R. Larry Aker - Local Official, Exeter

Kenneth D. Ayars - RI DEM Division of Ag.

Edward T. Baker, Jr. - USDA RC & D

Susan Barker - Executive Director, WCRPC

Raymond M. Goff - Town Planner, Glocester

Jeffrey A. Gofton - Past Chair RIRDC

Geoffrey A. Marchant* - Executive Director, E.G. Community Development Consortium

Thomas Sandham - Eastern RI Conservation District

* Executive Committee Chairman 

Council Staff:
Gerard N. Bertrand - Interim Executive Director
Email: Director@ruralri.org

The Rhode Island Rural Development Council is 
dedicated to improving the quality of life in 
rural Rhode Island, while preserving the 
characteristics which give rural communities their
unique sense of place. We work to leverage the 
resources of Federal, State, local, private, and
non-profit efforts to effectively disseminate 
information and open channels of communication
among those interested in improving the quality 
of life in rural Rhode Island. 

On July 3, 1998, the Rhode Island General Assembly
passed the act creating the Rhode Island Rural 
Development Council. The Act declares, "…it is in
the public interest and a public policy to establish
a means by which to promote communication among those 
interested in rural development and to support the 
coordination of programs for rural development".  

The Council derives its authority from the Rural 
Development Act of 1972, and Section 754A of the 
Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act 
of 1996, which provide a mechanism for the National 
Rural Development Partnership to strengthen State 
and Federal rural development relationships.

The Rural Development Council is currently a USDA-certified 
State Council recognized as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization 
serving rural-eligible Rhode Island communities.  The Council 
reports to the USDA-Rural Development State Director, Amherst, 
Massachusetts.