Morgan County Hosts National EEO/CR Review Team

By Ann Smith, SWCD District Administrative Coordinator, Hartselle, Alabama

In June, the National Equal Employment Opportunity/Civil Rights (EEO/CR) Review Team from Washington, D.C., visited the Hartselle Field Office and Morgan County Soil and Water Conservation District to conduct a review of our office activities related to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Civil Rights (CR). The review team members were Wytonya Jackson, Barbara Taylor, and Cliff Denshire.

The team arrived in Hartselle around noon, and they and some other guests were treated to lunch.  The Morgan County Cattlemen's Association members grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and supplied all the side dishes and homemade ice cream.

The Morgan County SWCD District Supervisors and staff, NRCS, and staff from the Farm Service Agency and Morgan County Extension System Office, frequently join resources to provide a fellowship lunch for employees, as well as any guests and customers that might be visiting. "We feel that the Service Center personnel do an excellent job serving the landowners in Morgan County and try to reward them as often as possible," stated Jeff Clark, Morgan County SWCD Chairman.

Other guests at the luncheon included Morgan County Commissioners Don Stisher and Greg Abercrombie and Alabama Representatives Ron Grantland and Bill Dukes.

Following lunch, Wytonya conducted the EEO review by interviewing the District Supervisors and NRCS District Conservationist Foy Kirkland.  Barbara interviewed some of our customers.  Cliff inspected the building for disability accessibility. The bulletin boards were inspected for required posters.

NRCS Alabama Civil Rights Advisory Committee Chairman Kathy Gotcher and Vice-Chairman Ben Malone, gleaned information on how to better serve our customers. "I was impressed with the efforts the Hartselle office makes to serve their customers and visitors in a fair and unbiased manner," stated Gotcher.  Other guests included NRCS personnel Judy Hill -Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations, North Team; Mike Roden - Coordinator, Alabama Mountains, Rivers, and Valleys RC&D; and Charlie Meek - Coordinator, Northwest Alabama RC&D.

Hartselle was the last Alabama SWCD/NRCS field office to be reviewed this year.  After the last interview, the team returned to the NRCS state office in Auburn to wrap up their Alabama visit before leaving for D.C. to write their final report. The report will be delivered to the state office upon completion.

Foy Kirkland and Wytonya Jackson review information.

October 2009

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