Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Kenneth Robinson, and the reappointment of Quentin Fairbanks and Randy Kramer to the Board of Water and Soil Resources. All three are appointed to four-year terms that expire January 3, 2011.

Robinson, of St. Cloud, represents Stearns County as a manager on the Sauk River Watershed Board. He is the public utilities director for the city of St. Cloud where his duties include the supervision and management of the drinking water, waste water, storm water and hydroelectric operations of the city. Robinson has been the project manager for a number of water protection projects including the Upper Mississippi River Source Water Protection Project and the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources Wastewater Phosphorous Reduction Initiative. He earned his bachelor of science degree in biological science from South Dakota State University in Brookings. Robinson is appointed as the watershed district representative and replaces Karyland Cook on the board.

Fairbanks, of Hines, is a county commissioner and chairman of the Beltrami County Board. He is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians and serves as a tribal business planner. He served on the executive board of the Red River Basin Commission and is the former chairman of the Headwaters Regional Development Commission. Fairbanks is reappointed as a county commissioner member of the board.

Kramer, of Bird Island, is a partner in a 3,800 acre farm. He is the former vice president of the Renville County Farm Bureau and former chairman of the state feed grains committee of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. He is active in the Renville County Agricultural Society and the Renville County Corn Growers Board. Kramer currently serves as the chair and is reappointed as a citizen member of the board.

The Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) is the state’s administrative agency for 91 soil and water conservation districts, 43 watershed districts, 27 metropolitan watersheds, and 80 county water management organizations. The agency’s purpose, working through local government, is to protect and enhance the state’s irreplaceable soil and water resources by implementing the state’s soil and water conservation policy, comprehensive local water management, and the Wetland Conservation Act as it relates to the 41.7 million acres of private land in Minnesota. The board consists of 17 members, including 12 members appointed by the Governor.