WICD Board


​Overview

A board of five Supervisors, three elected and two appointed, directs the programs and policies of the Whidbey Island Conservation District.  The board meets once a month to discuss district business, oversee district finances and provide guidance on district activities. The meetings are open to the public.
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Appointed and elected positions are for 3-year terms and are served without compensation.  District elections are held each spring. ​For more information about the Conservation District election process, view our election fact sheet by clicking here.

Thank You to our outgoing Supervisors!

WICD has been lucky to have these community members guiding the district with their expertise and dedication. Thank you Ed Adams, Anza Meunchow, and Tom Fournier for your service.

Ed Adams
​Served from 2015-2020

​I enjoyed my five years serving as a board member for WICD. It was very rewarding to work with a dedicated board help guide the district in its mission. The district employees are a talented team of professionals providing excellent conservation solutions to Whidbey Island land managers. It was satisfying to see conservation applied on the island helping to protect our natural resources.

Anza Muenchow
​Served from 2017-2020

​I appreciate the opportunity to have served Whidbey Island on the Conservation District board of supervisors these last few years. The management and staff at WICD have been a pleasure to work with. They are a committed, smart, hardworking crew. I especially appreciate learning about the struggles and goals of all the property owners we have assisted these years. I can relate. It is a big responsibility to care for our land.
Since my husband and I bought property and began Maha Farm and Forest, understanding and managing our island’s natural resources has been a passion for us. I enjoyed the conferences and loads of information about how we can do a better job preserving and embracing our island environment. Thanks for having me represent the south end of the island and good luck with all your projects in the future.

Tom Fournier
​Served from 2011-2020

​What I have enjoyed most over the last nine years of my appointment to the Whidbey Island Conservation District (WICD) Board of Supervisors is the feeling of accomplishment I get when experiencing the many conservation practices that have been implemented by our cooperators with the advice and assistance of our Staff. I leave the Board knowing that we have a strong organization that is positioned to continue providing high quality assistance to land owners and operators.

Mid-Term Supervisor Vacancy
 
The WICD Board of Supervisors is seeking to fill a vacant appointed supervisor position. This is a mid-term vacancy with 1 year remaining in the term (expires May 2021).

​Applicants must be registered voters residing on Whidbey Island, and may be required to own land or operate a farm. Appointment procedures are available at https://scc.wa.gov/elections-and-appointments/. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Matt Zupich, District Manager, via email at matt@whidbeycd.org for information and/or how to apply. 

The application deadline is June 6, 2020. 

Related Documents

• Conservation District Candidates Guide to Elections
• Conservation District Candidates Guide to Appointments
• Conservation District Supervisor Responsibilities

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WICD Board Member Profiles

Sarah Richards
CHAIR
ELECTED, TERM THROUGH 2021
Sarah Richards farms lavender on Whidbey Island and produces value-added products in her new retail and manufacturing location in Coupeville. She grew up on another island off the east coast of the USA. She has had a myriad of work experiences, including telephone installation, computer programming, and mental health counseling. She has a Masters degree in Counseling from Oregon State University. Recently she has served on the boards of the Northwest Agriculture Business Center, KWPA Radio, is a founding officer of the United States Lavender Growers Association, and was President of the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce for two terms. She also has a flock of chickens on her lavender farm.
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MEMBER - VACANT

Dr. Mark Sytsma
VICE CHAIR
APPOINTED, TERM THROUGH 2023

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Tim Keohane
MEMBER
​ELECTED, TERM THROUGH 2022
Tim was born in Osaka, Japan in 1948. As a military family, they moved every three years; living in Europe, North Africa, and several states, including Alaska. Upon graduating high school in 1966, Tim built a 32' fishing vessel and went to Alaska to earn money for college. After graduating with a degree in Industrial Technology/Engineering, he continued to fish commercially in Alaska and to spend the off-season involved in a variety of projects from building boats, to houses, to hydraulic lift boat trailers. Tim became more involved in agriculture when he married his wife, Paula, also a commercial fisher and farmer in Alaska, becoming involved in hay production and forestry. It was at that time they began to work with the Soil Conservation Service in developing the family homestead. Since acquiring some acreage on Whidbey Island, Tim has continued both his commercial fishing in Alaska and his involvement in farm operations and development here. His most recent effort is the development and implementation of a forest conservation plan on their 32-acres in central Whidbey.

Gary Ketcheson
AUDITOR
APPOINTED, TERM THROUGH 2023

2018 Northwest Area

District Supervisor

of the Year 

WSCC Director of Policy & Inter-governmental Relations Ron Shultz (right) presents WICD Vice Chair Supervisor Sarah Richards (left) with an award in October 2018.

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2018 Outstanding

Supervisor Award

WICD's Fiscal Administrator, Sandy Welch (left) presents WICD Board Supervisor Tom Fournier (right) with an award in November 2018.