Board of Directors
“Any interested candidate meeting the eligible candidate requirements provided below must submit to the ARWA office address his/her intent to seek election of the Board of Director’s position for his/her respective District 60 days prior to the election date. Upon notification, the ARWA office will provide the potential candidate with an application to seek election package which must be completed and returned within 30 days to the ARWA for qualifying approval.”
Table of Contents
Current Directors
District
1
Eric Hill
Franklin County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2027
District
2
Jeaniece Slater
Morgan County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2025
District
3
Chris O'Rear
Walker County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2024
District
4
Vincent Atkins
Greene County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2025
District
5
Glen Hyatt
Cleburne County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2026
District
6
Jonathan Lawley
Bibb County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2027
District
7
Michael Sawyer
Monroe County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2027
District
8
Derick Gregory
Tallapossa County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2026
District
9
Mark Bohlin
Baldwin County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2024
District
10
James Dixon
Geneva County,
AL
Term Expires Dec 31, 2024
Note:
Directors serve a 4-year term.
Elections are normally held at
the Annual Meeting in March.
District 1 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
Eric Hill
Franklin County, AL
Eric Hill currently serves as the General Manager of the Russellville Water & Sewer Board. Eric previously worked for the Phil Campbell Water & Sewer Board for 11 years and has been employed with the Russellville Water & Sewer Board since 2004.
With more than 25 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry, Eric holds a Grade 4 wastewater certificate, and a Grade 2 water certificate with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
Eric enjoys fishing and spending time traveling with his family. He is a member of the Society of Water Professionals and currently serving as a member of the Alabama Rural Water Association Board of Directors representing District 1.
District 2 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
Jeaniece Slater
Morgan County, AL
Jeaniece Slater is employed with the West Morgan-East Lawrence Water & Sewer Authority in Decatur, Alabama and serves as the General Manager. She have worked her way through the ranks of the Authority since 2003, when she was initially hired as a Meter Reader. She have held positions of increasing responsibility since that time, including Maintenance Supervisor, Water Treatment Plant Operator, Assistant Treatment Plant Manager, Treatment Plant Manager, and Assistant General Manager and lastly General Manager.
Jeaniece holds a Grade 4 Water certificate with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
Jeaniece enjoys avid sports fan, coached community basketball and softball for over 20 years. She enjoy running, biking and CrossFit. A lifelong Morgan County resident, she graduated from Hartselle High where she was blessed to become one of the winningest basketball players in Morgan County History and was the first player to receive the Alabama Sportswriter’s Association’s Miss Basketball Award. After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama, she coached college basketball and softball at Wallace State Jr. College Hanceville, Al. She made a career change when she joined the Water Authority in 2001 and have become involved in the water industry at the local, regional, and state levels over the past 20 years. Outside of work, she enjoy spending time with my family.
She is a member of the Society of Water Professionals and is currently serving as a Board Member of the Alabama Rural Water Association Board of Directors representing District 2.
District 3 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
Chris O'Rear
Walker County, AL
Chris O’Rear currently serves as the Assistant Manager of Parrish Water & Sewer Board.
Chris worked For Curry Water Authority for 16 years and with the Oakman Water Works since 2016.
With more than 20 years of experience in the water industry, Chris holds a Grade 1 water certification. Chris enjoys spending time with his family, watching Alabama football and golfing.
He is a member of the Society of Water Professionals and currently serves as a member of the Alabama Rural Water Association Board of Directors representing District 3.
District 4 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
Vincent Atkins
Greene County, AL
Vincent Atkins has served as General Manager and Operator for Greene County Water & Sewer Authority in Greene County, AL since 1996.
With over 25 years in the water and wastewater industry, Vincent holds a Grade II Water Certification and a Grade I Wastewater Certification with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
Vincent enjoys fishing and spending time traveling. He is a member of the Society of Water Professionals and currently serving as a member of the Alabama Rural Water Association Board of Directors representing District 4.
District 5 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
Glen Hyatt
Cleburne County, AL
Glen Hyatt currently serves as the General Manager of the Water Works and Sewer Board of the City of Heflin. Glen has been employed by Heflin since 2014. Glen holds a Grade 4 water certificate, and a Grade 2 wastewater certificate with the Alabama Department of the Environmental Management.
Glen is very active in his church and enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family. He is a member of the Society of Water Professionals and currently serves as a member of the Alabama Rural Water Association Board of Directors representing District 5.
District 6 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
Jonathan Lawley
Bibb County, AL
District 7 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
Michael Sawyer
Monroe County, AL
Michael Sawyer serves on the board for the Monroeville Water Works.
District 8 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
Derick Gregory
Tallapossa County, AL
Derick Gregory currently serves as the Operations Manager of the Loachapoka Water Authority. He has served in this capacity since 2002. He has been employed by LWA since October 1995. He holds a Grade II water certification from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
Derick served as President of the Macon County Cattlemen's Association 2014-2016 and has served as a board member from 2014-current.
District 9 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
Mark Bohlin
Baldwin County, AL
Mark Bohlin is the General Manager of Perdido Bay Water, Sewer and Fire Protection District in South Baldwin County Alabama. He has been serving in this position since 1998.
As the General Manager of the Perdido Bay Water, Sewer and Fire Protection District Mark has set and achieved many innovative goals for the Water District. Some of these achievements include implementing a touch-read meter change-out program, GIS mapping of the Water District, hydraulic modeling of the Water District, modernizing financial, billing and collections software and procedures while integrating all of these areas of the operation of the water district so that they all work in conjunction with each other. Mark takes great pride in utilizing new and innovative technologies and techniques in the operation of the Water District.
