Vote in our Board of Supervisor Elections!

Androscoggin Valley Soil & Water Conservation District is a legal subdivision of State Government serving Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties. It was established to assist local communities with natural resource concerns.

The Board of Supervisors directs programs to assist individuals, groups, and municipalities with their conservation needs. There is one seat open for election. Those elected will serve a three-year term on the Board of Supervisors for Androscoggin Valley Soil & Water Conservation District.

All registered voters within the boundaries of Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties are eligible to vote in the election of a District Supervisor for the Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District. The candidate receiving a plurality of votes will become elected Supervisors. In the event of a tie vote, a runoff election will be held. 

To vote please print this ballot and either mail it or drop it off at our office 

Our Board of Supervisors

Katie Carville
​Treasurer

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Katie Carville joined the district board in 1998, she has been a board member for 24 years.  Katie has served on the Allen Pond Improvement Association and was a volunteer lake monitor for Lake Stewards of Maine. She was on the Vermont Avenue Road Association and helped to organize fundraising for Holy Trinity Parish in her hometown of Lisbon Falls. She was the Assistant Scout Master in Lisbon Falls for a number of years, helping her troop go on hiking trips in New Mexico and the national Boy Scout Jamboree.  Katie is a Mainer and enjoys being out in nature.  When she's not giving back to her community she enjoys taking walks and fishing. Katie was a budget analyst at the Naval Air Station and has incredible attention to detail.  She has a watchful eye on our budget and helps guide staff through budget questions and challenges.  She represents a voice for water quality concerns and other natural resources and is a valuable member of our board.

Kathy Shaw
Vice-Treasurer

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Kathy Shaw has been a supervisor for our district for over ten years.  She is a self-employed lifelong farmer and gardener--operating Valley View Farm in Auburn. Valley View Farm is a mixed product operation, they grow fruits and vegetables, and raise livestock chickens duck, rabbit, squab, turkeys, and sheep.  Valley View Farm is open year round, supporting our local communities fresh local food from her farm, and surrounding farmers.  You may visit the farm stand, find Kathy at a farmer's market, or schedule a weekly drop off at your house!  Kathy is dedicated to giving back to her community; she is the President of the Cumberland and Falmouth Farmer's Market Organization, the presiding officer for the Natural Resources and Agriculture Working Group in Auburn and has been apart of the Northern New England Bird Club, the Cliff Island Association along with many other organizations.  She has experience in farming, massage therapy, and welding. She is also a Master Gardener and a Master Food Preserver.  She brings representation from a variety of natural resource interests, and is well known across Androscoggin and Cumberland counties for her community efforts.

Eric Cousens
​Supervisor

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Eric is the Director of the Planning, Permitting and Code Department from the City of Auburn.  He has worked in the planning and economic development field for the City since 2006. He lives in Turner with his family where they manage their lands for firewood, maple syrup production, wildlife habitat, recreation, hunting and fishing.  They also have a small garden and a growing number of perennial fruits trees, grapes and raspberries and mushrooms. In his free time he enjoys spending time in the woods and on the water with family and friends.  Eric brings his city planner hat to our meetings, and strengthens our relationship with the City of Auburn. Eric has been an appointed supervisor since 2023.  His understanding of government and upcoming local projects bring an important perspective to our meetings.  

Jeremiah Burch
Supervisor

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Jeremiah Burch is a Forest Ranger with the Maine Forest Service, primarily serving Androscoggin, Oxford, and Sagadahoc Counties. He graduated from the University of Maine with a B.S. in Forestry, before going on to work for large industrial forest land managers, small woodlot owners, logging contractors, a sawmill, and as an arborist. Jeremiah has a passion for the outdoors, sustainable and inclusive land use practices, conservation, and giving back to the community.  Jeremiah joined the board in 2024 as an associate, and was voted in as supervisor in November 2024.  He resides in Lisbon with his family, where they enjoy working around their home to encourage native plants, trees and pollinators, and tending a budding garden.  ​

Tom Gilbert
​Associate Supervisor

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Tom Gilbert has served as the Water Resources Specialist at the Maine Forest Service (MFS) for over 10 years where he manages programs related to water quality protection and aquatic habitat including a forestry BMP monitoring program, forestry BMP educational programs and aquatic habitat enhancement programs. Prior to working at MFS, Tom served at the Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection and The New Hampshire Wetlands Bureau as a water quality and land use specialist, and served as a wildlife biologist for state, nonprofit and private sector organizations.  Tom resides in Topsham and  joined the AVSWCD board as an associate supervisor in 2024. He brings his important water quality perspective and understanding of state and federal agencies to our board.

Chloé Meyers
Associate Supervisor

Chloé is a certified nutritional therapist and organic fruit and veggie farmer. She co-owns Open Heart Farm, in Auburn with her husband, Grant.  Open Heart Farm serves farmers markets, senior farm-share participants, locally owned grocers, and food pantries nearby. The farm will soon offer on-farm educational tours and activities, public access trails across the Ag-zone in their neighborhood, and the pair has been engaging with local schools to develop gardens linked with nutrition programs.

Chloé’s great love for nutritious, delicious, and affordable food developed at a young age where she learned that simple ingredients could come together to form hearty filling meals. She expanded on her culinary skills while working in kitchens and bakeries in upstate New York. She was inspired by the kitchen garden at a retreat center where she worked as a baker, to begin growing food. In addition to farming, Chloé also works at Pine Tree Seeds -- a family-owned seed company in New Gloucester. In addition to being an important member of the AVSWCD board, she volunteers as a member of Auburn's Natural Products and Agriculture Working Group and  the Good Food Council of Lewiston & Auburn. She enjoys attending Community Plate storytelling potlucks around the state, and enjoys a good long walk.  Chloe joined our board as an associate in January of 2025.

Jeff Stern
Associate Supervisor

Jeff brings a wealth of experience and a lifelong passion for conservation to the board.  Throughout his four-decade career, he has coordinated lake watershed erosion control projects throughout western Maine, first as project manager for the Oxford County Soil & Water Conservation District and then through his own consulting business-- Fiddlehead Environmental Consulting.  In 2022, Jeff was honored as one of Maine’s 100 “Clean Water Champions” by the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Now semi-retired, Jeff continues to work part-time for the Androscoggin River Watershed Council on projects to improve stream connectivity and fish passage in northern New England, and on hazard mitigation planning for Maine towns. Jeff lives with his wife, Debbie in Poland. When not engaged in conservation activities, Jeff likes to unwind by hiking, kayaking, and playing trombone in various bands. Jeff joined the AVSWCD Board as an Associate in May 2025.