How the District is Governed
Otter Creek NRCD is governed by a Board of Directors, sometimes referred to as the Board of Supervisors, which meets every second Tuesday of the month from 4:30pm to 6:30pm in the conference room at the Middlebury NRCS & FSA service center, where the District office is located. Occasionally the meeting time and location may be altered, please reach out to confirm.
Meetings are open to the public, please join us if you have concerns or ideas about conservation in Addison County! If you cannot make a meeting, please submit public comments via email.
Background
NRCDs are municipalities, and board members must gather signatures to petition to join, and the board must hold a vote if there are multiple candidates for one position. Petitioners and voters for the board of directors must live and own land in Addison County. Board members must live in Addison County, but do not have to own land. The board consists of 5 voting members, but additional non-voting members can join. Board members are volunteers, who serve staggered, five-year terms.
- Provide oversight to the district manager & finances
- Comply with Vermont Open Meeting Laws
- Operate under coordination of the State Natural Resources Conservation Council (NRCC)
Current Board Members
Name, end of term, position
- Jonathan Chamberlin, 2028, chair
- Paul Wagner, 2027, vice chair
- Josh Lucas, 2026, treasurer
- Kylie Chittenden- 2029
- John Roberts- 2030
District Supervisors Bios
Jonathan Chamberlin of Addison joined the board in 2005. A graduate of Purdue University in agronomy, he is a technical service provider for Bourdeau Brothers of Middlebury.
Paul Wagner of Bridport joined in 2007. Paul and Barbara operated the Wagner Family Dairy Farm on North Cream Hill Road for many years, and have since retired.
Josh Lucas operates Lucas Cattle Company with his wife, Janelle, and their children. Josh manages grass-fed-and-finished beef on 185 acres in Orwell and 265 acres in Benson. Josh’s main goal is to provide high quality pasture forage for his animals, producing a high quality grass fed beef for the local market, and is experienced in intensive rotational grazing practices.
Kylie Chittenden of Shoreham joined the board in 2007. Kylie runs her own farm and helps operate family farms as well. Kylie, a 2003 graduate of Cornell University, is a county director of Vermont Farm Bureau and a delegate for Dairy Farmers of America. She was a co-chair for the 2008 International Forum for Women in Dairying, a 4-H leader, and co-chair of the Addison County Young Farmers group.
John Roberts served as the VT State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency from 2022-2024. He previously worked for the VT Agency of Agriculture, Shelburne Farms, and on his own dairy farm in Cornwall, VT. John has served on many local boards, such as the town of Cornwall, Vermont Water Resources Board, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Vermont Land Trust, Vermont Brown Swiss Association, the USDA FSA State Committee, and the National Beef Promotion Board.