​We know it can be difficult to find information on candidates running for local races. Informed voters are key to making wise decisions that will impact our county.  Often, candidates don't provide information about themselves, create websites or attend public forums. This year, the national health emergency has made it even more difficult to get to know candidates. We want to help make candidate statements and campaign links as accessible as possible. 

The Duval Soil and Water Conservation District has 5 voting Supervisor positions who serve at-large to all 918 square miles and ~913,000 people of Duval County with no political affiliation.  The seats are numbered, Group 1-5. Every 2 years, a staggered amount of seats are open for re-election. In 2018, Groups 1, 3 and 5 were on the ballot. Supervisors Allen L. Moore (1),  Jennifer Casey (3) and James Cook (5) were elected and sworn into office.  

In November of 2020, Groups 2 and 4 are on the ballot. The seats are currently held by Hunter Anderson (2) and Ed Wright (4).  Hunter and Ed are both not seeking reelection.

CANDIDATES IN GROUP 2 ARE: John R. Barnes, Binod Kumar, John J. Nooney & Matt Reimer
CANDIDATES IN GROUP 4 ARE: Lagarall Bates, Arthur R. Bides, Ashantae Green & Carter Jones

The following information below has been provided by each candidate.

​Group 2, John R. Barnes
John R Barnes is the Vice President of Government Relations at Veritec Solutions. In 2016, John was appointed an Affiliate Member to The Duval Soil and Water Conservation District. As an Affiliate member, John has played a critical role in public outreach for the board. John has done this by helping to secure donations, sponsorships, and partnerships with local businesses for Duval Soil and Water Conservation District events. 

John is a proud alumnus of The University of North Florida. At UNF, John was elected and subsequently re-elected as Student Body President. John received a bachelor's degree from UNF before getting his master's degree from University of Florida. John has worked with local nonprofits including The Boys and Girls Club of America, First Tee, the USO, and Builders Care.

​After four years with this board, John is asking for your vote on November 3rd, so he can continue to:

• Reach out to our community to increase awareness & be a voice for our city
• Partner with local schools to honor our teachers and engage our students
• Collaborate with local elected officials & agencies for the betterment of our citizens
• On November 3rd, Vote John Barnes, a name Jacksonville knows and trusts.

​

Group 2, Binod Kumar
I have lived in Duval County for over 35 years. I have a small family. My son was born and raised in Jacksonville; he graduated from the Stanton High School, the Florida State University and finally the University of Chicago Law School.
 
I am an engineer by training and profession. I have a graduate engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and an MBA for the University of North Florida. I am a licensed Professional Engineer in Florida. I was in private practice for a number of years as a consulting engineer advising government installations, school boards, military bases, naval air stations, air force bases and such on energy conservation issues. I retired a few years ago from JEA as their energy conservation engineer.
 
If elected, I will work diligently and with my full commitment to address the issues of Soil and Water Conservation District, particularly educating our young school children an appreciation for our natural resources and conservation. I will seek public/private partnership to clean up St. Johns River and reduce/eliminate raw sewer discharge into it. Raw sewer discharge, among others, is a source of algae growth which is a toxin. 
​
Website
​http://kumarforsoilandwater.com/

Group 2, Matt Reimer
VOTE FOR MATT REIMER TO CLEAN UP THE DIRTY WORK. Matt has always had an interest in running for an office and there is no better time than now. The Soil & Water Conservation District plays an important role in the sustainability of all the natural resources Duval County has to offer and that we all enjoy. Matt will put the best interest of all of the people in Duval County first. Too many elected officials are looking out for themselves, certain groups, or only those that share their opinions. That has to change. The time has come for leadership to listen to the people they represent and that is what Matt Reimer promises to do for you.  After graduating from the University of North Florida in 1994 with a Bachelor of Technology in Construction Management he spent the next six years living and working in Ohio, Texas, and California, however, no place felt as good as it did to be in Duval County, so when the opportunity arose to return by Jacksonville, Matt came back. Since that time, he has raised two kids here with his wife Kathy enjoying all the opportunities the First Coast has to offer. 

​Website
​https://votemattreimer.square.site/  
​

Group 4, Arthur R. Bides​
​My name is Arthur Bides, and for the past 10+ years, my studies and career focused on water and water resources.  I have turned my passion into my profession. I hope to use my knowledge, passion, and expertise to protect our natural resources.

I am a Water/Wastewater Engineer, a Professional Engineer in the State of Florida, and a Florida Stormwater Management Inspector.  I am also a member of several professional organizations, including the Soil and Water Conservation Society, the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, the Florida Water Environment Association, and the American Water Resources Association.  I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, focusing on Water Resources from the University of Florida. Every day I see the impact policy has on our local surroundings.
​
As a native Floridian, I enjoy participating in Florida's outdoor water sports, like surfing and scuba-diving.  I am a Marine Corps and Florida Army National Guard Veteran.  My wife Paula and I are passionate about serving our community and keeping Jacksonville an excellent area for our two young daughters to grow up. Together, we volunteer for local organizations, including the Donna Marathon, St. Vincent's/ Aging True's Thanksgiving Meals on Wheels, MathCounts, and the American Legion.

