John Winter Stepping Down From Otsego Land Trust

John Winter, Executive Director of Otsego Land Trust, announced this week that he will
be resigning. Citing family commitments, he has been unexpectedly delayed relocating to
the Cooperstown area and will not be able to do so for another two years.
This development has made performance of his duties difficult and he offered his
resignation to the Land Trust’s Board of Directors at their last meeting. The Board
regretfully accepted his decision.

Mr. Winter will be leaving at the end of December. The Land Trust has already initiated
a search for a new Executive Director and hopes to have a new Director in time to
facilitate a smooth transition.

Since assuming leadership of the Land Trust in January 2016, Mr. Winter has been
instrumental in its recent successes. The portfolio of protected properties now exceeds
10,000 acres. Opportunities to protect additional land are under way and new easements
will be announced when they are completed. Construction of improvements to
Brookwood Point will be finished by the end of this year and a fund has been established
to maintain that property for the next seven years.

Harry Levine, Otsego Land Trust Chairman, said “I am very sorry about John’s
resignation, but we understand that the demands of this job are heavy and that the added
burden of a long commute presented an unworkable situation for him.”
For more information please contact Jonathan Press, OLT’s Community Engagement
Coordinator by email: jon@otsegolandtrust.org or by calling 607-547-2366.