Small Town News

Hallsted honored by WACD for years of service

---

Each year at the annual Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts (WACD) area meetings the WACD Board honors outstanding supervisors in the area and presents longevity awards to board members and Conservation District employees.

This year Janet Hallsted, South Big Horn Conservation District manager, received an award for having completed 20 years of employment with the South Big Horn Conservation District. The award was presented at the WACD Area III meeting in Meeteetse by Pete Jachow-ki of Cody, a WACD Area III board member.

South Big Horn Conservation District Chairman Linda Hamilton said, "The South Big Horn Conservation District is proud to have worked with Janet for the past 20 years. Since 1989, when the district first employed Janet, the job responsibilities have changed dramatically. With the emergence of so many natural resource concerns in the state the past 15 or 20 years, the district has taken on a new focus and new roles in the communities. Employees have had to learn to take on office management and technical responsibilities as well as traditional secretarial duties."

Hamilton said Hallsted has completed numerous water quality monitoring trainings over the years. She and her husband, Lee, have spent many hours since the early 2000's conducting the SBHCD water monitoring activities on the area streams. Fifteen to twenty sites are monitored two or three times each year during the recreation season for the presence of E-coli. Hallsted also collects samples periodically to determine if the streams are seeing chemical impairments as well. She has been trained to conduct the water testing procedures as well as the collection of the samples--all of which must meet stringent water quality standards.

Hallsted has overseen the tree sales program sponsored by the Conservation District for the entire 20 years of her tenure, Hamilton said. She has been the coordinator for many educational seminars and tours sponsored by the District, has conducted educational programs in the schools as well as participating in World Monitoring Day each year to teach students about water monitoring and the importance of unimpaired waters.

"Conservation District employees must be very flexible and have a desire to work with many people-- agricultural owners, citizens of the local communities, governmental employees, and elected officials. Janet has been employed by an elected board and has faithfully been there to answer to five bosses at all times," Hamilton said.



Copyright 2009 Basin Republican Rustler, Basin, Wyoming. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2009 Basin Republican Rustler Basin, Wyoming. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

More from Basin Republican Rustler