District board members do not have individual powers or authorities. An individual board member has power only when acting as a part of the district board. Effective boards work cooperatively as a unit to plan and oversee implementation of their district's programs. District boards set up their own administrative structure and committees, as needed. The state statutes require, at a minimum, that a chair and secretary be selected from among the directors.

The Marion SWCD board elects a chairperson, vice chairperson and a secretary/treasurer each year in the January board meeting. Individual board members may be given authority to act on behalf of the board in specific, limited tasks such as: staff supervision, project management, serving as spokesperson, and signing documents. Customary duties and responsibilities of all individual board members include:

• Attend and actively participate in all board meetings
• Come to meetings prepared
• Carry out committee responsibilities
• Help with district functions and events
• Participate in trainings and area/state meetings of the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts
• Keep abreast of local conservation issues
• Promote the district's work to local landowners, constituents, agencies, and organizations
• Promote the district's work to legislators and other decision makers regarding district funding
• Learn more about what it means to be a director
• Download the Director job description

"District Director" is the title given to persons who are elected or appointed to serve on a conservation district board. To ensure proper representation in a district, each district is divided into legally-defined zones. Directors are elected or appointed from those different areas of the district. By statute, ORS 568.560, a seven-member board must have five zone director positions and two at-large positions.

In Oregon, conservation district directors are elected in the November General Election held on even-numbered years. District directors serve four-year terms and begin serving their terms in January following their election. Director positions are elected in "staggered" terms to provide continuity on the board and maintain operational consistency. A district board may appoint a person to fill a board vacancy between elections.

Although directors are elected by the local residents, they do serve in a voluntary capacity. Directors are not paid for their time and services, however they may be reimbursed for specific costs incurred while doing official district business.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) Natural Resources Division is the elections filing officer for the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) director elections. Elections for SWCD directors occur every two years. The next General Election is scheduled for November 6, 2012.

ODA's Natural Resources Division oversees the conservation district elections process. Candidates and districts must follow specific guidelines to advertise the elections and to have candidates' applications processed and placed on the ballot. ODA notifies the districts and county clerks which positions are to be on the ballot for election, the procedures to follow, and deadlines needing to be met

Candidates and districts are responsible to submit the appropriate paperwork to the local county clerk and to ODA.

Conservation districts capabilities are expanded by Associate Directors. Associate Directors are appointed by the board and they do not vote on board decisions. However, they can augment the board's knowledge and experience level as well as assist with programs and activities. An Associate Director serves until January 1 in odd numbered years. Every two years, district boards should re-appoint those directors who are interested in continuing and who have contributed sufficiently to the district's conservation efforts.