The Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District is pleased to announce Tom Moss was selected to receive the 2026 Ken Wagner Outstanding\ Beginning Commissioner Award! The award was presented by Sean Dolan, President of Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI), at the 80th Iowa Soil and Water Conservation Commissioners’ Annual Conference in Ames on Tuesday, August 25th . Tom Moss stepped up to run as a write-in candidate for the 2022 election after learning Madison SWCD was expecting a vacancy on the board. Within his first year as commissioner, he stepped into the role of Vice Chair after a commissioner resigned, and ended up presiding over the last five meetings of 2023. In 2024, he was elected as the Chair and has continued to serve in that role since then. Out of the 95 board meetings scheduled since Tom became a commissioner, he has only missed a few.
Besides his leadership on the commission, he has also served as the SWCD’s representative to the North Raccoon River Watershed Management Coalition since 2023, the Madison County REAP Committee in 2025, and participated on Madison SWCD’s Planning Committee while it was active from 2023 to 2025. Additionally, he has been involved with Cultivating Connections, a new project started by the Madison County Conservation Board that is bringing together partners and community members to focus on connecting the dots between the health of the environment, human health, and community health. Tom has also participated in CDI Spring Regionals and Annual Conferences and Conservation Partnership Day at the Capitol.
It’s difficult to put into words everything Tom does for Madison SWCD. He fulfills the duties of a commissioner, but goes above and beyond. He is well-prepared for meetings and he often follows up with tasks after meetings, such as helping write statements, drafting resolutions, and taking the time to meet with other community members and stakeholders about topics relevant to soil and water conservation. Tom has made himself accessible and available to staff and other commissioners; there have been numerous occasions where he has stopped by the office to handle district business outside of meeting days, as well as addressing other concerns that may arise. He has also volunteered to help with numerous special events such as field days, often being the first to arrive to set up and staying to help pack up afterward.
Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners are volunteer positions, and all commissioners should be commended for their service. However, witnessing first-hand how much time Tom devotes to Madison SWCD and related meetings and events really speaks to his commitment and passion for conservation.
Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District is an equal opportunity provider and employer.