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Idaho Bulletin 250-7-10

September 11, 2007

SUBJECT: FNM - NRCS District Conservationist meeting and 2007 Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts (IASCD) annual meeting

TO:  All District Conservationists, NRCS, Idaho
       Idaho State Leadership Team
       Kelly Jo Olson, Resource Conservationist, NRCS, Moscow
       Carrie Janssen-Smith, Resource Conservationist, NRCS, Pocatello

Purpose. To provide guidelines and information regarding the NRCS District Conservationist meeting and the Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts (IASCD) Annual meeting.

Expiration Date. December 31, 2007

Actions Required:

November 7, 2007                 Last Day to submit IASCD conference registration forms to:
                                            Marlene Able IASCD
                                            39 W. Pine, Suite B-20
                                            Meridian, Idaho 83642
                                            (mable@agri.idaho.gov)
                                            Registration fee will be paid through a direct bill with IASCD by the State Office
                                            DO NOT USE YOUR TRAVEL CARD TO PAY FOR YOUR REGISTRATION

November 9, 2007                 Last day to make hotel reservations at the DoubleTree
                                            Riverside, Boise, Idaho. A Block of rooms has been reserved under NRCS.
                                          Rooms will be paid for through a direct bill with the hotel by the State Office.
                                            DO NOT USE YOUR TRAVEL CARD TO PAY FOR YOUR ROOM

The IASCD 65th Annual Conference is scheduled for December 2-5, 2007 at the DoubleTree Riverside Hotel, Boise, Idaho. The theme for this year’s conference is “Idaho’s Conservation Partnership-Adapting to Changing Times”. IASCD conference information was distributed to districts and NRCS offices earlier this month. Information can also be found at www.iascd.state.id.us under conference.

Idaho NRCS will have an all District Conservationist meeting, December 4-6 at the DoubleTree Riverside Hotel in conjunction with the IASCD conference.

Criteria for attendance to the IASCD conference on government time and expense:

District Conservationists (DC’s) and Acting DC’s are authorized to attend the IASCD conference when accompanied by two or more Soil Conservation District supervisors with whom they are assigned to work.
Employees who are not DC’s, and have IASCD committee assignments as advisors are authorized to attend providing the IASCD committee chairperson has planned and scheduled an actual working session during the annual conference.

For District Conservationists who volunteer to travel on Sunday: NRCS will approve official use of vehicles and per diem. Overtime/compensatory time in lieu of overtime will not be allowed. For DC’s who decide to attend and meet the criteria described above you must also have concurrence from your respective Area Conservationist.

NRCS District Conservationist Meeting:

The NRCS meeting will start at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 and continue until approximately noon on December 6, 2007. DC’s, Acting DC’s, Area Conservationists and selected members of the State Leadership Team should plan on attending this mandatory NRCS meeting.

Lodging Information:

A block of rooms has been reserved at the DoubleTree Riverside in Boise, Idaho for NRCS employees attending the IASCD and the NRCS meetings. Room reservations must be made by November 9, 2007. All reservation requests after this cut off date will be subject to availability. Employees should make their own hotel arrangements by calling (208) 343-1871 and asking for local reservations. When making your room reservation, you need to inform the hotel that you are booking your reservation under NRCS and request the government rate of $85.00. If you are attending the IASCD conference you still reserve your room under NRCS. Federal employees under the government rate will be required to present proper Federal identification at check-in.

DO NOT, pay for your hotel reservations with your government travel credit card. Your room will be paid for by the State Office through a direct bill with the hotel. After making your room reservation, please notify Pam Dugan at pamela.dugan@id.usda.gov with the dates that you will be staying at the hotel or if you have made other accommodations, so that expenses can be tracked. District Conservationists from Caldwell, Meridian, Marsing, Mountain Home and Emmett, but not limited to, are asked to commute to and from the meetings.

IASCD Conference Registration Information:

IASCD conference registration must be received by November 7, 2007. Late registration will be assessed a $25.00 late fee. Do not pay for the conference registration fee with your government travel credit card. The fee will be paid by the State Office through a direct bill with IASCD. You may send your registration to Marlene Able, IASCD, 39 W. Pine Ave.,

Suite B-20, Meridian, Idaho 83642 or e-mail the form to: mable@agri.idaho.gov.

Vehicle Information:

When possible, please share rides with other NRCS personnel. NRCS employees who wish to drive personal vehicles may do so at the personal preference rate of $0.125 cents per mile

Travel Voucher Information:

Lodging for NRCS employees will be paid for on a purchase order and will not be claimed on a travel voucher. Do not pay for lodging with your government credit card. M&IE will be claimed on a travel voucher with the appropriate meal allowance deducted from the M&IE amount for meals provided to you as part of the IASCD conference and the NRCS meeting. The M&IE rate for Boise is $49.00. The appropriate meal allowance deductions are $9 for breakfast, $13 for lunch, $24 for dinner and $3 for incidentals. An information packet will be provided to you when you check in at the NRCS meeting which will include a sample travel voucher.

/s/
RICHARD SIMS
State Conservationist

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Idaho Bulletin 250-7-10