people when you're, when you're reaching out to the people but if you if you know me, or it's a hey I was, you know, met you on a panel and I liked what you said or I didn't like what you said or I think you should do this. I'm always, you know, I'll take the constructive criticism I'm not a perfect person. But, you know, always make reference to where you know that person to that helps. That's kind of how I do it too when I send my letters off to people that I have to write to to I'm like okay so I here's what I think you need to do a little bit better or here's what I know, you know, where I met you and hopefully you remember me type of thing so. I want to so at the beginning of the webinar we shared a couple resources about how to create legislative updates which can be shared with county commissioners or your representatives and everything. And that, I know we're saying, get them in person make that personal connection that's really important. But we all also leave like really busy lives, like what can we do to maintain those relationships, like doing these legislative or county commissioner updates is that worth our time and your time, or how do we maintain those relationships. So one cheater. If I get one from India sue extension. I read that one. It's a one cheater of the different programs they do it's a couple sentences and the different things I always read those. And then when I see her in public she knows me I know her, and I probably see them maybe once maybe twice a year. I've been a legislator for eight years but I know who they are. And the really cool thing is is I am when to hound people of like, I like that. The tours so cast county is finally coming out that our commission and they're bringing all the heads of the departments out to Castleton out to page to meet our rural constituents and so. Now we're hoping to get people there but we'll visit with all of our constituents so that they can see their locally elected officials here, soil conservation, veteran service officer. But that is important, because I get the complaints that, you know, our county people aren't out here. Well, we finally got them out here. And so hopefully we can help foster those connections. So again coffee will be served and cookies. You know one really easy thing to do that oftentimes gets missed and it's so funny how many times I get after folks when it when they miss it is when you have events when you have local local events. Invite your legislators just because they don't come doesn't mean they don't care because but just just making sure that they know and then if they do come. Please do recognize them when they're in the room and maybe maybe you don't remember their names but maybe just asking any legislators who would be here elected officials please do stand. Thank you for being here because that's a win win. I mean always I always love approaching, you know, objectives like who else can win from this who else would really appreciate that the legislators in the room. We just heard it from representative power she's looking to connect with constituents. So but if constituents in the room don't know that she's in the room. We're not making connections. And so the more way we can act as a facilitator. The better the win win is family I'm seeing some head nodding from you is what Kayla and Brandi are hitting home does that apply to our local folks too or is this just for statewide legislators. I actually, I actually think that's a great idea that Kayla just brought that brought about I mean I know when we have legislators at different meetings. It's kind of important to them to them for them to even know that you know I took the time and effort, even though maybe I was invited or they wanted me here but I took the time and effort to come and listen. And so if you recognize them, you obviously are going to have a lot more influence when it comes time to, you know, vote on a certain situation or to discuss a certain situation. And even for us, you know when I when I was on the state and the National Association of Counties, when I went to these different meetings and I, I really concentrated on agricultural stuff just because of my background. When you could be recognized, it makes you feel like yeah what you're doing is important. And that that's human beings we have to have a sense of worth. And so, if they're legislators or even myself when I was at these different meetings and no one seemed to care whether you were there or not. Guess what, you probably didn't care either. You really don't. If no one cares that you're there. And you really didn't want to be there and no one cares, you know, for your opinion or anything it's like yeah you probably won't spend a whole lot of time in that topic or that issue so that's that's great advice and I think that's that's advice for local to state to even when I'm on the National Association that, you know just to make you recognize some of the leaders outside of yourself and outside of the norm that it's like yeah it's important you're here. Thank you for being here. And this is, this is possibly our story or issue. Yeah, and it's not for egos, we don't get paid for any of that. I mean a lot of our work is volunteer so a lot you know if I travel to Fargo it's 40 mile around trip for me. And so I'm paying for my own gas and volunteering my time to go to extension meetings or other meetings that are held in Fargo so when people come out to my community. I