About.

To protect and conserve our natural resources while maintaining our drainage system for the future of Henry County.
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Established in 1955

The organization of a soil conservation district for Henry County was considered officially for the first time on May 27, 1954, when sixteen interested individuals met as a sponsoring committee. A referendum was held in November of that year, and this resulted in the formation of the 85th district in the state, now known as the Henry Soil and Water Conservation District, which encompasses all the land within Henry County's boundaries. Soil and Water Conservation Districts are legally organized subdivisions of the State of Ohio and are assigned the task of protecting and improving the soil, water, and other natural resources. Each SWCD is governed by a board of five supervisors who are elected by local residents and serve staggered three-year terms. The Supervisors meet once a month for regular board meetings, and also take part in occasional special meetings and training meetings. 

Our Goal

Our primary mission is to provide leadership of conservation and drainage 
programs to promote the wise use and maintenance of our natural resources. Henry SWCD has also been charged for many years with administering the county's 400+ mile ditch maintenance program.  Henry SWCD operates on funds provided by the Henry County Commissioners which is matched by the State of Ohio, as well as grants. Local sales, equipment rentals and conservation projects provide additional funds.

Our Supervisors

Kent Sonnenberg
Chairman

Kent has been a supervisor since 2014. He farms 1700 acres of corn, soybeans and hay and is a partner of Sun Mountain Dairy in Pleasant Township. Sun Mountain Dairy with the assistance  of the Henry SWCD and the Natural Resource Conservation Service installed a 5-pond lagoon system to handle the manure and waste of the dairy. He utilizes conservation tillage and cover crops in his farming program. Kent has also established thousands of feet of filter strips along ditches in Henry County. Kent and his son Ted are also active participants of the H2Ohio Program. Over the past years Sun Mountain dairy has utilized variable rate technology and  installed numerous control drainage structures on their fields.
Kent is a member of the Farm Bureau and St. Peters Lutheran Church. Kent and his wife Jan reside in Flatrock Township.
 

Bill Imbrock
Vice Chairman

Bill joined the SWCD Board in 2019.  He farms in Bartlow and Marion Townships and rotates corn, soybeans and wheat.  He utilizes many different conservation practices including no-till, VRT and cover crops, to name a few.
Bill is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School and is a certified Crop Advisor(CCA).  Bill and his wife Bonnie live in Bartlow Township.

Laura Leaders
Secretary

Laura joined the Board in 2022.  She farms along-side her father, Jan, in central Henry County, growing corn, soybeans, wheat, and green beans.  On the farm they utilize conservation through no-till soybeans and wheat, strip-till with VRT fertilizer for corn, cover crops, and drainage control structures.  Laura also manages their H2Ohio contract.
 Laura is a graduate of Napoleon High School and The University of Toledo. She lives in Monroe Township, and is a member of Farm Bureau and St. Paul Lutheran Church Flatrock Twp.
 

Mike Schnitkey
Fiscal Agent

Mike has been a supervisor since 2012 and serves as our fiscal agent.  He is a graduate of Archbold High School, The Ohio State University and currently works for Farmers & Merchants State Bank as an Ag Lender.  Mike and his wife, Steph, have 3 children.
Mike farms in Ridgeville Township, where he uses conservation tillage by no-tilling his soybeans and wheat.  He also utilizes cover crops and participates in CRP.

Mike Maassel
Member

​Mike has been a supervisor since 2022. He farms 500 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat in Freedom Township. Mike practices no-till on a large majority of his farming acres and minimum tillage on the balance. He is also signed up in the H2Ohio program and utilizes fertilizer placement, VRT and cover crops in his fields.
Mike is married to Tana for 29 years and have 3 children. He is a graduate of Napoleon High School and Ohio State University. Mike is also co-owner of Buckeye Application in Continental, Ohio, member of St. John Lutheran Church and life member of Ridgeville
Corners American Legion Post 454.

Past Supervisors

Herman Heckler 1955-1956
Allen Clady 1955-1957
James R. Phillips 1957-1959, 1967-1979
Henry Eggers 1955-1960
Edward Hoff 1960-1962
Sumner R. Palmer 1955-1963
Raymond Hagen 1958-1963
Paul Stockman 1955-1964*
Arnold Kurtz 1963-1964
Donald Walther 1964-1965
Paul Barton 1961-1966
Leo Schueler 1964-1966
Lawrence Imbrock 1966-1968
Hugo Sonnenberg 1969-1974
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​Theo. W Titgemeyer 1964-1978
Paul Pfau 1964-1980
Francis Flowers 1975-1981
Dwight Huddle 1967-1982
John H. Rettig 1979-1984
Melvin Tietje 1982-1984
Kenneth Busch 1985-1987
Roland Rettig 1985-1987
Robert S. Griteman 1980-1988
Ervin R. Meyer 1978-1989 **
Thomas Eggers 1981-1989
Norman Franz 1988-1990
Kenyon Glanz 1989-1991
David Oberhaus 1991-1993

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​Thomas Flowers 1990-1995
Ronald Cordes 1994-1996
Robert Hastedt 1990-1998
Carlton Meyer 1988-1999
Robert Rettig 1997-1999
Dennis Johnson 1992-1997, 1999-2001
Dan Durham 1996-2001
Mark E. Schwiebert 2000-2002
Ed Rosebrook 2003
Mark Rettig 1998-2005
Mark Wachtman 2002-2004, 2006-2008
Eric Flowers 2004-2009
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* President Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
** Chairman Ohio Conservation Commission