(a)
Each district may develop districtwide comprehensive annual and long-range work plans as provided in this section. These plans shall address the full range of soil and related resource problems that are found to occur in the district.
(b)
The long-range work plans may be adopted and updated every five years, in accordance with a standard statewide format which shall be established by the commission. Districts may amend the long-range plan prior to the five-year update in order to address substantive changes occurring since the adoption of the most recent long-range work plan. The long-range plans shall serve the following functions:
(1)
Identification of resource issues within the district for purposes of local, state, and federal resource conservation planning.
(2)
Establishment of long-range district goals.
(3)
Provision of a framework for directors to identify priorities for annual district activities.
(4)
Provision of information to federal, state, and local governments and the public concerning district programs and goals.
(5)
Setting forth a basis for evaluating annual work plan achievements and allocating available state funding to the district.
(6)
Involvement of other agencies and organizations in the district planning process in order to help ensure support in implementing district plans.
(c)
The annual work plans may be adopted on or before March 1 of each year in a format which shall be consistent with the district’s long-range work plan. The annual work plans shall serve the following functions:
(1)
Identification of high priority actions to be undertaken by the district during the year covered by the plan.
(2)
Identification of the person or persons responsible for undertaking each planned task, how it will be performed, when it will be completed, what constitutes completion, and the cost.
(3)
Demonstration of the relationship of annual tasks to the long-range district goals identified in the long-range work plan.
(4)
Provision of assistance to the local field office of the Soil Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture in adjusting staff and program priorities to match district goals.
(5)
Informing the public of the district’s goals for the year.
(6)
Involvement of other agencies and organizations in the district planning process in order to help ensure support in implementing district plans.
(7)
Provision of a basis for assisting the commission in determining district eligibility for state funding under this division.
(d)
A district may prepare an annual district report. The annual district report shall be completed on or before September 1 of each year in a format consistent with the long-range and annual plans, so that progress made during the reporting period towards district goals can be readily determined. The annual report shall serve the following functions:
(1)
To report on the district’s achievements during the reporting period to the commission, the department, the board of supervisors of any county in which the district is located, and any agency that reviews district requests for funding assistance.
(2)
To increase public awareness of district activities.
(3)
To compare district accomplishments during the reporting period with annual work plan objectives for that period and to identify potential objectives for the next annual work plan.