Our Board

On this page:

Our Board of Directors includes local residents, working together:

All soil and water conservation districts in Oregon are governed by a board of publicly elected officials. The Tualatin SWCD Board of Directors is composed of Washington County residents who work collaboratively with leadership to establish policy and develop strategies. These local residents act as a guiding body to ensure the conservation district works effectively toward its mission of protecting natural resources and creating a healthy, productive Washington County community.

Tualatin SWCD has seven board members – five members who represent specific geographic zones within Washington County and two who are elected “at-large” from anywhere in the district. These volunteer officials serve four-year terms. In Oregon, conservation district director elections occur every two years during the November general election (even-numbered years).

Current Board of Directors:

Board members represent the district at local and regional meetings, community events, and project tours. They promote the district’s work to fellow residents, partner organizations, and local decision makers.

The Board of Directors is responsible for setting policies and procedures, complying with legal requirements, ensuring fiscal responsibility, adopting the budget, participating in board and committee meetings, and setting the strategic direction for the district.

The current Board of Directors for Tualatin SWCD includes:

Jerry Ward – Zone 1 (Chair)
Eldon Jossi – Zone 2 (Secretary)
Thomas Dierickx – Zone 3
Olivia Duren – Zone 4
Luke VanderZanden – Zone 5
Steve VanGrunsven – At-Large #1 (Vice Chair)
Dean Moberg – At-Large #2 (Treasurer)

Director Zone Map. Click to zoom.

Are you interested in serving on the Tualatin SWCD Board of Directors?

If you are interested in running for a director position, you can find all necessary forms, instructions, and candidate packets on the Oregon Department of Agriculture SWCD Elections page. Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 568.560 describes the eligibility requirements for a person to become a soil and water conservation district director. If you live within Washington County, you reside within the district’s boundaries. View a map of zone boundaries above.

Candidates for At-Large Board Director positions must reside within the boundaries of the district and be a registered voter in that district.

Candidates for Zone Board Director positions must reside within the boundaries of the district, be a registered voter in that district, and meet one of the following additional criteria:

Actively manage 10 or more acres in the zone that is being represented, or
Reside within the zone that is being represented and actively manage 10 or more acres elsewhere within the boundaries of the district, or
Reside within the zone, serve at least one year as an At-Large Board Director or an Associate Director for the district, and have a conservation plan that is approved by the district. This eligibility option does not include a requirement of active management of 10 acres or more.

The Board of Directors can appoint non-voting Associate Directors to contribute additional expertise and energy to the board. Associate Directors must reside within the boundaries of the district and be a registered voter in that district.