The King Conservation District (KCD) Board of Supervisors last week elected Kirkland resident Bill Knutsen as its new chairman.

Appointed to the KCD board of supervisors in 2006 by the Washington State Conservation Commission, Knutsen had previously served as an associate supervisor. A member of a long-time family dairy operation, Bill’s Dairy, he was named a commissioner of the newly formed King County Agriculture Commission in 1998.

As chairman of the KCD’s five-member board, Knutsen’s responsibility is to ensure the district meets its legal and public trust obligations. The board conducts regular public meetings to oversee the district’s budget and provide guidance and oversight to district staff.

The Conservation District is an independent special services district encompassing most of King County. It offers landowners assistance and information on a voluntary, non-regulatory basis with conservation and environmental issues.