Charles R. "Bob" Leitzell of Mokelumne Hill and Dan Port of Ione were elected to the Foothill Conservancy Board of Directors on Sept. 4.

They will serve two-year terms as directors of the local nonprofit conservation organization. Two incumbent conservancy directors, founding members Pete Bell and Katherine Evatt of Volcano, were reelected to the board.

Leitzell is a self-employed consulting traffic engineer and the retired public works director of Calaveras County. Since 2005, he has served as one of the three appointed public members of the Calaveras Council of Governments. Earlier, Leitzell served seven years on the San Anselmo Planning Commission and as that city's director of public works and planning. He received a bachelor's of science in civil engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and is a registered California civil and traffic engineer. Leitzell is married and has five children and 10 grandchildren. He and his wife Paula live in Mokelumne Hill.

Port is a farmer and rancher active in local agricultural land protection and conservation. He owns Winterport Farm outside Ione with his wife, Susan. Port is president of the Mother Lode Land Trust, a director of the Amador Resource Conservation District and a member of the Amador County Agricultural Advisory Committee. He is a member of the Farm Bureau and a founding director and member of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers. Port has a political science degree from UC Davis. He and Susan have two adult children.

Bell is current Foothill Conservancy vice-president. Evatt is current president of Foothill Conservancy.