The organization responsible for flood control along the Mill Creek has a new executive director.
The Millcreek Valley Conservancy District recently hired Larry Burks. He’s coming into the role as the conservancy district prepares to take over management of the barrier dam and Mill Creek channel, both important pieces of infrastructure that prevent flooding along one of the area’s most developed waterways. But, the organization lacks the money needed to maintain them.
Burks talked with WVXU Environment Reporter Isabel Nissley about his plans for keeping the conservancy district afloat.
This transcript and recording have been lightly edited for clarity.
Tell me a bit about yourself and why you decided to apply to be the executive director of the Millcreek Valley Conservancy District at this pivotal time for the organization.
For the past 20 years, I've been in local government as a city manager, city administrator. My most recent role was township administrator in West Chester.
I enjoy strategy and planning and achieving goals and missions. The important work that the conservancy is doing is really something that appealed to me. Building an organization — or rebuilding an organization — from the ground up was attractive from a fulfillment standpoint, and I think I have the right skill set that they needed. I heard about the position, and I expressed interest in it, and I was fortunate enough to be hired for the role.
One of the challenges the district is currently facing is a lack of revenue. In February, the city of Cincinnati gave the conservancy district $1.5 million loan to avoid having to dissolve. This comes as the district is getting ready to take management of the barrier dam and the channel. What are your plans to develop a sustainable revenue stream?
The purpose of the conservancy form of government was to establish a benefits analysis and then assess property owners for the protections that they receive from the conservancy. The assets [the barrier dam and channel] along the Mill Creek are part of that. Similar to the Miami Conservancy, the Mill Creek [Conservancy] hopes to be able to establish that revenue stream through a benefits analysis presented to the conservancy judge, and then the judge will approve the benefit assessments.
Does that mean taxation?
I would call it more of a fee for service. It does go on your tax rolls. Unfortunately, we don't know what that amount will be. That's what the analysis is for. We don't even know if it will be approved. We just have to try because that's what we've been asked to do.
If we don't have an assessment, the alternative is the conservancy will dissolve because it has no funding to support it. That leaves all of the communities in the watershed — about 50 of them — to monitor and maintain their portion of the watershed on their own. So, it'll be up to the city of Cincinnati for their portion, Sharonville for their portion, St. Bernard for their portion. There's many, many communities that are not quite ready to take on that responsibility. So, it is good for continuity to have one organization be the point organization to do that, and that's what the conservancy was set up to do. It also really kind of takes politics out of it as well. So, true decisions are made by the board members on behalf of the watershed and the property owners in the watershed.
The district is governed by the conservancy court and a three-member volunteer board. How are you planning to work with them?
Being a rebuild organization, we're currently working on governance and policy and setting up the relationships that we need to have with engineers and community stakeholders, which is why I'm very grateful to be here today because we can help get that message out. What we will do as a board, the board will certainly approve a contract with an engineer to do the analysis, and that analysis will take anywhere from 24 to 27 months. So, over the next two years or better, we will be working on that structure of how we can make the conservancy work.
What else would you like to add?
We're very interested in what people want to see with the Mill Creek and its flood protection, and its flood mitigation, its habitat restoration. What are the recreational amenities that they're enjoying?
In the future, we plan on having an advisory committee or advisory group to help provide feedback about our progress and help provide information to their communities that they represent. We're always interested in hearing more from the community. The best way to make good decisions is having community feedback.
How can people learn more about the conservancy district?
The website is MillcreekValleyConservancy.org. Burks' email is executivedirector@MillcreekValleyConservancy.org and his phone number is 513-969-3882.
The Millcreek Valley Conservancy District is also looking for a new board member. If you’re interested, email your resume and cover letter to Burks.
Read more: