John Wright is a life-long Warwick resident and current Chairman of the Conservation District. He was a dairy farmer until the 1980’s when the farm began transitioning to a diversified agricultural operation that now includes beef cows, hay, pumpkins, Christmas Trees and related ‘agritourism.' John is assisted in operation of the farm by several members of his family. He has been a District Director since 2003, and has held the Chairman seat since 2013. He previously held the Farm Bureau-nominated position on the Board and is now the ‘at-large’ member. As a District Director, he has aggressively promoted improved employee benefits as well as enhanced programming to targeting Orange County farmers. John has served on the Warwick School Board and Conservation Commission as well as the County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board. He has received the District Director award by the NYS Conservation District Employees Association. John and his wife, Roberta, have three children, Brendan, Justin and Kerri, and numerous grandchildren.
Paul Ruszkiewicz holds one of the two County Legislator seats on the Soil and Water Board. He has been a director since 2014. He grew up and still resides in Pine Island where he raises around 150 acres of onions, soybeans, corn and squash on Pine Island’s rich organic (Black Dirt) soils in partnership with his father, John. Paul is a SUNY Cobleskill and Cornell graduate, earning a Masters Degree in 2000. His community service includes the Orange County Vegetable Growers Association (president), and Wallkill Valley Drainage Improvement Association (Chairman). He is the County Legislature representative on the Orange County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board. Paul is married to Jennifer, and has two children, John and Ashley. He enjoys hunting, fishing and the outdoors. |
Paula DeBlock is the Grange Representative on the OCSWCD Board of Directors, replacing her dad, David Hulle, who served as the Grange Representative for many years. Paula grew up on her family's dairy farm in the Town of Hamptonburgh, Orange County. She graduated from Goshen Central school. She grew up in 4-H, learning to cook and sew and showed cows at the Orange County Fair. She has been a Grange member for over 50 years, starting in Junior Grange. Paula previously worked as a Program Technician for USDA Farm Service Agency, helping deliver Federal USDA programs to Orange County agricultural producers. She has 2 living children, 3 living grandchildren and enjoys camping, reading and the outdoors.
George Constable is a lifelong resident of the Town of Minisink where he has lived and worked on the family dairy farm started by his parents in 1951. After shipping milk for 67 years, his family made the decision to exit the dairy business. George has been an active volunteer with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County and Orange County Farm Bureau and is currently the FB representative to the OCSWCD board. In his free time, George has taken up hiking in the Hudson Valley/Catskills/Adirondacks and hopes to soon begin backpacking/camping.
Barry Cheney is one of two Board members representing the Orange County Legislature. He also serves as Deputy Mayor in the Village of Warwick where he has lived for the past 46 years. A retired Professional Engineer, Barry’s 40-year career consulted to government and private sector clients. He received his Civil and Environmental Engineering degree from Clarkson University. He serves as Chair of the Physical Services Committee which oversees the County's Departments of Public Works and Parks, the Water Authority and the Soil and Water Conservation District.
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