Website
www.VoteArthurBides.com

Social Media
www.facebook.com/VoteArthurBides
​

Group 4, Ashantae Green
GREEN is her last name, and so is her life! As a mother & business owner, Ashantae understands the environmental & economic importance of promoting & protecting land, waterways, agriculture & natural resources for generations to come. Her love for people and the planet came while growing up on the eastside of Jacksonville, FL. There she experienced 1st hand the health effects & challenges of food insecurity, a weak tree canopy & unhealthy soil, water & air. This experience motivated to bring environmental education & solutions to all citizens throughout the first coast.

Today, Ashantae brings passion, preparation, years of cultivated partnerships and community work to the table. Ashantae is a graduate of Florida State college at Jacksonville, and currently set to complete certificates in Sustainability Management from LSU & Sustainable Agricultural & Urban Land Management from UF in October 2020. Ashantae is a current volunteer of the Duval Soil & Water Conservation District, a board member of many related organizations; a subject matter expert for the Jacksonville’s City Council’s Subcommittee on resiliency; a participant of the Florida Department of Agriculture Ag Innovations Working Group & an Architectural Designer & consultant for conservation & environmentally friendly construction. 
 
Website
www.agreenduval.com

​Social Media
www.facebook.com/agreenduval, www.instagram.com/agreenduval, www.twitter.com/agreenduval  
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Group 4, Carter Jones
Candidate did not provide a statement or a photo.
​

For our very first Volunteer of the Month, we would like to recognize Marilyn Joyce Miller for nearly 15 years of volunteer service to the Duval Soil and Water Conservation District! Joyce began volunteering for Duval’s Regional Envirothon student competition in 2006. She hopes to keep the Envirothon competition going in 2020, even if we have to do it virtually because of national health emergency. She is always looking for new ways to reach more schools!

More about Joyce:

• Retired Soil Conservation Planner for Maryland Department of Agriculture for 16 years
• Coordinated Harford County Envirothon over 10 years
• Mother of six grown children, including twins; 15 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild
• Volunteers for Ft. Clinch State Park keeping trails clear and trimmed
• Active rower in the Jackson Rowing Club, enjoys mountain biking,  gardening and keeping a native plant yard

The Duval Soil and Water Conservation District is looking for a part-time District Aide. This volunteer position works closely with elected officials and assists with District communications and administrative needs. See the position description below and contact us if you are interested!

​Cars began lining up at 1:00 pm for the 3:00 pm free drive-thru food distribution held yesterday in the parking lot of the UF/IFAS Duval County Extension office at 1010 N. McDuff Ave. The event in partnership with Farm Share Jacksonville ended early because of the demand. With cars lining up hours ahead, organizers opened a little early, but were forced to close the queue and everything was distributed by 3:30 pm. Hundreds of families and individuals in need received produce, non-perishable foods, dairy and other items.
 
“The Coronavirus pandemic has affected our community in unprecedented ways. So many of our neighbors are hurting financially and struggling to provide the most basic necessities for their families. It was an honor for the board to join with other local organizations to assist our neighbors who are most in need,” said Hunter Anderson, Chairman of the Duval Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors.
 
Special thanks to our community partners:
• UF/IFAS Duval County Extension
• 4-H
• Farm Bureau Women’s Committee
• National Resources Conservation Service
• City of Jacksonville
​ 
About Farm Share: Farm Share is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has worked daily for almost 30 years to make sure that food-insecure Floridians receive the food and support they need. In partnership with more than 2,000 food pantries, churches, schools and other nonprofits, Farm Share distributed more than 88 million pounds of food to more than 17.5 million households residing in all of Florida’s 67 counties last year. 

Check out the story on First Coast News! Food giveaway to be hosted in West Jacksonville Tuesday afternoon

In 2018, the Duval Soil & Water Conservation District launched its Conservation Teacher of the Year award. This award recognizes the work of any K-12 teacher in Duval County who has been involved in both education and action during the past year. The ideal candidate is a principled conservationist who educates students on natural resource conservation practices and initiates student action in their community or school in order to improve quality of life for Duval County residents.  All Duval County teachers who have participated in one of the District’s programs during the last year will be considered for recognition as our Conservation Teacher of the Year.  This year's deadline in August 30th.  Application

Past Winners:

2019 - Kendal Schmidt, Middle School Teacher at The Foundation Academy
Highlights: Participation Joe B. Forshee, Jr. Speech and Poster Contest, Monarch Waystation efforts and other student activities that include aquaponic farming and composting

2018 - Dr. Scott P. Sowell, Environmental Science Teacher at Darnell-Cookman Middle/High School
Highlights: Participation in Annual Fred B. Miller Envirothon and algae eutrophication experiments with his AP Environmental Science students. The District nominated Dr. Sowell for the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board's Individual Environmental Achievement award, which he also won.

We were pleased to host our "Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators" Speech & Poster Contest this week. Congratulations to our winners!