Hurley Supervisor joins CWC Board of Directors

MARGARETVILLE, N.Y., April 26, 2007 - The Catskill Watershed Corporation Board of Directors said farewell to Ward Todd, a long time colleague, as it welcomed newcomer Michael Shultis to its ranks.

Board election results were announced at the CWC’s Annual Meeting of Member Towns April 24, when Georgianna Lepke of Sullivan County and Michael Flaherty of Greene County were returned to five-year seats without opposition.

Mr. Todd, of Shandaken, had been one of two Ulster County representatives on the 15-member CWC Board since 1997, shortly after the establishment of the non-profit organization. As a member of the Ulster County Legislature, he was eligible for service on the CWC Board, which requires its members to be locally elected officials. Mr. Todd subsequently relinquished his elected post to become Executive Director of the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, and so stepped down from the CWC Board when his term expired.

Mr. Todd, who was first vice-president of the board, chaired the Education Committee. He also served on the Finance, Septic and Economic Development Committees, as well as the Temporary Committee on Tourism and Regional Marketing.

CWC Executive Director Alan Rosa presented Mr. Todd with a beautiful photograph in a hand-made rustic frame. Mr. Rosa and fellow board members expressed their appreciation for Mr. Todd’s years of service with the CWC, and he returned their thanks.

Mr. Shultis was elected Hurley’s Supervisor in 2005. He serves full-time in that capacity. Born in Kingston, he has lived most of his life in Hurley, where he served for 15 years on the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals. The owner of Shultis Forest Products, he has been a timber harvester since 1976.

Mr. Shultis and his wife Marie have five children ranging in age from 11 to 26 and one grandchild.

Said the new board member, "I look forward to continuing the hard work and dedication that Ward has given the CWC for the last 10 years. The CWC has been a great asset to the communities that it serves. It has created a good partnership between the communities and NYC DEP to preserve the water quality that is so important to downstate drinking systems and help improve the quality of life for upstaters. As with any job I have ever tackled I will give 110% to my committee assignments and work hard for the communities I represent."

Officers of the CWC Board who were named at the Annual Meeting April 24 include President Perry Shelton, First Vice President Michael Flaherty, Second Vice President Berndt Leifeld, Secretary Charles Buck, and Treasurer Georgianna Lepke.