About the EO

WHAT WE ARE

MCDEO is an organization of the employees of Conservation Districts in the state of Montana.

WHAT WE DO

Conservation Districts do a wide variety of important work conserving natural resources across our beautiful state. As the employees of these CDs, we are the people in the offices doing the bulk of the work–We are the face of the Conservation District and interact with the public and our partners. We sell & plant trees, process 310 permits, host youth education events, producer workshops, implement restoration projects, and much more.

Begun in the mid 1990’s, the mission of the MCDEO is to provide a professional network of conservation district employees for mutual support and education.  We do this through providing peer support, training, and other resources, including this website.  The website provides a wealth of resources—administrative, financial, training and more.

HOW WE DO IT

The EO mission is to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Conservation District Employees in these important positions by providing peer support, training, and other resources. These resources are provided through membership dues and an annual fundraiser event at the MACD Convention in November, and through many volunteer hours from EO Officers and members.  The pages and posts on this website provide information on:

• Recorded trainings, including monthly Roundtables
• Financial concerns and QuickBooks
• Social Media and Technology
• Educating with Online Content
• Handbooks
• Resources specific to new employees
• News about events and upcoming training

Whether you’re a new employee stepping into an office with 30 years of disorganized files, or a seasoned employee looking to strengthen your QuickBooks skills, we are here to say “you are not alone”.

NETWORKING AND TRAINING

There are 2 members in each area that are Area Directors.  These 2 members divide up the Districts in their area to welcome and help orientate new employees.  Find your area directors.

Our national organization is the National Conservation District Employees Association. This group works for Districts at the national level, building partnerships and more.

We encourage you to visit the message board on this website. It is a resource that we think will be very helpful as a place to ask questions and get answers, and to save those Q & As for future administrators. It’s only a valuable archive if it gets used, so please ask away!  If you have questions, you can send an email out on the list serves that are managed by the MACD at administrators@macdnet.org and altadmins@macdnet.org (second one is used when there is a government shutdown, and during the COVID 19 pandemic primarily).  These emails are archived.

In addition to the Message Board, most months the EO has a Roundtable on Zoom conferencing.  Topics range from daily activities and 310 permitting, to Outdoor Classroom ideas and Cost Share Programs.  You can find the recordings of past Roundtables and other past trainings at https://employees.macdnet.org/trainings-recent-and-older/.  You can find information on upcoming trainings at https://employees.macdnet.org/conservation-district-resources/.

DUES

Dues to belong to the EO are $30 annually and can be paid by the CD or the employee. These dues are paid directly to the EO and are not a part of the MACD dues.  Dues help to pay for scholarships for training and other events and are prioritized for new employees who are EO members.  If you receive a scholarship, expect to attend the entire event/training and possibly to be called upon to help out at the event/training.  If you are not sure whether you or your CD has paid your dues, contact the Treasurer.

EVENTS

Every year at the Montana Association of Conservation Districts Convention, the Employee Organization puts on a fundraising event, usually the Wednesday night dinner, with entertainment of some sort.  We run a 50/50 as a fundraiser for our organization.  Each District is asked to bring an item for the MACD Auction if they can. In 2023, MACD offered to split their auction with the EO to help raise funds for travel to training events.