FSWCD Supervisor Gary Reiterman (left) receives a “Tree of Life” from FSWCD Director Chet Murphy.
Submitted photo
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — Gary Reiterman was recently recognized at the Fayette Soil & Water Conservation District Annual Meeting for his 30 years of service on the District’s Board of Supervisors.
Reiterman has chosen not to seek re-election and will retire from the board at the end of his current term that expires on Dec. 31 of this year.
Reiterman took office as a district supervisor on Jan. 1, 1995. His first office on the board was secretary, in which capacity he served for two years. He was then vice-chairman for two years and followed as chairman for two years. He has been the district’s fiscal agent for the past 24 years. The District has consistently received perfect audits during his tenure.
Reiterman has seen the District through many changes. During his first year in 1995, the new Fayette Ag Center building was planned and constructed. Also, in 1995, the District purchased its first Total Station survey instrument. That transitioned to a Survey-grade GPS in 2006. Remotely gathered Lidar elevation data is now increasingly being used.
The big development in the county in 1995 was New US 35. The REX Pipeline then came through in 2009. Now there is the LH Battery Plant and other major developments throughout the county.
During his years as supervisor, the District has maintained its work providing technical services for agricultural soil and water conservation best management practices, has expanded its education programs, and has added a number of new programs, including Farmland Preservation, Home Septic System Repair/Replacement Program, County Subdivision Review, Floodplain Management, and Stormwater Management.
District director Chet Murphy presented Reiterman with a personalized steel art “Tree of Life.” Murphy said, “This Tree of Life symbolizes Gary’s commitment to the District’s mission to promote wise stewardship of our natural resources through cooperative partnerships, educational programs, and technical assistance in land and water management. It is 30 inches in diameter, one inch for each year of his service.”
