Board of Supervisors

Interested in Joining?

The WNRCD Board of Supervisors is seeking dedicated District residents to sit on the Board of Supervisors. Eligible Supervisors must reside within WNRCD boundaries.

There are 5 Voting Supervisors and terms are 5 years with a fall/winter election every year for a single seat. Voting Supervisors must follow a formal petition for ballot process. Annual petitions are released in the fall every year and posted to this site. You can also contact us (Info@WinooskiNRCD.org) to request a petition once it is released in any given year.

Please find the petition for 2024 below. It must be signed and returned to WNRCD offices by NOVEMBER 8, 2024.

Elections will be held December 9, 2024.

There is no limit on the number of non-voting Associate Supervisors the Winooski NRCD can host, and no term length for these seats. Associate Supervisors still attend monthly meetings and volunteer their assistance in District projects where it best fits their skills. Any and all residents of the Winooski District are welcome to serve as Associate Supervisors upon approval of the Board of Supervisors. If interested in joining as an Associate Supervisor, contact us any time of year and we will help set up a meet and greet with the current Board and answer your questions.

Supervisor eligibility and voting procedures follow Vermont statute.

Supervisor Handbook  

The Winooski NRCD always welcomes passionate people with an interest in natural resource work. Winooski NRCD is an equal opportunity employer.  Review of interested residents shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, citizenship, age, color or sexual identity or orientation. Thank you for your interest!

Current Supervisors

RICK HOPKINS, CHAIR, SUPERVISOR

Rick graduated from Hartwick College with a degree in biology and earned his masters degree from the University of Vermont in Natural Resources Planning. After graduating from UVM, Rick spent two years working as a regional land use planner for the Martha’s Vineyard Commission before returning to Vermont to work for the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Rick spent close to 29 years working with a wide variety of groups and partners to protect and improve surface water quality throughout Vermont by managing and controlling nonpoint sources of pollution.   For many of those years Rick managed the Section 319 nonpoint source program, the Section 604b water quality planning program and the Vermont watershed grants program. In his spare time Rick is involved with the Cross Vermont Trail Association and the East Montpelier Trails Committee. Rick enjoys being outdoors, downhill skiing, mountain biking and hiking. Rick is a consistent bowler in the low 120s.   Rick hails from a corner of paradise known as East Montpelier.

 RUSS BARRETT, VICE CHAIR, SUPERVISOR

Russ worked for the Vermont Forests Parks and Recreation for 39 years, which included time at the State Tree Nursery, Orange County Forester and as the Washington County Forester.  He graduated from the University of Vermont  Forestry School in 1975.  Now retired he dedicates his time between the WNRCD, Northfield Conservation Commission, serving as the Tree Warden for Northfield, gardening, hiking, and a little golfing as time allows.  He lives in Northfield with his wife Dody, dogs Roddy and Bean, and cat Trixie.

Rich Turner, Treasurer, supervisor

Rich is serving as interim treasurer for the remainder of the 2020 term.

NANCY EVERHART, ASSOCIATE SUPERVISOR

Nancy joined the Board as an Associate Supervisor in 2021.  She retired at the end of 2020, after 19 years on the conservation staff of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, serving as both Conservation Director and Agricultural Director.  At VHCB she worked closely with federal, state, local and non-profit partners, with a particular focus on farmland protection.  Prior to joining VHCB, she owned and operated a small, diversified organic dairy.  She continued to raise and sell grass-fed organic beef on her small Marshfield farm until she retired.

Nancy lives with her husband Dave Pelletier in Marshfield.  She loves doing almost anything outside – gardening, hiking, swimming, kayaking, biking, and cross-country skiing.  Since retiring, she and her husband have enjoyed taking their camper on long trips, exploring state and national parks along the way. She holds a B.A. from Harvard University, and is a 2011 graduate of the Snelling Vermont Leadership Institute.

JEFF CUETO, ASSOCIATE SUPERVISOR

Jeff has been a District Supervisor since 2012. He holds a degree in civil engineering and formerly worked for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation as the chief hydrologist.  Jeff led the Agency’s participation in the federal re-licensing of hydroelectric projects and Act 250 review of major projects, such as ski resort developments.  Since leaving the Department, he has broadened his geographic perspective by providing consulting services to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, a national organization that qualifies hydroelectric projects under a set of environmental criteria for “green” certification.  Jeff lives with his wife, Linda, in East Montpelier where he grew up on a farm first settled in 1791 by one of the founders of Montpelier.

Paul Hartshorn

Paul lives in Waitsfield VT, currently working as a logger and producing maple syrup.  Paul spent his 40+ year career as a dairy farmer in addition to dedicating his time as the Assistant Chief for the Waitsfield Fire Department.  Every year for the past 30+ years, Paul partners with the Fire Department and the State to conduct a fishing derby on his property for youth.

Past Board Members:

OLIVER PIERSON

Oliver E. Pierson manages the Lakes and Ponds Program for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. He is a natural resources management and sustainable development professional with twenty years of experience working on water resources management and conservation issues in Africa and the United States. Oliver received a M.S. in Natural Resources Ecology and Management from Cornell University and a B.S. in Geology and Environmental Studies from Yale University. He has published research on use of payments to protect ecosystem services, best practices for forest sector reform, and use of spatial analysis to assess land use change. He lives in South Burlington, Vermont with his wife Julie and children Zachary (11) and Coralie (8). In his spare time, Oliver enjoys hanging out with his family in Vermont’s woods, mountains, and waters, playing music, coaching youth sports, and brewing beer.