always make a point and super appreciative that I don't have to travel. So and that they mean that that's a blessing to me. I don't mind going to Fargo but it generally cost me a trip to a store to. I mean, you got to go shopping somewhere you can't make it cost effective to do your errands. I thought that's only I was just telling somebody how when I go places in Southwest North Dakota, I'm doing work and I'm buying groceries and I'm picking up dog food and all the things. Bob, do you have anything to add or I have a question locked and loaded for you. I'll just, I guess, reiterate to the our corner of the state the Southeast region with there's five counties we have an association made up of five or five county association where we get together. It could be, you know, quarterly, but it typically doesn't happen that way. And then we do always invite all of our reps from from the districts involved in those five counties and then we'll even ask them to, you know, give us an update. And a lot of times we do have these meetings in an around session and one sessions going on and try to try to work with their calendar because they want to get the word out to the public too. So, we'll invite them to give us a rundown and you put 2030 or more, you know, county commissioners and county employees, auditors and, and, you know, anyone that works for the county counties are invited and like I say we'll get 30, you know, at a typical meeting and that gives them a pretty good audience to to approach. I mean that that's your grassroots right there in getting it back to the communities and and to the people in the communities. So, yep, I like it. Yeah. I think we should do the same thing with our area meetings with our SCD area meetings. I'm not sure that we do but, you know, maybe we should be making that invite or throwing those invites out to our representatives and senators. For sure. Welcoming them into the fold and they at least got the invitation regardless if they choose to show up or not. So, one thing that I've been visiting with Bob leading up to this webinar and circling back a little bit to the being creative, forming partnerships and then how you can help by partnering with others. You can help you accomplish the conservation mission and accomplish different projects, especially when finances are struggle as they are for a lot of SEDs. And Bob, you had a really great example of how in your county, you've gotten to work with different will see groups to get conference conservation on the ground. Could you share a little bit more and go into more detail about what that looks like. I did after we talked about that did a little more digging and homework and just, I mean, I remember the bigger projects, you know, which I mean, or some of them are extremely large. He just we overlook a lot of what is soil conservation and what are we trying to do, we're trying to stop the dirt from blowing and replanting trees. And a lot of time we overlook a stream bank project for the stream is sloughing and you're adding tons and tons of sediment into the water system. And, you know, there's a way to stop that or a dam working with a group, some groups right now and in trying to repair a dam that's structurally dysfunctional and and is contributing sediment into the river system right now. But yeah, I've worked on a major dam repair in the past and then also some stream bank projects where I mean you start bringing into play, you know, your local lake associations your water resource boards are huge because they're your conduit to the water resources and the state of North Dakota and engineering services and we have some of our own engineering services through the 319 program I manage the what's called the BMP team for the for the active 319 projects in the state and you know Department of Health or not the Department of Health anymore but I mean I've worked with the North Dakota National Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, the North Dakota emergency response EPA, the governor's office, I mean I you know, I've been through a lot of it and funneled money through so many different routes you know and done some really major projects that that accomplish things but you got to know where to go who to who to talk to know how to talk to them. There's funding available for a lot of these projects and some of them are, like I say, fairly huge. Working on a million dollar little project right now on a stream bank repair. You know you're you're working with feds, you know, NRCS and emergency funds and there's just a lot of different ways to go and you don't you don't think of that as being a soil conservation district project. You know, I've got a couple of these projects where I mean the current one I'm working on now has been worked on a couple other times I mean I've got three three inch ring binder three ring binders that are full of permits and applications and funding, you know, contracts and it piles up and it's a job in itself, but someone's got to pay some wages to I'm not, I guess they can volunteer somewhat, and I do. But, you know, that that's where a lot of districts fall short, I think is, you know, you've got districts out there that have a single employee. And they're, you know, either not levying as much as they should or they don't want to live at all or they're, you know, they're living on their tree planting money, and, and you've got one person doing it all. Everything, and it's it can