Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is comprised of five members, elected by electoral divisions within the District. Board meetings are currently held on the 2nd Monday of every month at 5:30 pm, at our office (or via teleconferencing depending on the COVID-19 situation): 500 Davidson St. and are open to the public.
Board Members
- Division 1: Jean Mariani
- Division 2: Dennis Bentley
- Division 3: Tim Fuette
- Division 4: Jerry Peters
- Division 5: Carole Dillon-Knutson
Tim Fuette - President
Appointed in 2019.
Term of Office: 2023-2026.
Resident of Novato: 1981-1986 & 1993-Present.
Educational History:
- College of Marin.
- University of California, Berkeley, B.S. Civil Engineering.
Employment History:
- East Bay Municipal Utility District: project manager of planning, design and construction projects for water distribution facilities and occupied buildings. (1995 to present).
- URS Consultants/John A. Blume (structural engineering) (1987-1994).
Community/Volunteer Service:
- Saint Anthony Parish: Faith Formation instructor (Bible Study) for grammar aged children (2007-2017).
- Novato South Little League Baseball: Assistant Coach (2009-2011).
- Novato Riptide: Parent Volunteer- Team Photographer (2009-2012).
- BSA Troop 42 Novato: Assistant Scout Master & Scout Master (2012-present).
- East Bay Structural Engineering Society, board positions held from 2000-2004.
Jean Mariani - President Pro-Tem
Appointed in 2011.
Term of Office: 2021-2024.
Resident of Novato from 1958 to 1973 and from 2004 to present.
Educational History:
- BS Economics, Santa Clara University.
- Financial Management & Rate Setting, American Water Works Association (1993).
- Governmental Auditing, Graduate School, USDA (1997).
Employment History:
- City and County of San Francisco: Budget and finance positions with Board of Supervisors, Mayor's Office and SF Public Utilities Commission (water, power, transit) (1982-1993).
- East Bay Municipal Utility District: Director Office of Management and Budget (1993-1996).
- City and County of San Francisco: Budget and finance positions with Controller's Office, Sheriff's Department and SF Public Utilities Commission (water, power, wastewater) (1997-2009)
- Sonoma County Water Agency: Project Manager wastewater rate study and cost accounting system replacement (2010-2011)
Elected and Appointed Offices:
- Member, Board of Directors, Sanitary District No. 1 of Marin County (1996-2002).
- Commissioner, Central Marin Sanitation Agency (representing City of Larkspur) (1996-2002).
- President, California Association of Sanitation Agencies (2001-2002).
- Executive Board Member, California Association of Sanitation Agencies (2004-2005).
Community / Volunteer Service:
- Marin County Open Space Green Gorilla.
- Marin Humane Society, Dog Training Assistant Volunteer.
Carole Dillon-Knutson
Appointed in 2015.
Term of Office: 2023-2026.
Resident of Novato since 1970.
Educational History:
- BS in Business, St. Mary's College.
Employment History:
- Retired Business Manager, Subsurface Engineering (Geotechnical Consulting Firm).
Other Boards or Foundations:
- Former Mayor of Novato.
- Retired Novato City Council Member.
- Marin Community College District Board of Trustees.
- SMART (Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit) Executive Board.
- TAM (Transportation Authority of Marin) Executive Board.
- ABAG (Association of Bay Area Governments) Executive Board.
Community/Volunteer Service:
- Novato Rotary Sunrise.
- Soroptimist International of Novato.
- AM Business Women.
- Wednesday Morning Dialogue.
- Former Marin Master Gardeners.
- Novato Garden Club.
- American Association of University Women.
- Novato Theater Company, Board Member.
Dennis Bentley
Elected in 2022.
Term of Office: 2023-2026.
Resident of Novato since 2010.
Educational History:
- BS in Chemical Engineering, Clarkson University (1969-1973).
- Nuclear Power Engineering School (1975).
- Management Courses (General Electric, 1976-1986).
- Fuel, Chemicals. Refineries & Power Plant Filtration (Pall Filtration, 2008).
Employment History:
- GE Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL), Nuclear Power Plant Operations and Management positions, including management of site nuclear wastewater systems (1973-1986).
- KAPL Resident Engineer and Manager at Puget Sound and Mare Island Naval Shipyard (1986-1995).
- Manager, Operation/Sales, DES and US Filter, Advanced Dewatering/Drying systems, and Membrane Bioreactors (1995-2008).
- Technical Sales Representative/Water Treatment Team Leader, Ryan Herco Flow Solutions, Fuel/Chemical/Refineries/Power Plant Filtration Systems (2008-2010).
- Project Development Manager, Clean Water Technology, Advanced Dissolved Air Flotation, Membrane Bioreactors, and Reverse Osmosis systems (2011-2017).
Other Board or Foundations:
- City of Novato Recreation, Cultural & Community Services Commission, Commissioner & Past Chair.
- Homeowners Association Master Representative, Loreto Bay Villages, Nopolo, Mexico.
- Also, member of the Waterways and the Water Resources Committee, which deals with the water and wastewater issues in the community.
Community/Volunteer Service:
- Rotary Novato Sunrise, member and past-president.
- North Bay Science Discovery Day Committee; annual STEM event.
- H2Open Doors: installation of water treatment systems in Africa and Guatemala.
Jerry Peters
Elected in 2011.
Term of Office: 2021-2024.
Resident of Novato from 1975 to present.
Educational History:
- BA Business, San Francisco State University.
- MBA in Transportation, San Francisco State University.
Employment History:
- Airline industry 26 years – supervisor, manager, executive. Customer service, maintenance, marketing.
- Computer industry 2 years. Sales, customer service.
- Property and Facilities Manager 20 years, Brayton Purcell LLC.
Other Boards or Foundations:
- Past-President and long-time Board Member, Novato Chamber of Commerce.
- Current Co-Chair of Novato Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee.
- Past Chair and member of various other Chamber committees.
Community/Volunteer Service:
- Chair of the Novato Save-the-Depot Task Force.
- Co-Founder of the Novato 4th of July Parade Committee.
- Various local fund raisers and campaigns (Paint the Town Red, Measure A, and City Council elections, etc.)
- Former basketball coach on various Novato Parks and Recreation teams.
- 2007 Novato Citizen of the Year.
Board Committee Assignments
Assigned at the February 11, 2019 Board meeting, updated August 12, 2019.
- Joint City/District Solid Waste Committee:
- Jean Mariani
- Jerry Peters
- Tim Fuette, Alternate
- Wastewater Operations Committee:
- Carole Dillon-Knutson
- Tim Fuette
- Jean Mariani, Alternate
- Capital Improvements Committee (Formerly: Strategic Planning and New Facilities Committee)
- Carole Dillon-Knutson
- Dennis Bentley
- Tim Fuette, Alternate
- Finance Committee:
- Dennis Bentley
- Jean Mariani
- Carole Dillon-Knutson, Alternate
- California Association of Sanitation Agencies:
- Tim Fuette, Delegate
- Sandeep Karkal, Alternate
- California Sanitation Risk Management Authority:
- Sandeep Karkal, Delegate
- Tim Fuette, Alternate
- North Bay Water Reuse Authority:
- Carole Dillon-Knutson, Delegate
- Jerry Peters, Alternate
- North Bay Watershed Association:
- Jean Mariani, Delegate
- Sandeep Karkal, Alternate
None assigned at the February 11, 2019 Board meeting.
AB1234 Ethics Training Certificates
In compliance with Assembly Bill 1234, Novato Sanitary District Board Members have completed a two-hour ethics training program. AB 1234 mandates that any member of a governing body that receives compensation must also receive training in ethics.
