Board Briefs and Alliance Organization

The Rathbun Land and Water Alliance Board Briefs are issued prior to each Alliance Board meeting and provide an overview of recent activities carried out by project staff.
April 2021  
January 2021
September 2020
February 2020
July 2019
January 2019
June 2018
April 2018
January 2018
July 2017
April 2017
January 2017
July 2016 - page one
July 2016 - page two
January 2016 
April 2015
January 2015
March 2014
July 2013
April 2013
January 2013
July 2012
April 2012
January 2012
March 2011
January 2011
June 2010
March 2010
December 2009
April 2009
January 2009
April 2008
January 2008
June 2007
March 2007
December 2006
Alliance Organization
At the Rathbun Land and Water Alliance's January 12, 2018 quarterly meeting, John Glenn retained his position as RLWA President, Kim Fransisco retained his position as Vice President, and John Sellers was elected to the position of Secretary/Treasurer to fill the position vacated by Bruce George, who resigned from the RLWA Board. At large directors were reappointed. Bruce George's vacancy will be filled in the near future.  

The RLWA Alliance members are the Rathbun Regional Water Association, Inc., Soil and Water Conservation Districts and County Governments in the Rathbun Lake watershed. Alliance partners at the local, state and federal levels include the Farm BureauIowa Department of Natural Resources
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship's Division of Soil ConservationIowa State UniversityUSDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceUSDA Farm Service Agency, and US Army Corps of Engineers. Alliance activities are governed by an eleven member board of directors. All Assistance avaiable through the Alliance is offered on a non-discriminatory basis. The Alliance is organized as a nonprofit corporation under Iowa Code 504A and Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code. Information about Alliance members, partners, and organization is available through the links on this page.
Board of Directors
President - John Glenn, representing RRWA
Vice President - Kim Francisco, At-Large Director Lucas County
Sec/Treasurer - John Sellers, Wayne County SWCD
Appanoose County BOS- Neil Smith
Appanoose County SWCD- Chuck Moore
Lucas County SWCD- Kevin Leudtke
Lucas County BOS- Dennis Smith
At-Large Director, Monroe County - Denny Amoss
At-Large Director, Wayne County- Ralph Alshouse
At-Large Director, Decatur County - Jim Sullivan
At-Large Director, Wayne County - Mark Batchelder
Partners
Landowners in the Rathbun Lake Watershed
Iowa State University
Iowa Watershed Improvement Review Board
Southern Iowa Development and Conservation Authority
US Army Corps of Engineers
USDA Farm Service Agency
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Appanoose, Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, and Wayne Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Appanoose, Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, and Wayne Counties
Iowa Farm Bureau at the state and county levels

Contact the Alliance
For additional information regarding the Rathbun Land and Water Alliance and the Alliance's efforts to protect water quality in Rathbun Lake, click on any of the links listed below.

John Glenn, Alliance President and RRWA CEO

Marty Braster, Environmental Management Specialist/Support Services Officer, RRWA
Marty Braster is the Support Services Officer with Rathbun Regional Water Association (RRWA).  One of Marty’s responsibilities is to coordinate the utility’s source water protection activities.  Marty has been with RRWA for close to 20 years.  Prior to joining RRWA, Marty worked with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in field offices and for the agency’s Resource Conservation and Development Program.

Velvet Buckingham, Environmental Specialist, Protect Rathbun Lake Coordinator
Velvet Buckingham is currently an Environmental Specialist with IDALS-DSCWQ.  One of Velvet’s main responsibilities is working with landowners to coordinate the installation of best management practices in the watershed.  Velvet has worked for IDALS since 2008, and been a project coordinator with the Rathbun Lake Watershed project since 2004.  Velvet operators her own cow-calf herd, and is an active partner in her family’s farming operation which consists of row crop production and cow-calf herds in the watershed.

Brian DeMoss, Environmental Specialist, Protect Rathbun Lake Coordinator
Brian DeMoss is an Environmental Specialist with the Lucas County Soil and Water Conservation District.  Brian has been a watershed coordinator for the project since 2011, and cooperates with landowners to install best management practices in the watershed.  Prior to joining the Rathbun Lake Project, Brian was a lead watershed project coordinator for the Fox River Watershed project from 2007-2011.  Brian also has work experience on local farming operations with row crop, cow-calf herds, and cattle feedlots.

Kathleen Chester, Education and Outreach