be a struggle, there's no doubt. And I mean my days are full, being a commissioner and then also working a full time job with the soil conservation district. I'm jam packed, but I still try and push through and get it done. And, you know, to take that picture in the end and were to be standing on a dam with, you know, Mr sprint cinematic and having a picture taken on a project that you accomplished it can put a little feather in your hat make feel good at the end of the day and, and then they even give you ride in their helicopter, you know, make it really awesome. But so yeah I've been involved in some bigger stuff and then there's ways to do it. There's a lot of money out there, you just you got to see it and work with the right people and make it happen, not trying to put a feather in my hat and just saying I tried to do the job and, and make things happen. And that's actually another common misperception to is that we think that we're bragging about ourselves and we're trying to make ourselves look good. When really the taxpayers are expecting their dollars to be spent wisely. You returning the information back to not only legislators or, or any elected official but your constituents of here's how the money was spent, aka. Here's what I did. Here's what I worked on. Here's the status of it. Here's the challenges here's, you know, here's the honest wins. And it may not, and it doesn't always have to be the big stuff. But you know, you know, that we often just say, return on investment we got to say return on investment what is it. Well, what is return on investment return on investment is, what do we do. What impact did it make, and, and being able to quickly and easily communicate that is, is a big win for everybody. I'm Stanley. Do you have one? Well, I'd like to share something, you know, like I said, I was on a National Association of Counties and there's a urban misconception, you know, we talk about carbon and carbon dioxide and all that stuff. And I'll just use trees. Some of the meetings I've been on on a National Association of County meeting, you know, I'm on agricultural affairs is that there's such a misconception. And I share the story that we, you know, we're the prairies and all you guys do is grow grass and it should be the Buffalo Commons and all that stuff. And I said, we also plant trees, trees taken carbon carbon dioxide. It's just, it's just the way biology works. And therefore, we're not out here to destroy the world and destroy the planet just because we want to make a buck. And, and that's a, that's a crazy story. You have to tell you think because the bottom line is there's so many people in legislatures and not only on this, you know, there's some on a state level, but on a national level that they don't understand that we are the most conservationist group of people there are not as farmers. We want the land and we want the soils to stay here for not only my generation but the next generation. And the misconception is that nobody knows how to do it and I keep reminding them we have land grant universities, we have local opportunities to to show us show us how to do it. And so, I think it's a story that's hard to tell and it's a story that's misconceived or it's it's not understood very well, and I'm talking more on a national level now because I think North Dakota gets it pretty well. But if we give up something like soil conservation, that's a story I can't tell anymore on a national level that we are doing things, you know, and again I'm talking trees, trees are important here for the wind and the soil and to keep things in place. And we don't want everything to blow away like in the 30s. So, we have created this organization and it is taxpayer dollars, but generally, at least in our county and I won't speak for any other county but generally we don't have a big fight about those dollars being spent with in our counties to do the very things that on a national scale they're telling us we're not doing. It's like no we're doing some of this already. And it's a positive, it's a positive impact on our counties and on our, in our part of the world. Yeah. And I think this is the great. I, we're at the bottom of the hour and everything. And so I just want to pause everyone and say thank you so much for your time and I think kind of what we're ending on is so important that it's important. For you to share your story and SCD employees and supervisors, they're so humble and they have a hard time tooting their own horn and it's not hard for me again to brag about all the great work that everybody's doing because they are doing great work. But we all need to do our part to to share that message and connect with our local constituents or our local stakeholders and to just get that word out because it can't just be the Hannah's or the Kayla's it has to be everyone working together to get that message across. And so thank you again to all of our panelists and thanks to our listeners for tuning in. I'll be sending out this recording later and then there wasn't a lot of questions or any questions in the chat I should say, but if the panelists are comfortable with it. So if you want to share their contact information if anybody wants to reach out directly, I'll share that also once we get this webinar uploaded and everything and I'll include those extra resources that I went over as well so thank you again so much everybody and you all have a great rest of your day. Thank you.