Board Poised to Further Conservation Efforts in the Lake Tahoe Basin

Bill Boosman and Paul Sciuto, both Lake Tahoe residents with backgrounds in conservation issues, were sworn in as Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD) Board members at a public meeting on Tuesday in South Lake Tahoe. They join 3 existing members to complete a five-person Board of Directors. Tahoe RCD’s Board of Directors work to set direction for the organization to promote the protection and improvement of the natural resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin, including programs and projects which focus on erosion control, conservation landscaping services and invasive species prevention and control.

“I have the utmost confidence in both of these individuals and I am certain that they will add a lot to the Tahoe RCD Board and their ongoing good work,” said El Dorado County Supervisor Norma Santiago.

Mr. Boosman has extensive experience in public service, having served on the school board, city council and even as mayor of Twisp, Washington, a small town in central Washington State. He attended Western Washington State University and has worked as a fly-fishing guide, ski instructor and building contractor. Having relocated to the Tahoe Basin within the past year, Mr. Boosman is excited to get involved in conservation and community issues in his new hometown.

Mr. Sciuto brings 23 years of wastewater & engineering experience to Tahoe RCD. Currently the Assistant General Manager and Engineer with the South Tahoe Public Utility District, Mr. Sciuto has also worked at a private engineering firm and as a consultant. He received a BS degree in civil engineering from UC Davis, an MBA in finance from Cal State East Bay, and an MS in technology management from Pepperdine. “I’m very excited to serve on Tahoe RCD’s Board as a way to give back to the Lake Tahoe community,” said Mr. Sciuto after the induction ceremony.

The two new additions to the Tahoe RCD Board of Directors replace Joyce Blackstone, owner of Joyce Blackstone Interior Design in South Lake Tahoe, and Heather Segale, Education and Outreach Director for UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, in Incline Village, NV. Joyce Blackstone served on the Board for 12 years, contributing as President and Treasurer during her tenure. Heather Segale served for 6 years, enhancing Tahoe RCD’s collaborative relationships in environmental education and outreach throughout the Tahoe Basin.

Bob Anderson, current President of the Tahoe RCD’s Board of Directors commented, “The Tahoe RCD Board of Directors is very pleased to welcome Mr. Sciuto and Mr. Boosman to the Board. They are both very well qualified and we believe they will help us advance our current conservation efforts to protect and restore the natural resources in the Tahoe Basin. We really appreciate the extensive contributions of former Board Members Heather Segale and Joyce Blackstone. They poured a lot of passion, time and energy during their service to the Tahoe Basin community, and they should be commended for that.”

About the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD)
The Tahoe RCD’s mission is to promote the conservation and improvement of the Lake Tahoe Basin’s soil, water, and related natural resources by providing leadership, information, programs, and technical assistance to all land managers, owners, organizations, and residents. The Tahoe RCD is a non-regulatory, grant funded, public agency that works with a variety of partner agencies to implement programs and outreach, which currently focus on erosion control, runoff infiltration, terrestrial and aquatic invasive species control, and conservation landscaping.

— Pete Brumis is the public outreach coordinator for the Tahoe Resource Conservation District. He can be reached at pbrumis@TahoeRCD.org