~Photos courtesy of the SFWMD
Saturday https://www.flickr.com/photos/sfwmd/albums/72157712931573927/
Friday https://www.flickr.com/photos/sfwmd/albums/72157712922225308/
Thank you to Mayor Greg Oravec and the City of Port St Luice for welcoming the South Florida Water Management District https://www.sfwmd.gov to the Treasure Coast in order to hold a “Consumptive Use Permits” Workshop on Friday, January 31st, and a Governing Board Business Meeting on Saturday, February 1st. Wonderful, unconventional meeting dates for an unconventional time in history as Governor DeSantis’ 2019 appointed Governing Board, led by Chairman Mr Chauncey Goss, reaches out throughout South Florida to build relationships and transparency. It was so special to have many area local elected officials, the new IndianRiver Keeper, and members of the public participate in “our own back yard.”
You might not know, but the City of Port St Lucie is the 8th largest city in Florida! https://www.cityofpsl.com/discover-us/about-psl After a hard 2008 Great Recession, the city in now blossoming into one of Florida’s most “new-thinking,” pushing water quality initiatives that are beyond bold. https://www.cityofpsl.com/government/departments/utility-systems/water-quality-initiatives
Now that the economy is much improved, the city’s literature proudly touts “Growing Together,” and that they are. Over the past decade, the affordability of Port St Lucie compared to other Treasure Coast areas has brought in a tremendous number of young professionals and modern-families looking for a better water future and a place to call “home.” This vision is apparent in the cities elected officials and staff.
On a personal note, I am proud to call Mayor Oravec my friend having known him since my Treasure Coast Council of Government days beginning in 2008. We have watched a long needed cultural shift occur regarding water. The mayor is a true visionary and has been a huge inspiration in this hard fought movement.
Thank you for hosting the new SFWMD. Tother with Martin, Palm Beach, Okeechobee, and Indian River counties, we are building a Treasure Coast future, as part of a greater South Florida, of which our children and grandchildren will be proud.
Shared below are LINKS TO THE WORKSHOP & MEETING.
JTL & Mayor Oravec 2020
Basin map: the C-23 canal boarders St Luice and Martin County.
WORKSHOP VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5Wo8nM9fyg&t=3514s
GOVERNING BOARD MEETING VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7SdPAgzeCY
In closing, I thought the photo below appropriate to share. It is a python football from the recent SFWMD Python Challenge “Super Bowl.”
https://www.sfwmd.gov/news/80-pythons-submitted-during-2020-python-bowl
*Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs for their Super Bowl win last evening ~even though I was born at Travis Air Force Base next to San Francisco!
~For all of us, it’s about getting the ball to the finish line!
