WEST GEORGIA CONSERVATION DISTRICT

The West Georgia Conservation District was organized on July 13, 1938 as a legal subdivision of the state of Georgia that works to conserve, improve, and protect Georgia’s natural resources. The Districts is one of 40 Soil and Water Conservation Districts across Georgia and nearly 3000 in the United States. They are charged by the State Constitution to help support citizens with the management and improvement of our natural resources. The district works in cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Services (USDA- NRCS) and Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission as well as other federal and state agencies to further the conservation message. The West Georgia Conservation District serves Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, and Heard Counties.

districts Supervisors

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Carl Brack

Carroll County

Carl grew up on a farm in Bulloch County, Georgia. His early experience raising hogs, cattle, corn, cotton, soybeans, and other crops has served him well as he has carried out his life- long promotion of conservation. Carl went to work for the Georgia Forestry Commission after receiving his forestry degree from the University of Georgia. Carl has a Master of Agricultural Extension degree and a productive career with the Extension Service. Carl started out in Fulton County and worked in Butts County before settling in Carroll County to serve the Extension Service another twenty years.

When Carl retired from the Extension Service in 1991, he started to work part-time for Southern States. He still works for Southern Home and Ranch in Carrollton, providing advice on conservation practices to farmers as well as backyard conservation tips.

He has been the President of many organizations: The Lions Club in Butts and Carroll Counties, the Sportsmen’s Club, and the Central Band Boosters Club. He has served as a Baptist deacon and is currently President of the Gideons. He has been a Farm Bureau member and was a supporter of Farm Bureau programs throughout his thirty-year Extension Service career.

In 1993 Carl was elected a West Georgia Conservation District Supervisor. In 2000 and 2001 he served as President of GACD. In 2006 he was the GACD Supervisor of the Year. Carl currently serves as a Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Board Member, having been appointed in 2002.

Carl has a son, daughter, and four grandchildren.

Tony Cole

Carroll County

Buddy Burns

Coweta County

Buddy grew up on a farm in Meriwether County, GA which is still have in his family and currently operates as a tree farm. Buddy went to The University of Georgia where he obtained a degree in Forestry. He then settled in Newnan GA where he currently owns and operates Bowers & Burns Real Estate Company which is a Land Specialist company which, among other types of properties, specializes in Farm and Ranch sales.

Buddy is the father to four boys and in his spare time he enjoys gardening, hunting, fishing and raising bees. He has been on the West Georgia Conservation District for 12 years. He says he wanted to become part of the board for the love he has for the land and his desire to want to preserve it for many generations to come.

Tommy Waldrop

Douglas County

Tommy was born, raised and still lives on the same 250-acre farm that has been in has family since the 1830’s. In the early years of the farm, it was a dairy business but after 35 years was converted to a poultry farm and is presently a hay and cattle farm.

Tommy graduated from Douglas County High School and went into law enforcement, he was a trooper for 32 years and eventually went on to serve 2 terms as the sheriff in Douglas County, all while still helping out with the family farm.

Tommy is the father of 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. The grandfather to 9 grandchildren and has 2 great grandchildren. All of his children have helped or are still currently working on the family farm with Tommy.

Joan Boalch

Haralson County

Joan is a graduate of Buchanan High School. She retired as secretary of the UGA Cooperative Extension Service in Haralson County where she was the recipient of the state 4-H Secretary o the Year and District Extension Secretary awards. She was a founding member and officer of the Haralson County Master Gardener Association. She served two terms as a Carroll EMC Foundation Trustee, 15 years on the board of the West Georgia Museum in Tallapoosa, and is a member of the Tallapoosa East Baptist Church where she serves as organist. She has been a West Georgia Conservation District Supervisor since 20016.

Joan lives in Buchanan with her husband Bobby. They are the parents of two children, Barry and Laura, and have two grandchildren, Daniel and Katie.

Billy Sims

Haralson County

Billy was born and raised in Haralson County on a row crop farm that he would later convert to a working cattle and poultry farm. He graduated from Buchanan high School in 1956 and soon began his career with the Soil and Water Conservation Service (SCS) where he was the service technician for 26 years working in Haralson, Paulding and Carroll Counties.

Billy has also served in many different civic organizations over the years. For six years he served on the Haralson County School Board, was a Farm Bureau member for 25 years, a Mason since 1960 and continues to be active with the Haralson County Cattlemen’s Association.

Billy retired from the SCS office in 1986 to purchase an adjoining poultry and cattle farm. With this purchase he became the largest poultry producer for Gold Kist in the West Georgia Division. He would later return to the SCS (Now the Natural Resources Conservation Service) in the early 1990’s as the Haralson County Supervisor for the West Georgia Conservation District.