District Opperations for COVID-19
We are continuing to provide technical assistance, funding options, grant administration, soil and water services, conservation supplies and erosion control oversite during this closure and into the re-opening. Taxpayers will continue to receive our full services without much disruption to our normal procedures. Changes to our operations will be in the form and methods for initial contact and consultation methods with the public for technical services, education, and outreach activities. The following procedure changes are in an effort to keep staff, board members, partners, and patrons safe during the transition.
Best Practices for Covid-19 protections
Technical Services
Appointments – Appointments for services, technical assistance requests, sales, and site visit requests should be done via phone (317)-773-2181 or email.
One-on-one consultation – Consultations will be conducted over the phone or with the use of Microsoft Teams. If an in-person appointment in necessary, both staff and customer agree to all social distancing and best practice guidelines for the appointment.
Services and Products
Materials for loan, sale, or service products will not be stored in areas that are accessible by the public, in high traffic areas, and will be contained within a closed areas or container to lower the risk of surface becoming contaminated. Staff will wipe down tools for loan upon receiving tool and put immediately into storage. Sales and service products will be minimally handled by staff and hand sanitation will be used before handling products and testing kits. For returned samples, these will be handled and properly contained immediately upon receipt. For soil samples, these will be processed and secured in shipping containers. For water samples these will be processed and then placed in sample container within the refrigerator, or into shipping containers. Upon completion of processing, hands should be washed or sanitized for safety.
Education & Outreach
Virtual Webinars will be utilized in-place of in-person events when possible. Virtual options for all education and outreach opportunities will be made available by requests when aligning with strategic plan and allowable workload. Video educational opportunities will be encouraged. For other events, special considerations to adhere to best practices will be considered on a case by case basis.
Outreach Activities
Factsheets & Resources – Digital copies of resources will be shared in lieu of hard copies. Every effort will be made to utilize the website platform, emails, and digital options for sharing and disseminating this information to the public
Communication – Social Media, this website, and emails will be used to share information and updates to processes and procedures, new programs, and cost-share opportunities.
Best Practices for Covid-19 protections
- social distancing (specifically, staying 6 feet away from others when you must go into a shared space)
- persons 65 and older and those with high-risk health conditions should remain at home whenever possible
- frequently washing hands or use alcohol-based (> 60% alcohol) hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available
- wearing cloth face coverings
- avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth
- reduce physical contact with others (i.e. handshakes)
- staying home when sick or symptomatic
- cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces
- wiping public surfaces before and after you touch them
Technical Services
Appointments – Appointments for services, technical assistance requests, sales, and site visit requests should be done via phone (317)-773-2181 or email.
- We requests that patrons call upon arrival for their appointment. This will limit the foot traffic into the office to one patron at a time to honor social distancing.
- Please reschedule appointments if you are symptomatic or have other risk factors (directed to stay home, considered by the CDC as high risk: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/groups-at-higher-risk.html, etc.).
- We ask patrons to wear a mask or maintain social distance
- Upon arrival you will be screened according to Ordinance No 04-06-20 A with screening questions
- Hand sanitation station(s) will be made available to staff and patrons.
- EPA-approved disinfectants against COVID-19 will be used to wipe down door handles, counter, and other items the patrons may have touched or exposed after each appointment.
- Site visits requests will start with our Office Coordinator (OC) and Conservation Outreach and Technical Assistant (CTOA)
- The SWCD Staff will ask you for reason for the site visit, contact information and your address
- The staff may request pictures or video of the issue so that we can best direct your inquiry.
- Our CTOA may conduct a site visit to document resource concern, obtain goals, and get eyes on the ground. This will help determine whether a follow-up technical visit is necessary to collect further information or if additional assistance by technician or conservationist is warranted due to the severity of the resource concern.
- If it is determined that an in-person site visit is necessary, the you must pass all screening questions and indicate no symptoms or self-isolate directives from physician or public health representative, or the appointment will be rescheduled for a later date. The following directions will be relayed to the customer and understood prior to arranging an in-person site visit:
- Customer agrees to maintaining a 6-foot distance.
- Customer agree not to exchange physical materials during the site visit without consent from staff member.
- Both customer and staff member agree to wear a mask during the site visit, if social distancing is not possible.
- Customer will notify all individuals on a property that a site visit is or will occur and that the conservationist requests that they maintain appropriate distance.
- The SWCD Staff will be encouraging site visits as virtual tours or “solo” visits if CDC risks are determined.
- Solo site visits will be conducted with the permission of the landowner.
- The landowner may be informed that if they do not remain in their home the staff member may choose to leave.
- Virtual tours can be accomplished utilizing Microsoft Teams platform which can be conducted in-person from the safety of their home.
- Staff members can set up appointment which will share a Team meeting appointment that can be used for this option.
One-on-one consultation – Consultations will be conducted over the phone or with the use of Microsoft Teams. If an in-person appointment in necessary, both staff and customer agree to all social distancing and best practice guidelines for the appointment.
Services and Products
Materials for loan, sale, or service products will not be stored in areas that are accessible by the public, in high traffic areas, and will be contained within a closed areas or container to lower the risk of surface becoming contaminated. Staff will wipe down tools for loan upon receiving tool and put immediately into storage. Sales and service products will be minimally handled by staff and hand sanitation will be used before handling products and testing kits. For returned samples, these will be handled and properly contained immediately upon receipt. For soil samples, these will be processed and secured in shipping containers. For water samples these will be processed and then placed in sample container within the refrigerator, or into shipping containers. Upon completion of processing, hands should be washed or sanitized for safety.
Education & Outreach
Virtual Webinars will be utilized in-place of in-person events when possible. Virtual options for all education and outreach opportunities will be made available by requests when aligning with strategic plan and allowable workload. Video educational opportunities will be encouraged. For other events, special considerations to adhere to best practices will be considered on a case by case basis.
Outreach Activities
Factsheets & Resources – Digital copies of resources will be shared in lieu of hard copies. Every effort will be made to utilize the website platform, emails, and digital options for sharing and disseminating this information to the public
Communication – Social Media, this website, and emails will be used to share information and updates to processes and procedures, new programs, and cost-share opportunities.