Mark is a Grade IV water operator with the State of Alabama and State Certified Electrician. He served four years in the United States Air Force as an Aerospace Ground Equipment Technician. Upon completion of his military career Mark worked as a Plant Electrician with Hunter Industries in San Marcos, Texas, served as Instrument Controls Technician with General Development Utilities in Palm Bay, Florida, and served as Operator/Manager of Hawk Pride Mountain Water System in Tuscumbia, Alabama.
Mark has attended the Community College of the Air Force, University of Florida TREO Center, Troy State University and Columbia Southern University. Mark enjoys spending time with family, playing golf and traveling.
Mark currently serves as a Board Member for the Alabama Rural Water Association Board of Directors and a Board Member for the Society of Water Professionals. He is a member of the Society of Water Professionals.
District 10 represents all utilities
within these Counties.
James Dixon
Geneva County, AL
For over 30 years, James has been employed with the Geneva Water Works & Sewer Board. He has served as the Manager for the past 15 years.
James holds a Grade 2 Water and Grade 3 Wastewater Operator License through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. James is also a member of the Alabama Rural Water Association Board of Directors. He is a member of the Association's Finance Committee, Legislative Committee, Building Committee and By-Law Review Committee.
Process Overview
- 1. Intent to Seek Election.
- You must seek out and submit an 'Intent to Seek Election' form from our office in order to be considered for election.
- The intent form must be submitted 60 days prior to an election so the ARWA can have your submission vetted by our attorney prior to consideration.
- Deadlines are critical. Call our office if you need assistance with this process.
- 2. Qualifying Package.
- Upon receipt of an interested candidate's Intent to Seek Election Form, a "Qualifying Package" will be mailed to the candidate who must provide qualifying criteria to the ARWA by the deadline for eligibility determination.
- Qualifying procedures and eligibility requirements for individuals interested in seeking election to the ARWA Board of Directors are provided through the ARWA By-Laws as approved by the current Board of Directors.
- 3. Election.
- You must follow the election process in the ARWA By-Laws. Full context printed below.
- Disclaimer: The By-Laws may be updated by the ARWA Board at any time. The language provided here is for reference only and may not be the current version of the document. It is on you to ensure you have the correct language. Call us with questions.
- In short, come to the conference, get nominated at a caucus, win the vote!
Qualifications
Any interested candidate meeting the eligible candidate requirements provided below must submit to the ARWA office address his/her intent to seek election of the Board of Director’s position for his/her respective District 60 days prior to the election date. Upon notification, the ARWA office will provide the potential candidate with an application to seek election package which must be completed and returned within 30 days to the ARWA for qualifying approval.
The interested candidate must possess the following qualifications to be determined an eligible candidate and qualified to seek election for his/her District:
- The candidate must have five years of employment with a water utility member of the ARWA or five years service as a board member of an ARWA water utility member. ARWA legal counsel will verify employment, board service and ARWA membership with appropriate parties.
- Candidate must secure a letter from an ARWA water utility member within the district recommending the candidate for election. A list of ARWA water utility members within the District will be provided to interested candidates.
- Candidate must agree, if elected, to cease any employment by contract or agreement written or verbal with other similar organizations who seek the same funding as the ARWA and who provide similar or duplicated member services.
- One member of the Board of Directors shall be elected from each district. The person elected to serve as director for a District shall be required to be associated through full time employment secured by the member water utility as a certified water operator or an operator with both water and wastewater certification, as a water utility general manager or serve as a water utility board member. The candidate must reside within the ARWA District for which he/she is seeking election.
At the annual membership meeting, a caucus for each district whose directorship position is expiring shall be held for the purpose of receiving nominations of pre-qualified candidates from the voting delegates of Voting Members in that District. Except as provided below in the event of a tie after a caucus run-off, an appointed caucus chairperson will accept nominations of candidates who have previously met qualifying criteria, and by majority vote of the voting delegates of Voting Members from each respective district, one nominee will be chosen. The nominee will then be presented at the annual business meeting to the voting delegates of the Voting Members present for their concurrence. If a quorum is present at the annual business meeting, the nominee for such district receiving the majority of votes from the voting delegates of Voting Members present and entitled to vote thereon shall become the next director for that District.
In the event that two or more candidates are competing during the caucus, and if no candidate receives a majority vote in the caucus, a run-off caucus election shall be held between the two candidates with the greatest number of votes. In the event of a caucus run-off, the candidate receiving the majority of votes from the voting delegates of Voting Members in that District will be the nominee for that district. If a caucus run-off election occurs and no one receives a majority vote in the caucus, the tie will be reported at the annual business meeting to the voting delegates of the Voting Members of that District present and the determination of the candidate who shall be the director for the District shall be made by a vote of the voting delegates of that District present. The candidate receiving the majority of votes of the voting delegates of that District present at the annual business meeting shall be the director for that District. If the tie is not broken by the District voting delegates present during the Annual Business Meeting and no other nomination is made from the District voting delegates present, a letter will be mailed following the Conference to every member water system in said District stating the outcome of the ARWA Annual Business Meeting District Election and asking for nominations from the District water system voting member Delegate to be returned to the ARWA within in two weeks. If nominees are received, they will be presented to the full ARWA Board of Directors for vote and approval. If no nomination is received from the District water system members voting delegate, a director will be selected and approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
