District Staff

District Manager: Alice Halloran (ahalloran@westelcom.com)
Alice started in 2017 and is now the new District Manager.  She’s off to a running start by applying for new grants and improving procedures.  Alice has a MS in Environmental Biology and has worked as a Park Ranger on Lake George for several years.  Alice, during her time as a technician has delved into our agricultural programs. She's worked side-by-side with many of the counties local farmers to implement sound conservation practices. When she isn't in the field working with our amazing farmers, she is working with many of the highway departments.  Projects include:  Culvert replacements, roadside erosion and storm water runoff projects, to name a few. 

Secretary: Lois Sayward (lsayward@westelcom.com)
Lois has been with the District since 2012. She is the voice you hear when you call. From dealing with paying for projects, to recording the meeting minutes, to making sure we are following contract terms, she makes sure we stay on the right path!  Lois is often the gatherer of the information at the tire collections, which is invaluable for us to be able to continue to hold those events.
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District Technician: Amy Calkins (acalkins@westelcom.com)
Amy joined us as summer intern in 2017, and started full time that fall. She has been doing a lot of work with our stream program, especially helping with project design, grants, and permits as well as helping with some invasive species issues. Aside from stream work, she is also very productive in getting rain gardens on the ground and organizes the tire collection events. 
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District Technician:  Olivia Dickenson 
(odickenson@westelcom.com)
Olivia was hired full time the fall of 2018.  She started out as a summer intern doing our ARRA reports and is our GIS guru.  Olivia also handles our newsletter and Facebook.  She is has been working at our tire collections, rain garden installation work, and much more.  She is a great asset to our office and we look forward to working with her. 

A FOND FAREWELL...

David Reckahn has retired and we are sad to see him go.  Dave has worked with Essex County SWCD for 10 years.  He is a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) and has 25 years of experience in everything from agriculture, to streams, to storm runoff, to forestry, to education.  We will miss you, but realize that you need to get onto other adventures.  Have fun with the doggies and think of us once in awhile as you go skiing, hiking, and camping.
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We say a fond farewell to Laura Generous, who is a CPESC and taught 4-Hour DEC Erosion & Sediment Control Courses.  She served as coordinator for Essex County Trees for Tribs Program in Lake Champlain and was the driving force for the Wacky Water Program here in Essex County for the Summer Youth Programs. She also presented rain barrel workshops, as well as handling the website, Facebook, newsletter on top of being our resident forester.  She has moved onto other adventures in her life (new home with acres to manage and new job closer to her home).  We wish her well and will miss her greatly.  
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Interns of the summer of 2018

From Left to Right: Kurt Oelhbeck (rain garden installation/backhoe operator), Owen Pierce (Wacky Water Youth Educator), and Olivia Dickenson (ARRA Report, rural roads erosion GIS) - We managed to find a shot where all 3 were in the photo!!