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Meet Your IRWA Board of Directors

Robert Dial

President

Region IV
Term Expires in March 2022
City of Firth
 

Beau Ziemer

Vice-President, Awards Committee Chair

Region II
Term Expires in March 2023
City of New Plymouth


AJ Gray

Secretary/Treasurer, Legislative Director

Region III
Term Expires in March 2022
City of Buhl


Brad Andersen

National Director, Conference Committee Chair

Region IV, At Large
Term Expires in March 2022
City of Iona


Bob Culver

Director, Training Committee Chair

Region III, At Large
Term Expires in March 2023
City of Jerome
rcculver@msn.com

Brian Vail

Director

Region III, At-Large
Term Expires in March 2023
City of Heyburn
bvail@heyburncity.org

Wesley Rice

Director

Region I
Term Expires in March 2023
City of Plummer
publicworks@cityofplummer.org

 

Board Regions

Region I – Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah, Shoshone, Latah, Clearwater, Lewis, Nez Perce and Idaho counties
Region II – Adams, Valley, Washington, Boise, Gem, Payette, Canyon, Elmore, Ada and Owyhee counties 
Region III – Camas, Blaine, Butte, Gooding, Lincoln, Minidoka, Jerome, Twin Falls, Cassia, Lemhi and Custer counties
Region IV – Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, Teton, Bonneville, Bingham, Bannock, Caribou, Power, Oneida, Franklin and Bear Lake counties 
At-Large – Anywhere in Idaho
Regional Map

Duties of the Board of Directors

  • To conduct and supervise the affairs of the Association, including the designation of committees. 
  • To take charge of and be responsible for the property of the Association’s finances and the proceedings of the Association. 
  • To initiate, supervise, and approve plans and programs designed to achieve the objectives and purposes of the Association. 
  • To implement policies, programs or plans adopted at the annual meeting of the members. 
  • To determine policies of the Association consistent with the objectives and purposes of the Association as set out in the Articles of Incorporation. 
  • To provide for and attend annual and special meetings of the Association. 
  • To arrange for the annual audit of the Association by a certified public accountant. 
  • To provide for the dissemination of information to the members and to the public, as may be needed to provide suitable publicity for the work and status of the Association.

Board Member Eligibility

  • All Board of Directors positions are for a two year term. 
  • No director is entitled to compensation except for reimbursement of reasonable expenses for Association business. 
  • No former Association employee whose employment has been terminated for cause shall be eligible for election to the Board of Directors. 
  • No person may become an employee if he/she is a member of the Board of Directors of IRWA or at least one hundred eighty-two (182) days has expired from the time he/she was last a member of the Board of Directors of IRWA.

Join the IRWA Board of Directors

If you’re interested in joining the IRWA Board of Directors, we’d love to hear from you! Our board members are vital to IRWA’s success, helping us achieve our mission of providing technical assistance, training, and a strong representative voice for the benefit of Idaho’s drinking water and wastewater utility systems. We welcome fresh perspectives and your enthusiasm to get more involved with the Association.

Submit Your Candidacy

To submit your candidacy, please download a Board of Directors Candidate Interest Form. Email the completed form and a candidate photo to office@idahoruralwater.com. Elections are held every March at our Annual Business Meeting, during the Annual Spring Conference. Candidacy submissions are accepted as late as the Annual Business Meeting.

Advertise Your Candidacy

The Water Gram: If we receive your form by November 15th, your candidacy will be printed in the winter edition of our quarterly magazine and be posted on our website. The IRWA Website: If we receive your form by March 1st, your candidacy will be posted on our website.

2022 Board of Directors Candidate Profiles

  • Region III Candidate 
  • Region IV Candidate
  • At-Large (population under 10,000) Candidate

AJ Gray

System representing: City of Buhl
Title: Superintendent
Seat/region you are running for: Region III

 

I was born and raised in Vermont. Joined the U.S. Navy right out of high school and retired as a Chief Petty Officer. I started working for the City of Buhl in the Water Department February 2005. In 2013, I was promoted to Water Superintendent for Buhl where I am still employed. I am also a Contract Water Operator for the Cities of Castleford, Hollister and the Rogerson Water District all located in Twin Falls County. I hold Class II water treatment /distribution and Backflow Assembly tester licenses. I have assisted other smaller water systems with level I and II assessments and solving water issues.  I understand the difficulties rural communities face to maintain, repair or replace aging systems.

I have been on the IRWA Board of Directors for 4 years as the Legislative board member and Secretary/ Treasurer. I have represented the state of Idaho at the National Rural Water Rally in Washington D.C. as both a board member and operator. Idaho is growing and so is the mission of the IRWA to continue training water and waste water professionals, city officials and provide assistance to rural communities. I believe IRWA is VITAL to our profession and I am here to SERVE.



Robert Dial

System representing: City of Firth
Title: Public Works Director
Seat/region you are running for: Region IV 

 

The City of Firth has trusted me to serve as the Public Works Director for 47 years.  Firth has a population of 500 with 159 service connections.  In my role as Public Works Director, I serve as the water operator (Class I Treatment) and sewer operator (Class ll Treatment, Class I Collections) as well as city clerk.  I retired in March of 2021.  After four months the City brought me back on for my licenses and to do the City Clerk duties about one day a week.  

I have had the privilege to serve on the IRWA Board of Directors for 15 years as Secretary/Treasurer, the last couple years as President.  During this time I have witnessed a lot of change all of which has helped move the Association forward.  Presently, the IRWA Board is pursuing a number of programs to help Idaho’s water and wastewater systems.  I would like to see the good ideas get off the ground and begin to benefit Idaho’s systems.  I believe small systems like the City of Firth need to hold a voice on the IRWA Board of Directors.  


Brad Andersen

System representing: Idaho National Laboratory
Title: Water Operator
Seat/region you are running for: At-Large (population under 10,000)

 

My name is Brad Andersen and I am running for the Idaho Rural Water Association Board of Directors.  I have been on the board for the past couple of years and would love to continue serving the membership of Idaho Rural Water. I have gained experienced in the drinking water profession by working for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for over 30 years, owning a water business, being a license drinking water operator and license backflow tester for over 20 years.  Also, for over 10 years I have been teaching drinking water and cross connection classes for Idaho Rural Water and other businesses. I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Health from Brigham Young University and a Masters in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho. I have been married for 33 years and have four daughters and six grandchildren.  I enjoy fishing and the great outdoors of Idaho. It would be an honor to be re-elected to the board of directors serving my fellow operators.