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✉ jcrafton@rpbcwd.org

  • Term expires July 2024
  • Appointed by Hennepin County
  • Resident of Bloomington

Jill Crafton

 

How long have you lived in the watershed district?

I have lived in Bloomington for 39 years. 

Why were you interested in becoming a manager? 

Bloomington Staff encouraged me to apply to be a manager on RPBCWD as it would allow me to address Water Quality issues I had been bugging the city to improve.  I welcomed this opportunity to make a difference. 

What is your background?

I earned a BA in English and a MBA with an Accounting Concentration.  I worked 22 years with a Law Firm in the Accounting Department as an accountant and financial analyst after earning the MBA degree.  I taught Language Arts in a Detroit inner ring suburb for 3 years after graduating with my BA from Michigan State University. The MBA was from the U of MN after we moved from Florida to MN. 

What is your favorite outdoor spot in the District?

My favorite outdoor spot is in the Hyland Park area of Bloomington. It has trails and natural areas to observe wildlife and just chill. 

What is your favorite outdoor activity? 

My favorite outdoor activity besides gardening and planting native plants is observing and learning from nature. There is so much to learn about the local ecosystems and the biotic communities that have evolved here.  I enjoy assisting restoration of degraded areas and building habitat for pollinators and birds and other species that share my yard. 

What District work are you most proud of? 

Putting a project in the ground is only as valuable as the stewardship to maintain it.  I’m most proud of the dedicated staff who are knowledgeable stewards of the districts creeks, lakes, and wetlands.  Their commitment to support the natural areas within the district for wildlife and resident enjoyment benefits all. 

In addition to protecting/enhancing water resources, what are you most passionate about? 

I’m passionate about the emerging science regarding ecosystems and developing a better understanding of their complexity.  The challenge is to learn from this science and use that knowledge to nurture the natural areas and improve water quality and groundwater recharge through the district’s restorations and programs strategically.
This gives me hope for the future.

What other information do you feel stakeholders would like to know about you?

I strongly value the importance of recognizing the contributions of the district’s citizens who are beneficial stewards of the natural resources within the district.  They perform numerous valuable services from street clean ups to adopting a drain or monitoring for zebra mussels. Many are restoring their shorelines and/or putting in rain gardens and pollinator gardens with the assistance of the district’s cost-share program.  They are making a difference!