From Press Release Dated December 9, 2011

Mark Bowers, Charles Duritsa, State Representative R. Ted Harhai, John Pallone, Malcolm Sias, Virginia Stump, and John Ward were reelected to the board of Westmoreland Land Trust at the organization’s most recent meeting in October.

Each will serve a three-year term, beginning in January 2012 through December 2014.

The Westmoreland Land Trust’s all-volunteer board is made up of local citizens, representing a variety of Westmoreland County communities and areas of expertise related to land use.

• Mark Bowers of Rostraver Township is a botanist and a geologist with Garvin Boward Beitko Engineering, Inc.
• Charles Duritsa of Jeannette is the chairman of the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission and served as the director of the Southwestern Regional Office of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection until his retirement in 2004.
• R. Ted Harhai of Monessen is a representative in the Pennsylvania legislature.
• John Pallone of New Kensington is an attorney in private practice.
• Malcolm Sias of Unity Township is the planning coordinator of the Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation.
• Virginia Stump of Westmoreland City is a self-employed appraiser, real estate agent, and environmental consultant.
• John Ward of Unity Township is an attorney at law with Ward & Christner, P.C.

The four-year-old nonprofit Westmoreland Land Trust was formed to conserve land of special value to Westmoreland County, such as land that contributes to the region’s quality of life because of its scenic, recreational, environmental, historical, or cultural attributes.

To date the organization has preserved more than 105 acres in four Westmoreland County communities: North Huntingdon Township, Murrysville, Rostraver Township, and the City of Greensburg.

Meetings of the Westmoreland Land Trust are held at the Westmoreland Conservation District office, Donohoe Center, 218 Donohoe Road, and the public is welcome to attend.