BONITA NEWS
February 10, 2007

Lee thirsts for local voice on water board
With the Caloosahatchee River , the western drain of Lake Okeechobee , flowing straight through Lee County , some argue the area has the most to lose from lack of representation. By Julio Ochoa

http://www.bonitanews.com/news/2007/feb/10/lee_thirsts_local_voice_water_board/

Gov. Charlie Crist next month will have three appointments to make on the South Florida Water Management District board. Lee County commissioners sent him a letter earlier this this week arguing for a local representative on the board. The area's representation couldn't get any lower.

Of the nine board members, none is from Lee County . The only west coast member, Alice Carlson, is from Collier County . The other member who technically represents the west coast is Malcom “Bubba” Wade Jr., a senior vice president for U.S. Sugar in Clewiston.

With the Caloosahatchee River , the western drain of Lake Okeechobee , flowing straight through Lee County and emptying into its bays and the Gulf of Mexico , some argue the area has the most to lose from lack of representation. “This whole issue with regards to Lake Okeechobee really comes down to stewardship of our natural resources,” Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah said. “That has not been taking place on the current governing board.”

Judah asked his board to forward two names of local candidates to the governor Tuesday. Instead of suggesting names, the board voted to ask the governor to appoint a qualified representative from Lee County .

“All I can hope for is that the governor recognizes the need to have someone with a background in resource management so we can have a well-balanced decision-making authority,” Judah said. Both of Judah 's suggestions, Greg Rawl and Wayne Daltry , fit that description.

Rawl , a hydrogeologist and environmental consultant, has more than 25 years of experience in water resources, geology and hydrology. He's worked as a consultant for both Lee County and the city of Bonita Springs.

Rawl grew up on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River and worked for the water management district from 1989 to 1991. “We need some technical expertise on that board,” Rawl said. “It's a critical period in the scheme of things, and there are some tough decisions that need to be made.”

Daltry is director of Smart Growth for Lee County . He's been appointed to gubernatorial committees under former governors Reubin Askew, Bob Graham, Bob Martinez, Lawton Chiles and Jeb Bush. He has served as chair of the governor's Coastal Citizens Advisory Committee and is currently the governor's representative on the working group for Everglades restoration.

Three positions on the water management district's governing board will expire in March. Those who could be replaced are Chairman Kevin McCarty, Vice Chairwoman Irela Bagué and Carlson. In addition, Crist withdrew the name of Miya Burt-Stewart, a Bush appointment who had yet to be confirmed by the state Senate. Whoever the governor chooses will need to produce results for Lee County , Daltry said.

“What we can't accept any more is a low success rate in our area on behalf of a high success rate in another area,” Daltry said. “Either we all suffer together or we all gain together, but some don't suffer and others gain, because that is not a regional system.”