A Herkimer County contractor has been named to the board of Hudson River-Black River Regulating District by Governor David A. Paterson.

David W. Berkstresser of Old Forge, Herkimer County, was appointed to a term that runs through 2013.

Berkstresser is an independent contractor in the town of Webb. Since 1980 he has been a volunteer fireman and EMT/paramedic, serving as fire chief of the Old Forge Fire Department for six years.

After 911, Berkstresser helped with the recovery at the World Trade Center. He has been a member of the Old Forge Library Board of Trustees for over 23 years.

“It is an honor to be appointed to the board by Governor Paterson,” Berkstresser said in a statement. “As a resident of the town of Webb, I understand the importance of the Black River and Hudson River watersheds to the future of the state of New York. I look forward to working with my fellow board members on the operations of the Regulating District to maintain the fine line between usage, utility, and conservation.”

Berkstresser replaces Anne B. McDonald from Ticonderoga who began serving on the board in 1999.
The Hudson River-Black River Regulating District is a public-benefit corporation established to regulate the flows of the Hudson River and Black River for the purposes of flood protection and flow augmentation.